Batted Ball Hits Runner

[LeoDev]

How would you rule?

Situation:

Little League Jr. game

Single man mechanics. I was the coach.

R1, infield playing 2 steps in on the grass. Batted ball hits R1 on his way to 2b. Clearly more than "a step and a reach" from F4.

I will give the umpire's ruling after I see how people respond.

Thanks, LeoDev

[Kyle_Stevens]

Batted ball hits R1, I have R1 out.

[Umpire in Chief]

Well I've already proven my ignorance of LL rules, so I'll give my OBR & Fed interpretation ans assume LL is similar. This would be a HTBT situation, but the OP stated the the infield is in, 2 steps inside the cutout.

Ruling: No Call, live ball.

In either OBR or FED if the ball passes a fielder other than the pitcher, it's nothing.

Be ready to get a visit from the DC.

[LeoDev]

Well I've already proven my ignorance of LL rules, so I'll give my OBR & Fed interpretation ans assume LL is similar. This would be a HTBT situation, but the OP stated the the infield is in, 2 steps inside the cutout.

Ruling: No Call, live ball.

In either OBR or FED if the ball passes a fielder other than the pitcher, it's nothing.

Be ready to get a visit from the DC.

I WAS DC!

The umpire ruled that R1 was out. I waited for the action to stop and called time. I started to state my case and the umpire held up his hand and walked away.

I realize how hard it is to do a game on a 90' field by yourself.

The fact that he didn't give me a chance to state my case really chapped me.

FWIW, he admitted that he didn't look at where the infield was set up before the pitch.

[Umpire in Chief]

I WAS DC!

Or if you kick it be ready for a visit from the DC.

In the OP I'm imagining that the DC is less informed than you Leo (& my interpretation is correct) the DC throwing a fit because of my no call.

Many coaches incorrectly believe that anytime a ball hits a runner there is an out they either don't know or just happen to forget that if it gets past a fielder other than the pitcher it's nothing.

BTW, I'm not familiar with the "a step and a reach' concept. What is this?

[LMSANS]

I WAS DC!

The umpire ruled that R1 was out. I waited for the action to stop and called time. I started to state my case and the umpire held up his hand and walked away.

I realize how hard it is to do a game on a 90' field by yourself.

The fact that he didn't give me a chance to state my case really chapped me.

FWIW, he admitted that he didn't look at where the infield was set up before the pitch.

I'm a lttle confused here. Why is the defense asking about an out?

The call is wrong as UIC said.

[LMSANS]

BTW, I'm not familiar with the "a step and a reach' concept. What is this?

In the BRD there is an official interp..." "goes by a fielder" is defined as "within an arm's reach." The fielder must have a "legitimate" chance to field the ball else the runner is out"

"a step and a reach" generally refers to how far you will protect a fielder (from intereference by a runner) that bobbles a hit ball. I don't see the application with this type of interference.

[LeoDev]

Or if you kick it be ready for a visit from the DC.

In the OP I'm imagining that the DC is less informed than you Leo (& my interpretation is correct) the DC throwing a fit because of my no call.

Many coaches incorrectly believe that anytime a ball hits a runner there is an out they either don't know or just happen to forget that if it gets past a fielder other than the pitcher it's nothing.

BTW, I'm not familiar with the "a step and a reach' concept. What is this?

OOPS!!! My bad! I was the OC, coaching first base at the time.

F4 had ABSOLUTLY no chance to field the ball. It was a shot that screamed by him. As it was, R1 had only taken 2 steps when the ball hit him, and F3 was playing towards the Right Field line.

I understand the rule and why it is in place, but in all reality, in this instance, the defense had no chance to field the batted ball.

BTW, I'm not familiar with the "a step and a reach' concept. What is this?

A "step and a reach" is what we use as a baseline for judgement as far as a fielder has a chance to make a play on either a ball or a runner.

For instance: R2 going from 2b to 3b, and appears to leave his established baseline, I use "step and reach" to determine if R2 is out for running out of the baseline.

I hope that you understand this definition.

Edited June 10, 2008 by LeoDev

[catoblue]

It's nothing... the umpire kicked that one. Like UIC said, per LL rules it's only IF if it hits the runner before passing an infielder other than F1 (actually LL doesn't even specify the except F1 part, it just says fielder). See 7.09(k)