Larry in TN

Did anyone see the replay review of the out at Home in the CHC@ATL game on Thursday, April 4th? I'm interested in the no-call on the catcher blocking home plate before the ball arrived. Seemed like the only "lane" that was left was between the catcher's legs as we was straddling the baseline. Is that enough to satisfy the rule? Seems like it would lead to collisions that could be dangerous to the catcher. I found this link to the video but can't get it to play at the moment. Not sure why not. https://www.mlb.com/gameday/cubs-vs-braves/2019/04/04/567159#game_state=final,lock_state=final,game_tab=videos,game=567159 I've always had trouble with the judgement on this rule.

How would you break down the elements of RLI on that play, Maven? The only thing I see is that the throw could have been better but wasn't it good enough to retire the BR if not for him being in the way? I don't think a perfect throw is required to get an RLI call.

What was missing for RLI on the B-6th play that led to the game's first run being scored? Looks like the BR was clearly out of the lane. Left foot completely in fair territory and right foot--at best--on the line. Runner was in the way preventing the throw from being caught at 1B.

Watching the game, Harper stayed in the dugout after being ejected. Isn't he required to leave?

And the rules, as written, provide the answer (safe or out) in situations where the tag and touch occurs simultaneously--all without using the word "tie".

What in the rulebook says that there are no ties? The rulebook says that a tag must occur 'before', or a touch must be made 'before', but 'before' does not preclude a tie. In a tie, no action happened 'before' so any criteria that had to happen 'before' is simply not met. i.e. A BR would not be out at 1B if his touch, and the fielders tag, were a tie because the tag did not occur 'before' his touch. What am I missing?

When you retreat back toward a previous base (1B) the force is reinstated (if applicable) and you must touch any subsequent bases (2B) again when you advance. That is the "last time by" which was discussed above.

"I don't know"

It doesn't matter what anybody thinks the rule should be. The rule is that if the batter makes any attempt toward 2B he loses his protection and is liable to be put out.

Well, that makes sense. Thanks...

Play in today's NYM@ATL game that was not challenged. 2 out, bases empty. Low line-drive to F4 who is ruled to have made the catch for the third out. No challenge. When I replayed it on my DVR it looks like the ball may have skipped just as it was entering the glove. If this was challenged, and overturned, what would have happened? F4 would have had an easy 4-3 play to end the inning but didn't complete the play after the Catch call. What do you do with the BR when play stopped on the now-overturned Catch call?

Once the batter-runner is out the force is removed. Other runners can advance, or not, at their own risk.

He's wrong because he thinks it's a one-base award. It's always a two-base award for a thrown-ball. (It's a one-base award for a pitched-ball) The only question is if it's two bases from TOP or TOT but, in this case, that didn't matter. R1->3B and R2 scores either way.

If you have MLB.TV, go watch the game (NYM@CIN 5/9) from the beginning through the T-2nd with each of the team's feeds. It is hilarious listening to the commentators trying to figure out what is going on. As always, I don't understand why at least a few of these professionals don't make the effort to learn the rules of the game they broadcast.

I'd be interested on anyone's thoughts on this out-of-baseline call. It starts 0:21 into the video. https://www.mlb.com/video/cg-atlnym-5318/c-2003215783?tid=6479266 R1 was called out for OOB. There was no tag. Can't see how he moved more than 3' before, or during, the tag-attempt. Most of his movement away from his baseline was after the tag-attempt had been abandoned. Does that still count or was there 3' while the tag was still being attempted?

First, call it an UNCAUGHT third-strike. It doesn't have to be DROPPED, it only has to be UNCAUGHT. If there are two-outs OR first base is open then the batter-runner is not out on an UNCAUGHT third strike.

Exactly. By rule, a runner in contact with the base is not out when touched by an infield-fly batted ball. 5.09(b)(7).

With what did he interfere? The BR was already out on the IFF. Catching the ball was no longer required to make the out.

He didn't "pass" the BR. He was AHEAD of the BR by four bases.

It that were to ever happen, you can argue that the dropped ball is in freefall even while it is moving upward; Free Fall -- the fall of a body such that the only force acting upon it is that of gravity.

Okay, so the bounced-ball is no longer "in flight" so it can no longer go over the fence in flight. Is it that simple?

I have two questions about the scenario. 1. Is the top of the fence within the field of play or out? 2. Assuming it is "in play", is a batted-ball which hits the top of the fence then deflects back toward a fielder still "in flight"? If the answer to #1 is no, then wouldn't it be a home run? If the answer to #1 is yes, then it would depend on #2. I can't see how the ball can remain "in flight" after hitting the top of the fence, absent some ground rule, since that isn't a fielder or his equipment. If it is no long "in flight" then a home run (award) is no longer possible based on subsequent status of the ball. What am I missing?

Here's the video. https://www.mlb.com/video/swanson-scores-opening-run/c-1833910383?tid=6479266

The ejection is not effective until play relaxes.

Just had a great example of the manager's choice on a Catcher's Interference call in the Met@Braves game (9/15/17) in the bottom-2nd . 1 Out, R1, R3. CI us called, ball is fielded by F5 who makes the 5-3 throw to beat the runner. Umpires enforce the penalty, returning R3 to 3B, BR to 1B, R1 to 2B. Braves manager comes out and elects the result of the play. R3 scores, BR out on the 5-3 ground-out, R1 to 2B. Hopefully the video will be posted.