LC Ump

No, it is no longer a force play. R1 was forced to advance to 2b but safely acquired the base. If he is off 2b in either direction after that - to advance to 3b or mistakenly think he needs to return to 1b - he must be tagged to be put out Yes, the run counts. The hitter safely reached 1b safe and R3 crossed HP before the 3rd out was recorded on R1. (It would not have counted if the 3rd out was made by way of a force play on R1 at 2b or by retiring the hitter before he reached 1b.)

Thanks to @midtnump for a super easy transaction involving the +POS mask and Champion CP he advertised on U-E a few weeks ago. Both were in great condition, shipped quickly and with great communication. Looking forward to taking both for test drives in couple of fall ball games coming up soon!

Yes, with runners on 2b and 3b, R2 was deemed to have left early. Both runners advanced on the play with the BR reaching first and R3 scoring. Penalty = BR goes to first, R2 and R3 returned. LL Rule 7.13 Example 12. The crew got together to make sure they had that right. Had the batter hit a double...see Example 13. LL is considering changing the rule for 2023...

Small world. One of the base umpires in that game is an umpiring colleague of mine from MA. And they're currently in the middle of dealing with LL Rule 7.13 - base runner leaving early. No fun!

How to umpire : Evans, William George, 1884- [from old catalog] : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive Found this and thought it might be of help. Even has some diagrams showing the positioning of the base umpire in a 2-man system.

I went to the Mid-America camp in the fall of 2019 and agree that it would be about right as well as well worth your time and money. It's highly interactive and well organized with knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and positive instructors and good mix of umpires in terms of experience and levels of baseball worked. Plenty of opportunity to watch, do, learn. Rules session was great, drills were all helpful even if the lines were a little long sometimes waiting for your turn, games and game evaluations were very well run with great feedback.

Love this part. Well done. Great game management/demeanor - no drama from you. Likely a reason why there was no drama elsewhere. Will remember your example in my own work.

"It's not a question of judgment, it's a question of definitions. Without a possible play—and there's no possible play on a stationary runner at a base—there can't be hindrance and thus can't be INT. There's nothing to judge." Thanks to @mavenfor bringing this up. While R3 in the OP intentionally caught a throw by F2 but as I'm imaging making a call on this play I'm thinking "Where's the play with which he interfered?" Is it the intentional act of catching the ball that's against the rules or is it a play elsewhere that was prevented by that act? The rule is clear that you need "another runner" who could have been put out or played on for interference. I know I'm changing my take on this play from an earlier post, but then that's why I read what others contribute - to try to better understand the rules and their application.

I agree @Velho. Threw my question out there hoping to hear from others with more experience/knowledge who could confirm the thought process...and to be ready with a "By rule..." explanation to any coach with a question on a play like this. Thanks. Thanks to @Scissorsfor sharing the original question, as well. I learned a lot.

NFHS SECTION 4 RUNNER IS OUT ART. 2 . . . Any runner is out when he: g. intentionally interferes with a throw or a thrown ball... If a retired runner interferes, and in the judgment of the umpire, another runner could have been put out, the umpire shall declare that runner out. If the umpire is uncertain who would have been played on, the runner closest to home shall be called out Exactly my question. You have a runner who intentionally interferes with a throw but, because he has already scored, cannot be declared out. Any penalty has to be assessed on "another runner." But was there another runner who "could have been put out" or who "would have been played on?" R2 is safely on 3b and not, as far as we know, continuing to advance.

I'm also wondering about the fact that this play involved a thrown ball (F2 to F1 covering HP, I assume) rather than a batted ball. Any interference by R3 would have to be judged to be intentional, correct? As described in the OP it sounds like it was - R3 caught and held the ball after it struck him. And the penalty would be an out on R2, the runner on whom a possible play was prevented by the interference? R3's run scores, R2 is out #2, BR is at 1b.

Little League Rule 7.08(1)(a)(3) - Any runner is out when "the runner does not slide or attempt to get around a fielder who has the ball and is waiting to make the tag..." It's not clear from the OP whether the runner collided with the catcher waiting to make a tag but if that was the case (and it sounds like it was), then the runner was correctly called out. An ejection for a collision is not automatic by rule in LL (there's no MC rule as in NFHS) but it could result from such a play under LL Rule 9.01(d) - "Each umpire has the authority to disqualify any player...for unsportsmanlike conduct..." So yes, in LL you can be called out for a collision, and you can be ejected for causing one.

Agree that the Champro Magnesium is a solid, lightweight frame entirely comparable to the Wilson aluminum. I have the silver Wilson aluminum and alternate it often with a black Champro. Added a set of tan Team Wendy pads and think it makes as light and protective a set up as any at this price point.

Agree with @flyingron re: your OP that F2 was "attempting to catch the ball" and did not have it in his possession. NFHS Rule 2-22-3 and 8-3-2 cover this if you are looking for the specific rulebook citations.

Thanks for this conversation. I agree, the initial contact is at or in front of the base and the change in wording from "and" to "then" makes it a legal slide (which is likely what the word change was supposed to clarify).

A slide that "goes beyond the base and makes contact with...the fielder" is an illegal slide according to NFHS 2-32-2. A runner who "does not legally slide and causes illegal contact" with a fielder violates 8-4-2b (the NFHS force play slide rule) is out for interference (as is the BR in this case).

A foul tip is not only a strike (in this case, strike three) but also a live ball on which runners can advance.

Nice article on this year's LLWS umpires in the NYT today. Have had the pleasure of meeting and being trained/evaluated by several of those mentioned or shown in it - Joe Smith, Ricci Hall, Tom Rawlings - all great guys who are really good umpires and want to help you become one, too. For Volunteer Umpires, Little League World Series in the Pinnacle - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Thanks for the response @MadMax. Just the kind of thing I was looking for...and great point about U2 doing less on fly balls than in 4-man.

Wondering if anyone knows of a good place to find a breakdown of UR/UL alignments/responsibilities when working with 6 umpires. Haven't been able to turn anything up here or on the internet. Thanks in advance for any leads...

Thanks for the clarification on the retired runner rule. And since the play ended because of the assumed third out R3 scores, R2 is at 3b and R1 at 1b...and we play on with 2 outs from there?

Would appreciate others' knowledege/wisdom with regard to this play in an LL Majors (10/11/12's) game: Bases loaded, one out. Batter hits a high line drive to CF which is caught by F8 for the second out. All three runners tag - R3 heads home, R2 heads to 3b, R1 takes a few steps toward 2b but retreats. As this happens, the BR, not realizing his batted ball has been caught, continues running - rounds 1b, passes R1 and heads full steam toward 2b. F8 sees the retired runner advancing and throws to F6 who intiates a run down between 2b and 1b with F3. The BR is eventually tagged out with R2 half way between 3b and home for what everyone thinks is the third out. The BU realizes that the it was the already retired BR who was tagged out for the supposed third out and has to rule on the play. Is this interference by a retired runner? Is this merely a dead ball and runners are returned to the base occupied at the time of the tag on the BR? Something else?

I use the memory foam pads that came with my two Wilson Dyna-Lite AL masks and put TW's on my two Diamond BL-Ump masks. No problems with either set up doing everything from LL to Juco ball. Both seem to be well-liked by others here and I can't disagree, although the consensus on the mags is certainly way up there, as well.

I agree with Maven. "Borderline" on the first pitch and then discernible after that. And I see no evidence that opposing players are having a problem discerning the stop, nor that they are being deceived, which is another element of the balk rule. Their jumps off first base are free and easy.

Yes to all you say about F4 stopping. That has been one of the things I've wrestled with in sorting through my judgement on the play. Tough for us to see as it all happened in quick succession. Neither of us had a great angle. BU was in LL C position with R1 and R2 on base and me as PU was around 1BX to see the batted ball while also keeping track of R2 in case it was through for a hit and possible play at the plate. Not sure how we could have gone through this any better other than more collective umpire experience (I'm a third year guy and BU was a first year junior umpire) or video replay. Everyone's help with this has been great, definitely added to my knowledge, and is why I posed the question here in the first place. Thanks.