dookiexman

I wasn't sure if this needed to go into Free for All or War Stories....but then I thought, well this was a Situation that I found myself in that maybe others have had to deal with (players starting to play without the play being put back into play). So I thought I would tell my tale so that others could read about the wonders of Fall Ball in all it's glories...(thanks @‌MadMax)

When the BR was HBP. I called time. Pointed to 1B. Went to the plate to sweep it clean. Chaos ensues...

I was putting it on as I stepped in behind the catcher but had not set myself into the slot yet. However, that is good advice that all should follow. The batter stepped into the box as I walked away from brushing the plate.

So I was in the middle of my 3rd out of 4 games last night and they were all going long. 13-15 year old fall ball, OBR with 2 hour time limit finish the inning. I'm PU and the visiting Yankees are up by quite a few over the White Sox. Yankee batter gets HBP and I send him to 1st to load the bases with 1 out. While he jogs to 1st, I go around the catcher to clean the plate. I return to my spot, batter steps into the box, I go to put the mask on and look up at F1 and he is throwing a pick off to 1st base. The throw goes 3 feet over the outstretched jumping F3's glove and to the fence 30 feet away. R3 is flying into HP, R2 is rounding 3rd, I'm yelling "Time! Time! Time!". Finally after R1 is standing on 3rd and the ball gets back to F1, I yell "You back to 1st!" (pointing at the original R1), "You and you back to the bases you started on!" (pointing to the original R2 & R3), "Pitcher, you have to wait until I put the ball back in play before you start!" My BU backs me up on the call. Next batter Sac fly to F8 scoring R3 holding R2 and R1, next batter pops out foul to the catcher end of the inning. I only managed to stop the bleeding, because the final score was 17-4 Yankees and that was 3 innings later. That was with a 6 run 7th by the visiting Yankees (Total game time 2:20). Luckily the final game of the night was less eventful and ended in a 9-7 win for the Brewers over the Astros in a well played game by both teams right at 2 hours.

I thought MLB umpires didn't use indicators?

No need to call foul until it touches something in foul territory except the ground, stops moving in foul territory, or passes 1st or 3rd in foul territory. So, I always err on the side of waiting to call foul so that if it is fair both teams play as if it is until I say otherwise. When I call foul, everyone gets a chance to go back to where they started. A hurry up call isn't needed to speed up the game especially if it puts you in a spot where you call a fair ball foul. Though I will say, I have been there and done that before as well. I just force myself to slow down the foul call. No advantage to calling it early.

Question on this throw out of play in the OP. Is the throw to 1st from CF an attempted live ball appeal on a touch/retouch after the catch? Thus when the ball goes out of play there is no 2nd appeal on the touch/retouch? Or do we not call this an appeal on the retouch of 1st?

Asked my father last night about the hammer call for strikes. (My father is the District 8 Director for Indiana. This is the district where the Central Regional Headquarters is located) He said that LL had instructed the umpires to use this mechanic as the preferred strike mechanic. ‌@basejester you could shed some light on this as well I believe, since you are from the same area.

What my son and I do in the off-season. This one is Red River Gorge in Kentucky. Planning a trip here this fall to bring my brother and his son too. I love this place. Edit: (Not Brewers fans, just the team he was on during the spring season)

So, this was on the local news. http://www.wthr.com/story/29733008/watch-montreal-baseball-player-has-most-bizarre-swing-youll-ever-see What would you do if this guy stepped into the box like this? Would you decide he was ready to hit?

Starting the counting back up.....number 11.

I think you have the wrong video...but that was a cool play!

Same rule all codes both sports.

So I checked this out and found the article you are talking about and then I ventured over to the Petaluma Valley Little League site (the team that Lafayette had to play the next game) and found the following announcement: "Congratulations to our Petaluma Valley 11/12’s! They beat Lafayette tonight 13-0 to win the Section 1 All Star Championship Tournament. Great team win tonight boys!! Valley moves on to the Northern California Divisional Tournament in Stockton where they will face River Park American from Fresno at 10:00 at Madison Park in Stockton." So apparently this kid that was ejected is the entire offense and defense. I don't know anything more than the news story linked, the Petaluma new site article, and the announcement on the winning teams site, but if there is more to the story (which it sounds like there is), then this might have been a good ejection and the upset coach/dad is just angry his kid got called out on his bad behavior.

If you are PU and alone, you will need to know illegal pitches (similar penalty as a balk, but since the runners cannot leave until release of the pitch there is no throwing to a base pick off to worry about), then runners cannot leave their base until pitch is released from the pitchers hand, after that the differences are based upon the rule set ASA, USSSA, Babe Ruth, Little League, etc. Most things are the same between baseball and softball. Strike zone is generally armpits to knees. Mechanics behind the plate are hammer for strike instead of the point. Usually a "Dead Ball" call for HBP instead of "Time", same award. As a BU (2-man), you will be in the same spots as the 60' baseball bases, outside the fielders. Mostly looking for the early base leave. Leaving base early is a "No pitch" call and an out. If multiple runners leave, then just the runner closest to home that left early is out. All other runners return. As BU, you will be responsible to watch the pitcher's motion for the illegal pitch. Illegal pitch can be tricky because it is a different motion and rules for softball. Generally, both feet must start in contact with the pitcher's plate (rubber). They cannot bring their hands together more than one time from engaging the rubber to release of the pitch. One rotation of the arm, but you can drive the arm backward to begin. One forward step with their non-pivot foot, cannot step backward, though some High School level allow the pitcher to start with the stepping foot behind the pitcher's plate. Must stay within the pitching lane (which is an area 24" wide defined by imaginary lines extending from the outer edges of the pitcher's plate directly toward home plate within the pitching circle). Must not leave the ground with more than one foot at a time (i.e. the pivot foot can drag or glide across the ground while the other foot steps toward home).Must finish their delivery within the pitching circle (which is 16' diameter centered on the pitching plate). Then the 'lookback rule'. Always gets the baseball guys. When the ball has been returned to the pitcher with control within the pitching circle and no play is being attempted (including a fake throw), the runners may decide to continue running toward the next base or return to the previously touched base. Runners may stop only once and must make a decision immediately. It only takes effect once the BR reaches first or when BR has been properly put out prior to reaching first. If the pitcher attempts a play (including a fake throw), the rule is suspended and runners are free to continue running or stop and change directions until the pitcher is not attempting to make a play again, then the rule is again enforced. There is no need for the pitcher to actually look at the runner(s) to enforce this rule. ...and the obvious big yellow ball.

We've had that same two days of rain here in Central Indiana...just a few hours earlier than you. This past week it washed out the softball tournament (41 teams) I was running for our Wednesday evening games and caused us to start late on Sunday, but we were able to get all 96 games in without changing game length. Just had to adjust the start times on Saturday to an hour earlier to fit in Wednesday's games and give a little less time between games on Sunday to clear dugouts. We did have two of our guys in blue go down to overheating on Sunday. One during game 3 and then the person who replaced him went down in his 3rd game. Finished the night with myself taking plate in one 10U championship and base in the 12U championship right after.

So, I was dumb enough to try to answer someone's softball question on Facebook. Here is the question as posed by "random Facebook user" (recording verbatim from Facebook, please excuse any errors in descriptions): "Okay for all you rules experts: Runner on first no outs. Batter hits popup to third which she catches. The runner on first does not tag up and runs to second. Third base throws to second which is bobbled and runner heads to third. Defensive team pick up ball and realizes that the runner left early and throws the ball to first, but it is a wild throw that goes into the dugout. What is the call?" I asked what rule set, though I don't think it matters. No one ever answers this question. I answered with the following to the OP: You have a mess on your hands, but here is what the umpire should rule. The ball is dead at the time the ball enters the dugout. The runner is awarded two bases from the time of the throw, which would be home. However, if the runner properly retreats and retouches 1st, she is then awarded 3rd as she only gets a two base award from the last legally touched base. If she instead does not retouch first and goes to the original award of home, she is liable to be called out on proper appeal at 1st base for not retouching after the caught fly ball. ------------ From this point all I get is grief from the other posts about she should get home even if she retouches 1st properly. I tried to explain that she only gets two bases no matter what, but if done properly with no chance for an out on appeal, she would only get 3rd. I even had one person tell me that if I rule that and he is the coach then I would have a protest on my hands. I told him we would gladly accept his protest fee. So, am I talking out my a$$ or did I get this correct?

I would disagree with the F2 having secure possession of the ball in his glove when he tagged the BR. The ball was in F2's hand and the glove tagged the BR. He never tagged the BR with the ball or with the ball in the glove. PU couldn't have seen this from his angle​ (easier to see from the 1st base camera angle).

​Yes, they need mics like football. "After review of the play, the call stands. But not for the wrong second call, but because of the incorrect first call. Result of the play, FIRST DOWN!"....oh wait, wrong sport.

​@rick56, I just told him there is no such thing as a tie. It's an umpire's judgment as to which happened first. You, as a coach can't argue judgment calls, unless you like sitting in your car for the rest of the game, the ump got the call right. Tell your runner to go faster next time.

There is a guy that just coached my son's rec 12U team that still tells me this, even though for 5 years of me knowing him I have told him this is incorrect. One day he told me, "It's in the book, look it up!". So I pulled out my copy and handed it to him and said, "You show me where it says that, and I will never doubt you again." I'm still waiting for him to show me. I even brought him the softball version as well.

I can just hear it now...."Tie goes to the runner!!"

I think you could have easily just asked the coach to control his fans, though that might not have solved the problem in the parking lot. At the point where she is following you, you could ask her if she need you to get the authorities there because she was becoming a bit too close to harassment. "Ma'am, I have explained the call to you and I need to leave. If you do not end this, I will have someone in authority come here and end it so that I can leave in peace. What would you like me to do?"

Hope you have a "speedy" recovery. By the way, for next time on a 20 mile drive, 10 miles an hour faster only saves you 2 minutes, and perhaps next time your life. Good luck on your recovery.

Hey! Who has one of those "free" copies? I'd love to read this and keep it going. Let me know who I need to PM about it.