SavoyBG

Part 1 - https://www.facebook.com/unitedcollegiateumpires/videos/348990422678988/ Part 2 - https://www.facebook.com/unitedcollegiateumpires/videos/2392792607606512/ Part 3 - https://www.facebook.com/unitedcollegiateumpires/videos/869154740137296/

When this happens I just say "No, I'm not kidding you." I don't see this as near enough for an ejection.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbdnWUO8KP4

BTW, this play occurred on a varsity field.

Atlantic League batter refuses to steal first base.

Here's the best way to handle this. If you are sure that the wrong batter is batting you want to end the at bat as soon as possible, because if there's a steal or a wild pitch or a passed ball, those runners don't have to go back after you appeal the batting out of order. Also, if the other team realizes that the wrong batter is up before the at bat is finished they can send up the correct batter. In the major leagues you can drill the batter with the first pitch and then appeal the batting out of order. If you want to be a nice guy you can instead issue an intentional walk and then appeal the batting out of order.

No, he was not deep. and that's exactly what it did. It hit the front edge of the plate and popped straight up and a bit to the right and bloodied the batter's face. It was a high school pitch, maybe high 70s MPH.

pssstttt! It's PASSED ball.

I've had it happen. We are not playing in major league ballparks. Lots of these fields have plates that stick up above the ground and balls take crazy bounces off of them. The time it happened trhe ball hit the plate and came up and hit the batter and bloodied his face.

A - Where does it say that in the rule book? B - The plate is not the ground. If the pitch hits the plate and then directly hits the batter, is THAT a hit by pitch?

Doing basketball years ago I once signaled a travel but verbalized a jump ball, which is the call I meant to make. Another time I was doing a 6th grade game and one team was up 20 points with a few seconds left. The ball got loose and two players scrambled for it on the ground. I called a quick jump and then saw that it was two players on the same team. It's more likely for these things to happen in basketball because the action is so fast and any call can come along at any time.

One interpreter got back to me and said... Bruce, Something crazy always happens in baseball! Yes, the pitch still meets the definition of a pitch; however, your play would not be an HBP. Good no call! I base my answer on the fact that the batter had his opportunity to hit the baseball, and that ended as soon as the ball/pitch got by the catcher and ultimately struck the backstop. Suppose you had a situation where a pitched ball careened from the umpire and then somehow hit the batter? Again, no HBP, but the definition of pitch is still in effect until, by rule, it is no longer a pitch. I believe that you should make your call/ruling by citing Rule #10, in which (we) can make decisions even though they are not clearly delineated in the rules book. Perhaps, this would be a Situation which should be added to the NFHS Case Book.

The high school rule book defines when a pitch is over. 2-28-4 A pitch ends when the pitched ball: A - Is secured by the catcher B - comes to rest C - goes out of play D - becomes dead E - the batter hits the ball (other than a foul tip).

According to what rule?

Had a play tonight that I think should technically have been a hit by pitch. SH*#ty 14U game. Pitcher throws a pitch that is real high. The catcher does not touch the ball at all. The ball hits the backstop behind the catcher, and ricochets back and hits the batter from behind. The ball did not touch the catcher or me (the umpire). I just left the ball in play and called nothing, but according to the rule as to when a pitch ends, that would still be a pitch when it hit the batter.