Larry in TN

9.02 - [...] (b) If there is reasonable doubt that any umpires decision may be in conflict with the rules, the manager may appeal the decision and ask that a correct ruling be made. Such appeal shall be made only to the umpire who made the protested decision. © If a decision is appealed, the umpire making the decision may ask another umpire for information before making a final decision. No umpire shall criticize, seek to reverse or interfere with another umpires decision unless asked to do so by the umpire making it. Rule 9.02© Comment: The manager or the catcher may request the plate umpire to ask his partner for help on a half swing when the plate umpire calls the pitch a ball, but not when the pitch is called a strike. The manager may not complain that the umpire made an improper call, but only that he did not ask his partner for help. Field umpires must be alerted to the request from the plate umpire and quickly respond. Managers may not protest the call of a ball or strike on the pretense they are asking for information about a half swing.

Prices don't look the same, though...

6.05 A batter is out when -- (n) With two out, a runner on third base, and two strikes on the batter, the runner attempts to steal home base on a legal pitch and the ball touches the runner in the batters strike zone. The umpire shall call Strike Three, the batter is out and the run shall not count; before two are out, the umpire shall call Strike Three, the ball is dead, and the run counts.

Can you fix whatever is wrong with Tapatalk that keeps inserting all of the break tags into your messages?

And don't let the scorer forget to give F5 his assist...

Exactly! That's why it is not a fielder's choice.

That was the rule that would have to have applied for R1 out at 3B to make the at-bat a fielder's choice.

And it just has to be Puig, doesn't it?

I do, but nobody ever remembers it in an actual game...

Did the announcer take a bathroom break when he heard the music start?

Okay, then we agree. Now I'm confused as to your point in post #8???

Right. That is what it would have taken to make this a FC. It didn't happen. Also, 10.05(b)(1) could also have applied, just didn't as described, as the out wasn't a force-out. Why do you think that this situation should be scored a fielder's choice? Here are all of the exceptions: 10.05 - Base Hits (b) The official scorer shall not credit a base hit when a: (1) runner is forced out by a batted ball, or would have been forced out except for a fielding error; (2) batter apparently hits safely and a runner who is forced to advance by reason of the batter becoming a runner fails to touch the first base to which such runner is advancing and is called out on appeal. The official scorer shall charge the batter with a time at bat but no hit; (3) pitcher, the catcher or any infielder handles a batted ball and puts out a preceding runner who is attempting to advance one base or to return to his original base, or would have put out such runner with ordinary effort except for a fielding error. The official scorer shall charge the batter with a time at bat but no hit; (4) fielder fails in an attempt to put out a preceding runner and, in the scorer's judgment, the batter-runner could have been put out at first base; or Rule 10.05(b) Comment: Rule 10.05(b) shall not apply if the fielder merely looks toward or feints toward another base before attempting to make the putout at first base. (5) runner is called out for interference with a fielder attempting to field a batted ball, unless in the scorer's judgment the batter-runner would have been safe had the interference not occurred.

Whoever made the out at 3B. Not in the example given.

Would this case not be a fielder's choice ? It would be a FC if R1 was forced-out prior to reaching 2B. If R1 is put-out after acquiring 2B then it is a hit to the batter-runner. Rule 10.05(b)(3). 10.05 (b) The official scorer shall not credit a base hit when a: (3) pitcher, the catcher or any infielder handles a batted ball and puts out a preceding runner who is attempting to advance one base or to return to his original base, or would have put out such runner with ordinary effort except for a fielding error. The official scorer shall charge the batter with a time at bat but no hit;

The clock starts when the umpire says the clock starts. One umpire in our league (LL Juniors) will laugh when I ask him the game time (I'm the scorer) for a game that's starting "on time". I'd think that he'd appreciate that I ask instead of assuming! Most of them turn around and tell me right after the plate meeting because they know I record it (though I'm probably the only one who does!)

Baseball rule 2.00 - Definition of Terms OBR: The STRIKE ZONE is that area over home plate the upper limit of which is a horizontal line at the midpoint between the top of the shoulders and the top of the uniform pants, and the lower level is a line at the hollow beneath the knee cap. The Strike Zone shall be determined from the batter's stance as the batter is prepared to swing at a pitched ball. Little League: The STRIKE ZONE is that space over home plate which is between the batter's armpits and the top of the knees when the batter assumes a natural stance. The umpire shall determine the strike zone according to the batter's usual stance when that batter swings at a pitch.

Here's what started it all... http://m.mlb.com/video/v33658619

...and the ball can't be made live until the pitcher has the ball on the mound. That makes sense. Thanks...

Most people aren't that interested in the details. They think they "know enough". Works "most of the time". Can't get them to pay any attention until they're trying to figure out why an umpire ruled against them.

I'm confused. Isn't it a balk, with runners on, as soon as the pitcher is "on or astride" the rubber without the ball? 8.05 If there is a runner, or runners, it is a balk when -- (i) The pitcher, without having the ball, stands on or astride the pitchers plate or while off the plate, he feints a pitch; I know that's an OBR reference but isn't the FED rule even more restrictive as far as how close the pitcher can get to the rubber without the ball in his possession? The OP says, "F1 gets on mound, but NOT on rubber. He's straddling it for quite some time."

Why not? Does it make any difference to the umpire before the defensive appeals BOO?

6.07 BATTING OUT OF TURN. (a) A batter shall be called out, on appeal, when he fails to bat in his proper turn, and another batter completes a time at bat in his place. (b) When an improper batter becomes a runner or is put out, and the defensive team appeals to the umpire before the first pitch to the next batter of either team, or before any play or attempted play, the umpire shall (1) declare the proper batter out; and (2) nullify any advance or score made because of a ball batted by the improper batter or because of the improper batters advance to first base on a hit, an error, a base on balls, a hit batter or otherwise.

The alternative is to rule interference on the runner for kicking the ball. Rule 7.08(b) would apply and that requires intent to interfere when it is a thrown ball. Intent in not required when it is a batted ball. 7.08 -- Any runner is out when -- (b) He intentionally interferes with a thrown ball; or hinders a fielder attempting to make a play on a batted ball; Rule 7.08(b) Comment: A runner who is adjudged to have hindered a fielder who is attempting to make a play on a batted ball is out whether it was intentional or not. The interesting aspect here is that the ball wasn't thrown into DBT but was unintentionally kicked there by the runner. The award is addressed in 7.05(g) which doesn't make any applicable distinction. It would seem as though in order to avoid the award the unintentional kick would have to change the ball's status to something other than "a thrown ball". I'm not aware of any rules which would do that. 7.05 -- Each runner including the batter-runner may, without liability to be put out, advance -- (g) Two bases when, with no spectators on the playing field, a thrown ball goes into the stands, or into a bench (whether or not the ball rebounds into the field), or over or under or through a field fence, or on a slanting part of the screen above the backstop, or remains in the meshes of a wire screen protecting spectators. The ball is dead. When such wild throw is the first play by an infielder, the umpire, in awarding such bases, shall be governed by the position of the runners at the time the ball was pitched; in all other cases the umpire shall be governed by the position of the runners at the time the wild throw was made;

Dead ball on the interference so none of the action after that point matters.

Here are the applicable rules from OBR. Sounds like OBS but it's your judgement as to how far to protect the runner (type B). Since you say that, in your judgement, he would have been out anyway then it is OBS with the BR out at 2B. 2.00 - OBSTRUCTION is the act of a fielder who, while not in possession of the ball and not in the act of fielding the ball, impedes the progress of any runner. 7.06 - When obstruction occurs, the umpire shall call or signal "Obstruction." (a) If a play is being made on the obstructed runner, or if the batterrunner is obstructed before he touches first base, the ball is dead and all runners shall advance, without liability to be put out, to the bases they would have reached, in the umpires judgment, if there had been no obstruction. The obstructed runner shall be awarded at least one base beyond the base he had last legally touched before the obstruction. Any preceding runners, forced to advance by the award of bases as the penalty for obstruction, shall advance without liability to be put out. Rule 7.06(a) Comment: When a play is being made on an obstructed runner, the umpire shall signal obstruction in the same manner that he calls Time, with both hands overhead. The ball is immediately dead when this signal is given; however, should a thrown ball be in flight before the obstruction is called by the umpire, the runners are to be awarded such bases on wild throws as they would have been awarded had not obstruction occurred. On a play where a runner was trapped between second and third and obstructed by the third baseman going into third base while the throw is in flight from the shortstop, if such throw goes into the dugout the obstructed runner is to be awarded home base. Any other runners on base in this situation would also be awarded two bases from the base they last legally touched before obstruction was called. (b) If no play is being made on the obstructed runner, the play shall proceed until no further action is possible. The umpire shall then call Time and impose such penalties, if any, as in his judgment will nullify the act of obstruction. Rule 7.06(b) Comment: Under 7.06(b) when the ball is not dead on obstruction and an obstructed runner advances beyond the base which, in the umpires judgment, he would have been awarded because of being obstructed, he does so at his own peril and may be tagged out. This is a judgment call. NOTE: The catcher, without the ball in his possession, has no right to block the pathway of the runner attempting to score. The base line belongs to the runner and the catcher should be there only when he is fielding a ball or when he already has the ball in his hand.