aaluck

Im with you. I see him as going to the plate, without question. Does that mean I maybe wouldn't have missed it? No.

I had this situation come up a few years ago and it turned into a complete joke. R1, R3 no outs. R1 'leads off' basically to the right fielder. Batter hits it to third. He looks back R3 and guns it to first. By this time R1 (the guy still in right field) had moved a bit toward second on the hit, but he is still in the outfield. First baseman returns the ball to the pitcher, so still R1 and R3, one out. Next pitch is a line drive to the second baseman. Catches the ball and tosses it to first for the third out. So basically they gave the defense an out for free--had they not the next batter may have gotten a hit. If a team is coached correctly this will only adversely effect the offensive team.

Probably not far from the truth.

I didn't and that's why we didn't call it. But I also want to make sure, as I know I will see this kid again. The coach's complaint was the hands separation and reconnecting during the delivery of the pitch.

Had a kid last night in a varsity game, NFHS rules. Always pitching from the set, regardless of runners or not. After coming set, on/during his delivery to the plate his ball hand separates from the glove (to the point that sometimes, not always, you can see the ball entirely out of the glove) then returns to the glove. Now this is occurring AFTER he has come set and while he is in his motion delivering a pitch to the plate. He does this on every pitch and I do not recall him doing it when throwing to first, only when delivering a pitch. Offensive coach wanted a balk. What does everyone think? We didn't call it but I'm not sure if we were right or not quite honestly. Any help would be appreciated

I see what your saying but I have always done it as @MadMax stated originally. Maybe I read the rule differently, but when I read it it seems you must call the out to enforce the obstruction in certain situations. As an example, obstruction of the batter is ignored if the batter-runner reaches first and all other runners advance at least one base. The way I read that is he MUST be called out to enforce the obstruction.. at least on the batter/runner. Maybe I'm reading into it too much. Also, I'm fine with not calling the out and enforcing the penalty, just not the way I do it.

I am not at all familiar with this at all... Do you have to actually read something to each team about sportsmanship before every game? Do you actually do it before each game?

They can. I use them as a hammer... Actual example I had two years ago... Had a coach that is always a problem in a JV game. He is up by like 12 runs with bases loaded and the other team is on their 4th or 5th 'pitcher'--who obviously has not been told how to pitch. After the first pitch I go and clean up the rubber and maybe mention for him to make sure and come set. The 3rd base (head) coach starts screaming at me that I'm not allowed to coach to kid. My job is to 'enforce all of the rules no exceptions'. I ask him if he is sure that is what he wants me to do. To which he replies yes. I confirm again and he again says yes. At that point I look around and low and behold batter is blinged out, all the runners on base have those rubber wrist things, on and on. So, I enforce the balk, warn the kid/coach on 3rd and then eject the batter, R1 and R2 and send him to the dugout. (May have skipped a step, but, oh well).

My daughter went and watched them earlier this year here. She said it was a great 'show'.

First, glad to hear your doing something you enjoy... You have come to the right place for that as almost everyone on here does not make a living being an umpire, we (mainly) love doing it. As to your debate with @beerguy55, this is no different from a throw that drags the first baseman into the runner, sometimes bad things happen. Not to speak for him but but even IF there was a rule on the defense overrunning the white bag, it would not prevent a collision from happening. It will still happen in situations like your OP. Now there would be a penalty (whatever that may be) but it will not prevent it--although I will say it may lessen it as there is now a penalty for such contact. We know these rules work. We have seen it in the NFL with the helmet contact, we see it in baseball with not trucking the catcher--did it completely eliminate it, no--but it has DRASTICALLY reduced it. Why? Because there is a severe penalty. Maybe lobby for a local rule on defensive player having to stay in fair territory on any play at 1st base..... Problem solved.

Without question... Most fans, players and other coaches take their lead from the head coach. If a head coach acts like a moron, the players and fans do as well. This is beyond all of that. This is a crime and should be treated as such. I would not have left the field until the police arrived and took him off in handcuffs, in front of the kids and fans. In Alabama we have actual laws specific to game officials. This would be a felony in Alabama.

That is hilarious .... but not.

I have noticed this on the solo games I have done as well. I think folks realize that we are struggling with numbers and MAYBE showing a little common sense. I make sure that when I show up alone and they ask why I tell them every reason I think... including bad fan/coach behavior. I think that a small percentage of folks realize that we are all getting worn a little thin.

I agree that this situation depends on the level of play. At that level I would agree on a balk, maybe even good HS ball. I would probably speak with the coach when I had time to work on stopping that.

I guess the question in the OP is "what is everyone else doing". That depends on what you want to do. For me I like to do about 2-3 games a week, none on the weekend if I can help it. I don't care if my games are super good varsity games or something else, I just enjoy being out there. However, due to our association numbers this year i have been thrust into more games than I prefer. But I feel I need to do my part to help out. Do what you can handle... and do what you have committed to do.

I do… it’s how I make a living to be able to leave work at 3 and still pay for everything.

Walked from work tonight to watch a HS week-long tournament on a AA field. Have a couple of games tomorrow for this big tournament and wanted to hang out for a while. Solid crew on the field. R2, R3 0 outs. Sky high Pop-up drifting towards the 3rd base dugout. PU runs to watch for catch/no catch, catch and carry etc. 3rd baseman catches the ball at the rail with the PU in a direct line looking down the dugout rail—again AA field so a lot of room. R3 is breaking for home on the catch. PU drop steps and turns toward home and makes the safe call once ball is thrown. Which I think was the right call. After the game I went down to the dressing room and spoke with the umpires. We were all discussing should he have been in a better position and how could he have accomplished that with the catch responsibilities. Or should he have been where he was and do the best he could to make the call at home?

There is only one person being dishonest here. There is NO POLICY in their response on game times, NONE. If I am wrong please copy and paste it so I can apologize to you. The link is in the 3rd post.

Not to get into the weeds but I am an intended beneficiary of that contract. As an intended beneficiary I am an anticipated party to the contract and can sue them directly for a breach of contract if they do not pay or leave if we do not start on time. I know, I wrote it. No different than my dr trying to sue me to pay more then the contractual rate he agreed to with BCBS--I'm the intended beneficiary of that contract as well. That's how it works.

I apologize if I missed where you quoted this mythical AHSAA policy on not moving/changing game times you keep referring to--as I'm sure you wouldn't just make that up.

It certainly appears that I think differently about this than most. I understand they signed a contract and I understand what that means. But I also understand that start times of game are constantly changed, constantly. In fact, it is part of the very schedule in this case--All times subject to change. If we are honest, 90% of our games do not start at the contracted time. My association has a contract with schools. They are required by that contract to put in the start time of all AHSAA events. We accommodate the schools on these start times for a variety of ridiculous reasons. Some of which include: the coach forgot to book a bus; they are waiting on a CDL driver; they had to pull over for a kid to piss; it rained and there are fixing the field. The whole time I'm sitting at the field waiting. If we apply your (and @Matt's) argument I should leave the field at the scheduled time unless we are playing...no exception, don't care/doesn't matter why, we have a contract that requires them to state the start time and they have breached the same.

I'm not sure how you are violating a 'policy' when the schedule that came out 5 days before the game states ALL GAMES AND TIMES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. Now I would agree with you if it stated, say, "No game times will be moved for any reason". I would say the whole "subject to change" contemplates unknown things may come up and adjustments may need to be made. Further, I did not see in their response to the governor anything about a scheduling policy, not sure where you are getting that. I guess I'm not as dismissive about someones religious beliefs--no I'm not a seventh day adventist. I don't think your religious beliefs equate to 'just because someone asks'. Finally, we have a very different idea of equitable. I don't think it is fair, just, right or reasonable to make a team forfeit instead of moving a game two hours. I will say that the AHSAA pays its members well. I believe you would be a perfect fit if there is an opening. 😃 They love putting these young men and women in their place, while they make a fortune off of them.

This is their actual mission statement. Maybe the dictionary there is missing the page with 'equitable'. The mission of the Alabama High School Athletic Association is to regulate and coordinate interscholastic athletic competition in an equitable manner while promoting the values of interscholastic athletics as an integral part of a student's educational experience. Definition. adjective characterized by equity or fairness; just and right; fair; reasonable: equitable treatment of all citizens.

I haven't seen the actual contract but lets assume you are right. So its all about the circumstances. For example, the coach forgot to book a bus (actually happens all the time here) is a perfectly good reason to adjust the schedule hours. Accommodating someone's known religious beliefs, not so much. I guess we will not see eye-to-eye on this and that is fine. The only other thing I will say is that if the freaking NCAA accommodates BYU by not scheduling them on Sundays (Thursday/Saturday schedule) in the basketball tournament I would think the AHSAA could move a game by two hours.

Maybe I'm not being clear. They didn't refuse to play on Saturday. They (and all three schools involved) just asked for the times to be switched--everyone gets to play and all fans, players of all three schools are happy. Are you saying the schedule was 'set in stone' and couldn't be adjusted...just as it is all the time, when events run over, etc.