Mad Mike

So, I see this little gem on the Internet. Apparently, a BR coming home on a batted ball hurdles the catcher. The catcher receives the throw about 5 feet in front of the plate, catches the ball just before the BR gets there, and proceeds to hurdle the catcher. I can't tell from the video (it runs out) if the umpire calls him out or safe. The accompanying article does not mention the action being illegal. Now in FED the rules reads: "Runners are never required to slide, but if a runner elects to slide, the slide must be legal. (2-32-1, 2) Jumping, hurdling, and leaping are all legal attempts to avoid a fielder as long as the fielder is lying on the ground. Diving over a fielder is illegal" "PENALTY: The runner is out, the ball is dead immediately, and interference is called. ..." (NFHS 8-4-2-b-2) Here is the link to the 14 second video. Take a look and discuss. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=4RpXtHWrt-A How about OBR? Is this legal in OBR and could a manager make a successful argument the BR was simply trying to avoid contact so he hurdled the catcher at the last moment?

If your ankles are getting rubbed raw, in addition to compression pants, you might want to consider purchasing some ankle supports/braces that are made of flexible material. They slip on/off very easily but in addition to helping prevent rubbing, they will support your ankles too! You can kill two birds with one stone.

I have found the Doug Harvey method seems to work pretty well, if/when a manager comes out to argue. You simply stand there and ask him what he saw. Let him do all the talking for the first 20 seconds or so. You can take in what he said, process it, let him vent, and then tell him you did not see what he just described to you and the play stands. In most cases, he feels like you gave him a fair hearing, and you just took all the wind out of his sails by letting him vent. If he persists, you warn and/or eject him. Then it's on him----and not you! He looks like the aggressor (and idiot) and you take care of business. BalkHawk had it right, you can't always have perfect judgment but you put yourself in the best possible position to see the play and make the call. That is all you can do, and frankly, you won't hear grief from a manager that you were "out of position".

Head Hunter hit the nail on the head!

Yeah, sd tell me where you obtained your Gray shirts from. I have only been able to find Dalco Gray and they are not very good!

I am not sure if the league you work allows for restricting the manager to the dugout, but if it does, the first time the guy started making comments about the pitch in the dirt you could have restricted him. That would have gotten the point across to everybody that you meant business. Having him march himself into the dugout (from the 3rd base coaching box) would have given him plenty of time to tell his players to knock it off or get ejected........just a thought.

Agree with FED ruling. This is OBS on 1B. The best way to think of it is, why would you reward the defense for screwing up the throw in the first place? As for OBR, Rule 7.06 discusses Type A and B. Since the runner is being played on, this is definitely Type A.

As a side note, I liked the base umpires call at 1:20 in this video. Different play - Groundball to SS, R2 going to 3B. Rings R2 up for going out of baseline to avoid the tag by SS.

I agree, it's not like you can call a no-pitch on this one. It certainly was way over his head and a ball, but the rule clearly states it is a balk and the BR is awarded first and 3BR is awarded home because he was stealing on the play. Thus, you don't rule the play a ball, you would enforce the balk. In most balk cases, the Offensive Manager gets to either take the result of the play or the award(s). However, using the 8-2-e-2 rule, it would appear there is no choice....and if I'm the manager, it's a no brainer to take the award and send my batter to first and score the run. If I don't call this play and I have a savy manager, I am going to get an argument (and a chewing which I would deserve). Yeah...you go ahead and call that. Let me know how that works out for you. Again, common sense and fair play... I have no problem posting videos and having discussions about them but are you seriously advocating calling this??????? As I said above, these are 3 of the best college umpires in the country. They know what they are doing. My guess is if I called Randy right now and asked him why he didn't call a balk and catcher's interference on that play he'd either hang up on me or not even know what I was talking about (because he didn't see it with everything else going on) and then hang up on me. 1) In "real time" (on the field, not in front of your TV or computer screen) very few umpires at any level are going to recognize this play as a Balk/C.I. with everything else happening. 2) Those at that level who would recognize it aren't going to call it. As I've said several times, sometimes it's okay to be wrong. 3) I'll guarantee there wasn't one person in either dugout who saw it or wanted a balk/C.I. 4) I'd seriously doubt any supervisor in the stands or watching at home even batted an eyelash. Again, I don't have any issue with posting videos and talking about plays but come on...this isn't something that should ever be called in that situation. If the batter tried to swing at the pitch is the only time you'd ever call it. As umpires we have alot of subjectivity that leaks into the game at times. However, in this case, the pitcher is engaged, throws the ball, the catcher interferes as pointed out in the rule 8-2 (and prevented the batter from swinging). These are facts and are not subjective. Would if be any different if they tried to squeeze the runner with a bunt and the catcher reached out and touched the bat while the BR was bunting? While it might make the call more palatable for many umpires, we can clearly defend a balk call here due to the catcher's actions! The minute we fail to call these plays because we are worried about the #$*@ storm, then we should probably stop umpiring and take a job handing out ice cream where everyone is happy.

Did you guys "wipe off" the IFF situation by giving each other the new sign (since the runners advanced on a passed ball). That might have helped your partner not make a mistake of calling IFF. I agree with JaxRolo.....you put the BR at first. If any other runners advanced, they would be entitled to do so.

Please correct me if I am wrong, but if looking at the penalty for illegal pitches under OBR 8.05, with runners on base, once playing action stops, the first scenario you mention is correct-leave the runner at 3B; however, in the second scenario, the runner would be awarded 2B. I do not know of any instance in which you would keep the runner at 1B and grant a ball to the batter. Most certainly, there are no instances in which the offense gets two awards of a base and a ball to the batter.

We are reaching out to younger Babe Ruth umpiring groups, and holding clinics for them to give them some added skills and confidence builder for the future. I am obtaining their names and email addresses and will be sending them information over the winter months to hopefully keep their interest---and then recruit them to attend our Association meetings next Spring. We are also purchasing some visual training aids that can be used on a computer and projected to the entire group. We hope through use of technology, which many of these youngsters identify with, that we can keep their interest high.

One can make the argument the runner had to slow down to avoid the pitcher and this is textbook obstruction. While he might have still been put out, you cannot assume that and you have to rule obstruction in this case. As I reviewed the play, I would assume the first base umpire missed the pitcher getting in the base path because he was focused on the footwork at the bag and had tunnel vision taking place.

I like the verbalization and use of pointing at the runner and giving a safe sign. That is a good mechanic I will begin using. I utilize this same mechanic when a batted ball comes close to a runner in the baseline and contact is avoided. I agree this is a great way to let the manager and fans know you saw it, ruled on it, and had nothing. More than half the time, I bet it helps avoid an argument.

I am impressed you actually have a changing room! What a nice perk. Alot of people here mentioned using the cell phone to call 9-1-1. However, if it was not serious enough to warrant a call to the police, what about calling your assigner or league president? Put the call on speaker phone. This does two things: 1) You have a witness who can hear what is going on, and 2) it hopefully diffuses the situation to where the guy leaves-especially if the assigner/president and the coach know each other and/or the coach gets assigned games by the assigner/president. The assigner/president might just be able to think clearly in the moment and tell the coach you are not going to discuss the game and it is inappropriate for him to be questioning you!

On my way home, I stopped at a Babe Ruth field to take in a few innings of a ball game in progress (they are using OBR). I am watching the two umpires on the field who are obviously trying, but it is painful to watch. Bases loaded, 2 outs, 3-2 count. Pitch comes in, BR swings, misses, catcher misses the ball and BR takes off. Umpire comes up with out signal. Everybody seems to accept this. In between innings before I leave, I cannot help myself. I approach the fence and ask the guy what rules they are using. He turns and says "BBCOR". I try to keep a straight face without busting out laughing. I thank him and head out enjoying a good laugh during the ride home. Thanks Ump!

I thought you handled it well in the second game. This is a good example of how we can make it tougher that it has to be on our partner and future partner's if we don't take the bull by the horns and put an end to pointless chirping. Simply ignoring the chirping does not help the situation. Talking to the catcher was a great way to handle this situation. In a similar situation, think of the catcher who partially stands up with two strikes in the count. The ball is thrown just below the shoulders trying to get a strikeout on a high pitch outside the batters wheel house. The catcher is not doing us any favors when this happens--especially if the pitcher puts the ball in the strike zone. We are often left not being able to see the pitch clearly. Simply having a conversation with the catcher and/or manager why the pitch was called a ball, between innings, puts the responsibility on the catcher to either stay down, or expect that a close pitch will get balled if he stands up. If this happens again, the coach will be complaining to his catcher, not us, on this type of call. This is called preventative officiating and one that a lot of guys don't seem to grasp because they are either looking for a confrontation or they don't have good people skills to feel comfortable communicating with teams.

I agree with cyclone. The award is not cumulative. The "force" that pushed the ball into dead ball territory was on the pitch. One base is awarded and the ball is dead. Now, if the catcher had kicked it while it was stationary in live ball territory, thus causing it to go into dead ball territory, the award would be two bases and the BR would get second.

I will echo csabo17's comment. I bought mine at Walmart $10.17. Good rubber grip on the ends, the hangars don't fly all over the place and it keeps your clothes in good condition. The bar they sell is adjustable. You should find it in the Auto Parts section.

How close to the fielders were you? Could you have positioned yourself a little wider, sacrificing distance for a good angle while keeping R3 in your peripheral vision while watching the catch? In this instance, the most important job is to rule on the catch first and the tag-up second. You should be able to still rule on the catch and glance to determine if the runner left too early. Just surmising, but from your description it seems like you turned away from the catch a little early.

If R3 had taken two steps towards home plate and then was knocked down, I can certainly see why he returned to third base to avoid being put out because he was obstructed. Due to his advance towards home, when obstructed, this is a clear case where R3 is awarded home plate. It is always difficult to judge intent; however, in this case, with the runner making a positive advance towards home, the call is easier in this scenario. I also agree with noumpere's thoughts (above). Why wouldn't we penalize the defense for not only making a bad throw, but knocking down the runner? The offense should be rewarded for poor play(s) by the defense.

Based on what you described with the player leaving his feet and launching himself with his shoulder first and ducking his head it appears this is MC (which supercedes OBS). Good call.

Unless R3 is stealing on the pitch, the batter is out for INT unless the batter is out on strikes. In this senario I do not have the runner stealing. Batter out, R3 returns. This is true in FED/OBR/NCAA rule sets. Slightly similar question, R2 no outs. RHB stikes out looking. R2 attempts steal. Batter still has bat up and takes a step towards first base dugout. Catcher makes a throw to third and the ball hits the bat diverting it near the third base coaching box. Under FED rules what would you have here? I looked at 5-1-2a, delayed dead ball here. It lead to an Exception under 7-3-5. If I used 5©, would the runner be called out, or runner sent back, or runner allowed to stay at third?

Does anybody know where you can purchase Elbeco shirts at?