LRZ

Yes.

OBR likewise has a mechanism for such situations, where the calling umpire asks his partner for information, then the onus of making a final decision is on the calling official. Perhaps I should have made clear that my comment was addressing the possibility of two officials getting into an argument about a rule, not about the "Hey, Bill, what did you have on that play? Here's what I have." Umpires getting together to discuss a play and rule is one thing; one umpire arguing with and overruling another (i.e., getting out the sledgehammer)--well, that's a story unlikely to have a good ending.

Although USSSA is not LL, the LL RIM offers some guidance in 4.06: "Cheering and chanting from the dugout can be of any intensity as long as it is positive and directed toward players on their own team. There should be no crescendo as the pitcher is delivering a pitch (or a fielder is attempting to make a play). The umpire should warn the manager that this will not be allowed." OBR 6.04 (a)(1-3)(Unsportsmanlike Conduct) states, "No manager, player, substitute, coach, trainer or batboy shall at any time, whether from the bench, the coach's box or on the playing field, or elsewhere: (1) Incite, or try to incite, by word or sign a demonstration by spectators; (2) Use language which will in any manner refer to or reflect upon opposing players, an umpire, or any spectator; (3) Call "Time," or employ any other word or phrase or commit any act while the ball is alive and in play for the obvious purpose of trying to make the pitcher commit a balk. "Stop all talking"? Absurd. U10s getting excited and yelling encouragement to their teammate? Let them enjoy the game.

The image of two umpires arguing, especially if MadMax's "sledgehammer" approach is called for, is frightening. Not only will at least one of the two lose all credibility for the remainder of the game, but forget any idea about teamwork. There is a mechanism for correcting misapplication of a rule or an incorrect ruling: a protest. It is also odd to violate one rule* in order to correct another rule violation. *OBR 8.02(c): "No umpire shall criticize, seek to reverse or interfere with another umpire's decision unless asked to do so by the umpire making it."

The eephus pitch always gave me problems, no matter where the catcher caught it. In another thread, Richvee, you mentioned another umpire saying something about umpiring to the dugout: an eephus pitch through the strike zone is a strike, but it surely won't look like one to the batting team's bench.

Wait, don't lock it yet! Not before someone--usually Senor Azul--cites the actual rule or interpretation! Here, in OBR, it's 5.09(a) Catch Comment: "A catch is legal if the ball is finally held by any fielder, even though juggled, or held by another fielder before it touches the ground. Runners may leave their bases the instant the first fielder touches the ball." [My emphasis.] In NFHS, it's 8-2-6(a)(2), stating that an appeal can be made for a runner "[l]eaving a base on a caught fly ball before the ball is first touched."

It's also inherent in the limitations of the two-umpire system. Even with hustling to get in the best position possible, we simply can't get the same look you get with four umpires. Multiple runners, multiple umpire responsibilities, the ball is there, the glove is down, the runner slides in, the play is bang-bang (unlike in my anecdote)--that's an out.

Here is what LL 4.04 says, in relevant part: A league may adopt a policy of a continuous batting order that will include all players on the team roster present for the game batting in order. If this option is adopted, each player would be required to bat in his/her respective spot in the batting order. However, a player may be entered and/or re-entered defensively into the game anytime provided he/she meets the requirements of mandatory play. NOTE 1: The continuous batting order is mandatory for all Tee Ball and Minor League Divisions. NOTE 2: For the Tee Ball and Minor League Division (and when the continuous batting order is adopted for other divisions) when a child is injured, becomes ill or must leave the game site after the start of the game the team will skip over him/her when his/her time at bat comes up without penalty. If the injured, ill or absent player returns he/she is merely inserted into their original spot in the batting order and the game continues. Also, if a child arrives late to a game site and if the manager chooses to enter him/her in the lineup (See Rule 4.01 NOTE 2) he/she would be added to the end of the current lineup.

I'm speculating that the answer to your question depends on what your local rules say. One league here (ITL) says: (1) the batting order must include everyone; (2) free substitutions, except for pitchers; (3) each player must be on the field for at least 2 of the first 5 innings and 3 of the first 7 innings, and no player may sit more than 2 consecutive innings. For play-off games, there is a complicated A/B slotting rule employed when one team has more players than the opponent, where the team with more players designates some of its "excess" players to alternate at-bats. If you were playing in the ITL, you would have to bat all 14 players, but you could sub freely on defense--players in and out--as long as you observed the mandatory minimum playing times. There may be specific rules for Little League or Cal Ripken, for example; if so, I'm sure someone will come along with answers for those leagues.

This teachable reminded me of an incident I had in a Legion game years ago. I was BU, 2-man, with R2 tagging up on a fly ball to right. The throw easily beat the runner, and F5 swept down his glove and brought it up. The problem was the runner hadn't arrived at the base yet! The tag was clearly a second or two premature, and when R2 finally reached the bag, untagged, I signalled safe. The manager was livid, and when I explained there never was a tag of the runner, he responded, "But that's what we teach 'em!" Well, don't rely on the phantom out and teach 'em to actually make the tag.

Guest Jim makes a good point. I assumed, perhaps incorrectly, that Loaisaga continued to pitch, even after the third batter's time at bat was over. Guest Ben, what did happen after the battery mix-up?

For those who like to follow along, it's OBR 4.03(c)(1-4).

OBR 6.02(a)(4): While touching the his plate, the pitcher commits a balk if he "throws, or feints a throw to an unoccupied base, except for the purpose of making a play...." OBR Rule 6.02(a)(4) Comment: When determining whether the pitcher throws or feints a throw to an unoccupied base for the purpose of making a play, the umpire should consider whether a runner on the previous base demonstrates or otherwise creates an impression of his intent to advance to such unoccupied base. NFHS 6-2-4(b): The pitcher commits a balk by "throwing or feinting to any unoccupied base when it is not an attempt to put out or drive back a runner...."

I was always amused by catchers who would pull a pitch in 6-8 inches or so, then stick it!

OBR 5.06(c)(5): "The ball becomes dead and runners...return to their bases, without liability to be put out, when...[a] foul ball is not caught, in which case runners return to their bases. The umpire-in-chief shall not put the ball in play until all runners have retouched their bases...." OBR 5.12(b)(8): "After the ball is dead, play shall be resumed when the pitcher takes his place on the pitcher's plate with a new ball or the same ball in his possession and the plate umpire calls "Play." The plate umpire shall call "Play" as soon as the pitcher takes his place on his plate with the ball in his possession." Guest Graham Wright, when the hit resulted in a foul ball, the ball became dead, and it had not yet been made live by the umpire declaring "play" when the pitcher possesses the ball while on the rubber. Not only was the pitcher likely not on the rubber, he did not "possess" the ball for these purposes.

Why would someone not wear a TG? As amateurs, we all have our lives outside of baseball to live as healthily as possible--why risk a serious, incapacitating injury? I'm a firm believer in wearing virtually any protective gear we think necessary.

Brittany, I have another suggestion. If you cannot find pertinent rules about a number of potential problems, your coach might ask to clarify them at the plate meeting. The following are things I usually ask about when they are not addressed in the local rules. 1. Head-first slides. 2. Uncaught ("dropped") third strikes. 3. Balks and balk warnings. 4. "Catch and carry." There may be others, but these are the major issues I have found at pre-teen games. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for one coach to say "The rule is X" and the other coach says "No, it's Y." Frankly, I don't care what the answers are, on any given day, as long as we (the two coaches, my partner and I) all agree ahead of time. Although this might be heretical to many U-E members, let me emphasize for my fellow umpires that I take this approach only when the local rules are not available.

ErichKeane gets the credit, as he said it before I did: "unless local rules modify it." Every day I was umpiring, I would double-check the rules for that particular organization or league. It can be bewildering.

I did find several on-line rule books for local Babe Ruth/Cal Ripken leagues that prohibited head-first slides except back into a base; others said it was ok except into home; some prohibited head-first slides for 8 and 9 y/os only. Brittany, you will have to check your local league rules, which are often posted on the league website. If that doesn't work, try contacting the league's UIC (Umpire-in-Charge) for a definitive ruling.

Who would expect a rule addressing umpire "interference" with a runner ("umpire obstruction")? Rules cannot anticipate every possible incident. Should 8.01(c) apply to this play?

At first, this sounded reasonable, but then I thought, "The coach does not have to interfere." I agree with Richvee: "Nothing says a coach can assist a runner because he was obstructed." Absent the coach's interference, and considering the obstruction occurred while R2 was rounding 3B, I agree with Rich Ives: award R2 home.

Remarks about women's sports and Title IX and about young people. I have very strong thoughts about political and social issues, but I keep them out of my posts: this is not the forum in which to air them.

I had no problem with an accommodation of a couple of minutes, and we did indeed start those games on time, whether or not K & D were present.

I've actually had a couple of games where ADs and/or coaches have asked us not to start early because of parental expectations. Not often, but 2-3 times over the years, and it was never a problem. Besides, what can you do but honor such requests?

She must have had trouble tracking the low outside pitch from where she was sitting.