BigBlue4u

Good point. I just wish rule-makers would use the correct wordage: "..The intent to illegally deceive."

If you intend to enforce the rules as written, you'll call a balk if the ball is live and there are runners on base! Also, FYI, the reason the rule says "within approximately 5 feet," is because many high school fields do not have a grass infield.

beerguy55, can you think of any other way a runner could be called after passing first base other than making an attempt or feinting an attempt toward second base?

TOUMUIC..I believe the NFHS has this covered: 8-4-j-1 "No runner may be forced out if a runner who follows in the batting order is first put out." So, in the play you are referring to, both runners would score because the appeal at first base did not come first.

If I understand correctly what you are saying, I don't agree! If the third out is not a force out, it becomes a time play. If the third out is a force out, no runs score. If the third out is the batter/runner at first base, no runs score.

Tbroze, Food for thought: Don't make this more difficult than it has to be. I think everyone would agree if you SAW the play you would probably know exactly what to do. In reality, umpire judgment is a critical factor in the outcome of a play. The problem is, some plays are very difficult to relate.

Ask yourself this: Why was the runner tagged out? Answer: He was tagged out because the catcher blocked the plate without the ball. That is obstruction. Result: Obstruction, score the run.

8.3.2 SIT L Case Book.

Thanks to everyone, especially Sr. Azul. This is a great website!!!!

I read somewhere that in high school, a fielder cannot block any part of a base without the ball. A close friend, and a pretty good umpire, says the fielder, without the ball, only has to give the runner a part of the base. Can anyone help me? Sr. Azul? If possible, cite a reference please. Thank you.

That's pretty good, Lou. My guess is that it was probably a pretty peaceful game.

Thanks to everyone for their input. Some very good points were made.

Help! A fellow umpire asked me a couple of questions regarding batting gloves. PLAY 1: A pitched ball hits the batter's batting glove only, which is in his back pocket. PLAY 2: Runner is sliding back into first base on a pickoff attempt by the pitcher. The first baseman makes a sweep tag and his glove brushes against the runner's batting glove only, which is in the runner's back pocket. Comments appreciated and a rule reference would be helpful. Thanks.

If the field was ruled unsafe the night before and the game was suspended due to unsafe field conditions, what, if any, improvement was made before your doubleheader? If the answer is "nothing," do not play the doubleheader.

Major League Baseball assigned seven umpires to the 2023 MLB World Series featuring the Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks. Bill Miller will serve as crew chief while Alfonso Marquez will be backup chief. Five of the seven-person crew are officiating their first career World Series. Crew Chiefs are indicated in bold text and by the -cc suffix with regular season crew chiefs denoted by an asterisk (*). Those working their first World Series are marked with ^1st WS^. The following listings feature Game 1 configurations such that the plate umpire from Game 1 will work right field in Game 2, and all other umpires will move clockwise (e.g., 3B becomes 2B). Games 4 and 5 plates are if necessary. All World Series umpires are taken from a pool of umps who officiated the 2023 AL and NL Division Series. MLB World Series (Arizona Diamondbacks vs Texas Rangers) Umpires: HP: DJ Reyburn ^1st WS^ [Game 1 Plate] [2 WC, 4 DS, 1 LCS, 1st World Series] 1B: Alfonso Márquez* [Game 3 Plate] [3 WC, 12 DS, 6 LCS, 5th World Series] 2B: David Rackley ^1st WS^ [Game 4 Plate] [4 WC, 3 DS, 1 LCS, 1st World Series] 3B: Brian Knight ^1st WS^ [Game 5 Plate] [3 WC, 5 DS, 1 LCS, 1st World Series] LF: Vic Carapazza ^1st WS^ [Game 6 Plate] [2 WC, 6 DS, 2 LCS, 1st World Series] RF: Bill Miller* -cc [Game 7 Plate] [6 WC, 11 DS, 8 LCS, 5th World Series] Reserve: Quinn Wolcott [Game 2 Plate] [3 WC, 4 DS, 1 LCS, 1st World Series]