Dash Riprock

Hiler sounded genuinely pissed. Sounds like the initial contact was not a fight rule violation, just INT. The Collision Rule doesn't apply to this play now (no clear possession), but it might if the NCAA changes it to comport with the OBS rule (in the act).

Dash, I think you should buy a CCA and read it. U1 always has trouble balls with the CF coming straight in and going towards the line. That is what I said.

The only (outfield) catch PU has is a trouble ball with F7 moving towards the line. U1 has all trouble balls from F8 straight in or back to the RF line,. U3 has all other trouble balls and all 'routine' catches in the V. At least that's the college mechanic. Dunno the pro mechanic. FED probably has 2 umpires going out. You did actually read my post, right? I quoted it. Ok I give up. Help me out - what did I miss?

The only (outfield) catch PU has is a trouble ball with F7 moving towards the line. U1 has all trouble balls from F8 straight in or back to the RF line,. U3 has all other trouble balls and all 'routine' catches in the V. At least that's the college mechanic. Dunno the pro mechanic. FED probably has 2 umpires going out.

It's U3's only if U1 doesn't go out. U1 is the boss, U3 reads U1. U1's first job is to read the ball/fielders.

You need to do leave the dugout and participate in the fight to earn the auto EJ + 4-game suspension.

I remember those. Ours weren't even plastic - they were made out of some kind of stiff cardboard.

If you get someone, ask him why the BR can't overrun 1st base on a walk. It's the worst rule in the book.

Right. And U3 reads U1.

Good stuff here. Pause, read and 90+% of the time, U1 goes out. This is almost always a trouble ball.

I concur (despite my previous post). If there was contact that caused the BR to go down, it's not a tangle/untangle, it's a tangle/get tripped and fall on your face.

BillKen A force is created when the batter becomes a runner and forces the runner on 1st base (who could force other runners) to the next base. A runner is never forced going back to retouch a base (tag-up). Since the batter/runner is the one doing the forcing, he is never forced himself; therefore, it is impossible to have a force play at 1st base. There is a separate rule addressing how the batter/runner can be put out at 1st base. It is treated like a force (the fielder can tag either the runner or the base), but it is not a force. Spread the word, and thanks for your question.

I agree. And if he was calling INT/OBS, that is one of the worst jobs doing that I have seen

I am assuming these are high school games with a FED (or similar) Force Play Slide Rule. As described, the two DP plays were obvious FPSR violations. The BI was also obvious. You made three correct and entirely appropriate calls. I would ask the UIC: "If you don't want it called when it's that obvious, when DO you want it called?" Good job on the calls. Call them again and again. The UIC needs to grow a sac.

Your concern is valid when the 3rd strike is not caught and the batter is entitled to run. You don't want to be misconstrued as having banged the batter out when he has become a runner. One possible fix is to substitute a "no catch" mechanic for the hammered strike when the swing is obvious. If you are ringing up a half-swing, a "Yes he did!" followed by the "no catch" would work well.

stupid comment .............. It's ESPN..They know as much about umpiring as Tim He-who-shall-not-be-named. The crew got it right, but I thought their mechanics could have been better.

That works.

Tough one. I can't see any contact, but the runner immediately blames F2 for his fall, so there probably was contact (RATS are generally too stupid to lie that fast). 7.09(j) Comment says obstruction should be called only in 'very flagrant and violent cases' (this case is neither), but that directive only applies when F2 is fielding the ball. Arguably, he is not. Like I said - tough one. In any event, I don't understand the PU's 'point' mechanic. Is he pointing the ball fair with the wrong hand or is he saying: "Hey - there's a guy on the ground over there."

They also obscure your association's logo. Stick them in your belt in the middle of your back or put them in your pocket.

Yes and no. With R1 only, CCA has PU taking R1 at 3rd (and home) on an overthrow. With R1 and R3, PU only rotates on a batted ball that gets through the infield (and R1 advances to 3rd).

What other calls do you let the dugout make for you? As few as possible, but I will take all the help I can get. In this case, had I made the call based solely on what I saw at the plate (which was very limited due to my positioning error), I would have banged him out and there would have been a SH*#house.

If any part of the baseball passes through any part of the strike zone, it is a strike. Part of the baseball is its aura.

At the NCAA pre-season clinic 2 years ago, they showed a graphic of umpire ratings (1-5) along with comments about the zone. All the comments about a big (and in some cases huge) but consistent strike zone carried a rating of at least 4. All the comments about a small zone carried ratings of 2 or 3. There were far fewer comments about consistency with a small zone. The point the NCAA was making is, the coaches want strikes called. Lingering on the catcher's mitt for a second after he catches the pitch results in more strikes. Pitches that initially look like balls often get better when you give them a second chance.

Since this thread is now into its 4th page, I will repeat the OP: BR bunts a ball that is fielded by F2, BR is running a step and a half in fair territory,F2 throws the ball above the BR and F3 catches the ball just before BR runs into F3 while both are on the inside part of the bag. F3 subsequently drops the ball due to the contact. This is a RLV in all codes. The rule allows the BR to exit the running lane with one step, stride, etc. to touch the base. A BR who has been out of the lane the whole time (as in the OP), does not get this one step. For him, the running lane rule is applicable from the beginning of the lane until the BR touches the base. Since F3 was on the inside part of the bag, the contact certainly occurred before the BR touched the base. Therefore, the rule was in effect at the time of the contact. Now, the question is: Did the contact interfere with the fielder taking the throw at 1st base? The OP said F3 'caught' the ball just before the BR ran into him. and dropped it due to the contact. There is no way the catch was complete when the collision took place. The umpires erred in calling the BR out on the throw. He should have been out for INT. There is no catch. This is a thrown ball. Once F3 has secure possession, BR is out. Agreed. I'm saying there was never secure possession.

Since this thread is now into its 4th page, I will repeat the OP: BR bunts a ball that is fielded by F2, BR is running a step and a half in fair territory,F2 throws the ball above the BR and F3 catches the ball just before BR runs into F3 while both are on the inside part of the bag. F3 subsequently drops the ball due to the contact. This is a RLV in all codes. The rule allows the BR to exit the running lane with one step, stride, etc. to touch the base. A BR who has been out of the lane the whole time (as in the OP), does not get this one step. For him, the running lane rule is applicable from the beginning of the lane until the BR touches the base. Since F3 was on the inside part of the bag, the contact certainly occurred before the BR touched the base. Therefore, the rule was in effect at the time of the contact. Now, the question is: Did the contact interfere with the fielder taking the throw at 1st base? The OP said F3 'caught' the ball just before the BR ran into him. and dropped it due to the contact. There is no way the catch was complete when the collision took place. The umpires erred in calling the BR out on the throw. He should have been out for INT.