DevildogUmp

IN is play and report

What I really want to know it what in the world they could have been talking about with NY that took that long. That has got to be one of the most obvious RLI that you can get.

Lou B - see the above comments about coach's not knowing rules. I have seen it all the time, especially used with R3 and a walk. Pitcher gets the ball, BR never stops and keeps going to second. Players and coaches don't do anything except start screaming how the pitcher has the ball.

There is no one rule that cover this situation. I think part of what @Jimurray is saying about reading the rules books and manuals consistently is that you need to understand when you need to take different parts of the rule book together in order to make an informed decision. I don't have an electronic version of the rule book on this computer so I can't cut and paste the LL rules and I am not cool enough to have rule numbers memorized, but here is where I get my interpretation: 1. A runner is assumed to have touched any and all bases that they have passed. 2. A runner who has scored cannot be guilty of runner's interference, a player who has scored on the play and subsequently interferes is interference by an offensive player authorized to be on the field; therefore, a player who has legal scored is no longer a runner and thus cannot be found guilty of running infractions. Matt

Some of the more experienced members may correct me, but: 1. Runners are assumed to have touched the plate once they have passed it (subject to out on appeal). So at that point, R3 has scored. 2. R2 scoring negates R3's ability to retouch to correct his mistake. 3. Both R3 and R2 have scored and therefore are no longer baserunners, rather simply offensive players. Therefore, you can't have passing and unfortunately I think you kicked it.

Watching the SEC championship game. Noticed on shots down the RF line U1 is turning and setting up on the line for the fair/foul even though he has RF behind him. I thought on 6 man, all balls to the outfield are the responsibility of the line umps. Matt

To answer the 2nd question, LL International does not split the Minor division. It is up to each individual league to decide what is best for them when it comes to this age group. So any additional age divisions that a local league creates in the LL Minor division is subject to the local rules created by the league. So therefore if they want to create an age group and then they discover that they age groups are not well suited, they can simply decide to change them. Now, if they do this, they should republish the age groups so everyone knows what is going on and they can stop any of the conspiracy theories that always pop up. Another reason I have seen where an older age is allowed to "play down" is when between the player's parents/player agent/league it is decided that the player should not be playing with their age group for safety reasons.

We have 1 HS here in Indianapolis with it on their varsity field.

Maven- I read his what if scenerio to be the runner advancing to second on the overthrow, not the next pitch. Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

I believe that the reason they called time wss to stop the pitch. Seattle didn't know he missed he base until their video replay guy saw it. So the quickest way to stop the pitch, which would negate the appeal, is to request time. Even if the umpire doesn't grant it, at that level you are going to get your pitcher's attention. Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

An appeal needs to be done either at the base the defense believes that the running infraction occurred or on the runner who they believe committed the infraction. If in your what if scenario, the runner properly returned to 1st and tagged up, then made it safely to second, I believe that any appeal to second would then be ruled as safe, due to the idea of "last time by" which means that a runner can fix his base running mistakes while retreating if he properly retouches as he then advances.

Thank you all for the insights. The few times I've done either 3 or 4 man we ran the middle as if it was still a 2 man in terms of positioning and using the working area. It was just interesting to see the different mechanic. Don't think I will be using this mechanic anytime soon due to the level of players I umpire. Matt

I've been watching the CWS whenever possible and was hoping someone could shed some light on U2 positioning: Tonight's LSU/TCU game: R1. Not sure where he started but when the batter bunts, the camera picks U2 up backing up into the dirt on the C side of second. No play at second and obviously he doesn't have responsibility at 1st, but why is he not moving in toward the working area? R1/R2 and R2. Pre-pitch, U2 is set up in the dirt B side, from the camera angle he appears to be in a direct line between 1st and 2nd. On hits he is moving into the working area, but on infield hits, he was barely on the grass when the play was made at 2nd. R1/R3. R1 steals and when the camera pans, U2 is in the dirt on the third base side of the bag. Earlier this week, don't remember the game, but there were 2 back to back hits with R2 that went into left field down the line and in both cases BR stretched for 2 while the ball went home. On both plays, defense then tried for the BR and in both cases, U2 was on the outfield side of the bag. My highest level is 3 HS varsity games, and these guys are doing the CWS, but is this the college mechanic when working 4 man for U2? If so, what is the thinking behind not being in the working area pre-pitch? Is it the possible speed of the ball off of a metal bat? Matt

My suggestion to the BOD is he serves as an Umpire and Coach at the BOD's pleasure. If he doesn't want to enforce LL safety rules and by doing so places the BOD at liability they need to remove him.

​ I don't agree with that based on the play. The runner slides directly to the plate (no where in the rule does it say what part of the plate/base a runner must slide to) and makes contact with out sliding through or making an illegal slide (pop up into defense). If you have a short stop coming across 2nd and doesn't clear and stays directly between 2nd and 1st are you going to call FPSR when the runner makes contact on a legal slide? Or am I just completely off base?

Twist for discussion: If he doesn't make contact with his hand/arm and only with the knee on the foot do you still have the out on FPSR in Fed?

And I'm going to back to brush up on my reading skills. Oh hey, right there in the first line: Fed rules.

Once R3 was obstructed in the run down, kill the play with Type A obstruction. You have a runner being obstructed while being played on. No outs. Score R3, place R2 where you judge he would have been, I would probably put him back at second if he was just creeping off the bag when the obstruction occurred.

This situation was originally posted on the Facebook umpire group and I was all good with it until someone threw in a twist: R2/2 outs Base hit to the outfield, R2 obstructed coming around third. Defense gets the third out on BR going into second R2 has not scored yet. If you are protecting R2 to home, are you scoring the run?

First play by an infielder - 2 bases from TOP.

Sit: R1/R2 1 out. I'm in C. Fly ball to the short left center - basically about 20 ft behind SS. Center fielder sprinting in and dives for the catch does a roll and ends up on his back with his glove on the outfield side of his body. At this point, all I have is the ball in the glove as he is going down, I never saw the ball on the ground as he rolled. Immediately reaches towards his glove and pulls up the ball. I bang the out on the catch and verbally call the catch a couple of times. 3rd base coach had the runners going the whole way so easy appeal at second for leaving early. No gripes on the call, but I was thinking about it and is there any acceptable mechanic for BU to go out for this? With the runner not holding up, I had a clear path to the outfield in this situation and could have been at least even with the fielder when he made the catch which would have allowed me to see if the ball squirted out while he was rolling.

Got my first ejection of the season at a JV game. Top of the 7th, visitors finally get on the board and tie it up 2-2. 2 outs, R1. Ball hit in the gap in right and R1 is going all the way around and tries for home. Ball beats him by at least 10ft, catcher takes a couple steps up the line to apply the tag and R1 just lowers his shoulder into the catcher and just blows through the catcher. Call the out and eject. Manager comes running down from 3rd and says "I've got him blue" and proceeds to chew him all the way to the dugout. Fast forward to the next day after I submit my report, I get an email from my assignor that this will now be brought up during the next association meeting because this is the 12th ejection for this that we have seen this year. Anyone else seeing an increase of runners just trucking through catchers? The school coaches are blaming this all on travel ball.

Thanks everyone for the feedback. @treydawgmt - Unfortunately, pointing every full swinging strike will get me dinged on evaluations through my group. Though I probably will definitely point from here on out whenever the batter makes an attempt to check, just to be on the safe side. One follow up question, usually when I go for an appeal on a checked swing, the mechanic I use is to remove my mask, step out from behind the catcher one step towards my partner and point with my left hand and ask "Joe, did he go". Is this about the standard mechanic? Just asking since he confused my strike mechanic with an appeal.

Backstory - So with all the rain (and hail) Indy received yesterday, I call up the school this afternoon to confirm my JV plate game. Turns out games on, plus they switched the game from JV to Varsity. Get to the field and not only is it now a Varsity game, but both teams are in a three way tie for first with only 2 more games until sectionals. Situation - 1-1 count, pitch comes in high and inside and I've got the batter swinging as the catcher comes up to catch the ball. My judged a swing and from what I saw before the catcher came up, I thought It was an obvious swing so I didn't point out the swing, just gave my swinging strike mechanic with no verbal. Catcher asks me to check with my partner and I told him I've got a strike. Give the new count 1-2 and the batter steps out and says "that was a strike? The umpire on 1st signaled safe." Apparently when I came up with the strike my partner had a brain fart and thought I was coming to him on the appeal and signaled no swing. Now the HC wants to talk, and I tell him that I have a swinging strike, that I didn't ask for help, and that we were staying with my call. He wanted to appeal my strike, which I told him couldn't be done and he went back to his box. At the half my partner came down and told me that he heard the bench call for an appeal and when he saw me come up he just had the brain fart and came up safe, then realized that I pointed with my right hand and didn't verbalize the appeal to him. So my question is in this situation should I have given him the ball since my partner came up with the signal by mistake?

Currently in Indianapolis, I got my start umpiring with Little League in New Jersey. I have worked my way up to high school ball and would like to make it to the college level one day.