beerguy55

This is why you eject people.

I can see how this supports ejecting R2. But there's no "out" for being at the next base when the ball is made live again, that I know of. The other part of this is interesting - it says it may be corrected during a dead ball. But doesn't say when it's too late. When the ball is made live? After the next pitch? After the at bat is completed? Anytime before either runner scores or is put out? Starting at the wrong base isn't one of the appealable plays. He touched second. He went to third. He touched third. And if we're applying the "next play" standard for appeals it would be too late.

Like I said, I think they got lucky. Very easy to remediate as is. If R3 scores on a sac fly or an infield single then it gets really ugly. Or gets thrown out on a sac fly. I agree, it likely was just a brain cramp and he just went to the base next to him.

Saw a video of this - I think MiLB. R1/R2, 1 out. Time is called for a pitching change. R2 goes to talk to the third base coach....and then stays at third base. Pitcher finishes warmup, ball is made live. Nobody notices R2 is now on R3. First pitch, fly ball to shallow outfield caught. No runners advance. Now defense notices there's a runner mysteriously on third base and coach talks to ump. I'm assuming in any ruleset there really is no remediation - it's now R1/R3 with two out, and umps are thankful it wasn't an infield single? Do over seems the worst option. And putting R3 back to second base only really works if you get lucky and he's still on third base after the play - doesn't really apply if batter hit a sac fly. Especially problematic if R3 is thrown out at home on said sac fly. Umps need to make sure players are at their proper bases before making ball live, but it's a mistake that I can't see being able to remedy. Defense should be noticing something like this even if it's not "their job". What if we get lucky and the first pitch isn't swung at - do you return R2?

I don't disagree with the rule, depending on the level, but it's a tough break for a coach to get ejected when R3 goes on his own, and/or the batter either misses the steal sign...or has no idea the runner is going.

Yes

Not uncommon in the younger levels - say anything under 14 years old. Runner gets huge jump and oblivious pitcher just never notices...and then just simply pitches. Batter also likely doesn't know the runner is going...and may be simply that the runner just went on their own...which would explain why the batter still ended up swinging....also not uncommon in those younger groups....I'd be guessing these kids are under 10.

The same principle needs to be applied on foul balls and caught fly balls, to determine which base the runner must return.

Which rule is being violated? I don't see it. Seems to comply where applicable. ART. 4 . . . Balk. If there is a runner or runners, any of the following acts by a pitcher while he is touching the pitcher’s plate is a balk: a. any feinting toward the batter or first base, or any dropping of the ball (even though accidental) and the ball does not cross a foul line (6-1-4); b. failing to step with the non-pivot foot directly toward a base (occupied or unoccupied) when throwing or feinting there in an attempt to put out, or drive back a runner; or throwing or feinting to any unoccupied base when it is not an attempt to put out or drive back a runner; c. making an illegal pitch from any position (6-1, 6-2-1a-d); d. failing to pitch to the batter in a continuous motion immediately after any movement of any part of the body such as he habitually uses in his delivery; 1. If the pitcher, with a runner on base, stops or hesitates in his delivery because the batter steps out of the box (a) with one foot or (b) with both feet or (c) holds up his hand to request “Time,” it shall not be a balk. In (a) and (c), there is no penalty on either the batter or the pitcher. The umpire shall call “Time” and begin play anew. In (b), a strike shall be called on the batter for violation of 7-3-1. In (a), (b) and (c), if the pitcher legally delivers the ball, it shall be called a strike and the ball remains live. Thus, two strikes are called on the batter in (b). If the umpire judges the batter’s action to be a deliberate attempt to create a balk, he will penalize according to 3-3-1n. e. taking a hand off the ball while in a set position (6-1-3), unless he pitches to the batter or throws to a base or he steps toward and feints a throw to second or third base as in (b); or f. failing to pitch to the batter when the entire non-pivot foot passes behind the perpendicular plane of the back edge of the pitcher’s plate, except when feinting or throwing to second base in an attempt to put out a runner.

With two outs, for the run to count, the runner would have to have crossed the plate before the pitcher started his delivery.

Your anecdotal experience is not enough to really assess, if you're truly being honest and unbiased about our approach in whether or not ejections are warranted. As said before, whether you umped 5 games or 205 games matters to your numbers. You might also want to compare how your numbers line up with your peers against, presumably and/or mostly, the same set of teams/players/coaches. None of these, on their own, really gives a complete answer, but the more comparisons in aggregate might tell a story. That story could be that coaches/players are getting worse, or not, and/or your peers are too lenient and/or that you are too strict and/or you are too lenient. Because there are really two possibilities, over the course of a season, and they should both be weighed with equal probability. One is your numbers are appropriate - properly handled, warned and administered, with the right amount of rope given to the ejected. One is they are not - they could be too high - either due to a perpetual short fuse, always looking for confrontation, always interpreting the worst case scenario, or some degree of dick measuring...or too low - because you're a pushover. In my experience, both scenarios are just as likely in any given game, but over the course of a season you start to see common denominators...you either see the same coaches showing up in ejection reports, or the same umpires. And, usually, that will tell you where the problem lies.

As stated by others, at the time Freeman started his throwing motion there was nobody in his way. Machado clearly altered his path to increase the likelihood that he can get between the ball and the receiver. And he did it as Freeman started his throwing motion. That MLB seemingly requires Machado to look back at the ball/thrower, where he simply needs to see the receiver's glove to achieve the same outcome, is an extreme deficiency of common sense.

Along similar lines, I believe Joel Youngblood is the only MLB player to get a hit for two different teams, in two different cities, on the same day. He was playing a day game for the Mets in Chicago, got a hit, and then got traded about the third inning. He flew to Philly to play a game for the Expos, subbed into the game late, and got a hit there too. The best part for me, is he got his hits off of Fergie Jenkins and Steve Carlton, two future HOFers.

It would be a really odd inside-the-park play (and from a scoring perspective could almost never be a "home run") if the defense is making appeal plays while the play is still live, and the b/r (let alone other the other runners) is still making his way around the bases. Beyond that, whether the ball be dead or alive, you would also, I think, have potential scenarios where the third out by a preceding runner on appeal would negate runs made by following runners.

Jesus Christ - you're all wrong. I can call the whole game perfectly from the dugout or sitting in the bleachers.