Mussgrass

Let's not take ourselves too seriously! At the end of the day we're all baseball fans. That was cute and funny!

I used one for a couple of games this year after I was tired of getting my forearms beat up. The one team I saw for several games had a big 12 year old pitcher who was effectively wild and catchers who couldn't or wouldn't catch at times. i felt like my strike zone was okay. What I didn't like was having to juggle the balloon while removing my mask and moving into position when something happened.

Man, I am soooo glad the Phillies didn't sign him! Punk!

Actually, the disadvantage is more from reaching across one's body on swipe tags.

Sorry, totally misread the question!

Fair ball. If it is touched in fair territory it is a fair ball. Catcher interference on hindering himself?

When I coached I remember instructing catcher's to do that to have better control of the ball on tags at home.

Also, the ball is dead at the moment of the interference so the throw technically never happened.

What about all of us who carry concealed? You could have lots of guns close to you that you are unaware of. Just sayin'.

Bit of a hijack here, but do you guys prefer to work solo, or have a spectator pulled in to help on the bases? For me it depends if they know what they are doing.

Please pardon my naivete. A manager may protest an incorrect rule application but he may not use to rule book to show an umpire the correct rule? Wouldn't we want to get it right and move on?

If I understand the situation correctly, R3 did not tag up either. In that case the defense, if they are aware enough, could appeal R3 leaving early also. He would be out upon appeal and the run would not count due to the apparent 4th out.

What's a protest? It is a rec league that is as good old boy as it gets. Don't get me wrong, it is great for the kids. It only costs them $25.00 a player for the 12 game season plus double elimination playoffs. But it is very loosely organized and administered. I am the only umpire that wears a uniform and uses their own gear. The rest are use the pillow, mask and shins that are kept at each field.We get $20.00 for the plate and $10.00 for the bases, paid out of concession money. It is really just community service when you break it down like that.

I will say up front that someone will tell me not to make stuff up. The league I ump for is a 9-12 rec league, as "rec" as it can get. We do not play under Fed rules, I can say that much. I inform the coaches up front that I will allow verbal appeals for missed bases and leaving early, etc. My thinking is at this level it is an instructional league (for coaches and players) and if someone notices a baserunning infraction and points it out that is more important than the OBR appeal gymnastics. If the kids play ball at the next level it will be under Fed rules anyway.

This is exactly how the league I umpire in is set up. A very small in house rec league. A lot of fun for everyone involved.

I remember seeing the mitt Carlos Ruiz used to catch R.A. Dickey in the all star game a few years ago.

The runner absolutely can legally retouch, as long as he hadn't passed 2nd base.

Could you make the argument that it was a voluntary release?

Catch!

Keep in mind that the runner retagging first and the 2 base award are 2 separate things. He needs to tag 1st because of the catch for an out. He is awarded 3rd because of the throw out of play. The fact that he didn't tag 1st does not change the base award. If the defense does not appeal the tag up then he would be safe at 3rd.

He came from the International League. That means he would have done LV Ironpigs games. Their whole theme is pork products. I bet they had fun with him!

Sorry, I was not trying to be funny!

NCAA is college rules, right. These are grown men who should know the rules about proper appeals, I would think.

She is definitely a keeper. My SWMBO buys me guitars. No guns yet, though!

I would say just like in baseball with 60 foot bases, ball's in you're out, ball's out you're in.