Ball thrown out onto the field in MLB the other day

[Umpire in Chief]

I did not see it myself and in a quick search couldn't find it online, but I heard some people talking about a game this week where a baseball was thrown out on the field and the pitcher was in his delivery the plate umpire awarded a strike, then a BU said he had called time and the strike was taken off the count. Apparently, replay shows that no other umpires really called time.

This is something as amateur umpires we have to deal with constantly, and based on what I heard (once again I didn't see anything for myself) it sounded like this caused some problems for the MLB guys. At least once a game I have a person who wants to return a ball onto the field at the wrong time, some times even after I ask them to hold onto it for me.

If the ball is in play already and it doesn't make it into fair territory, (which from what I understand is what happened) I will not stop play and will get it at the next convenient time. A pitch delivered will still be a ball or a strike and a pitch put in play will still have the same result unless a fielder tries to make a play with the wrong ball.

First, did any of you see this play if you did please describe it more accurately. Second, how do you handle such situations?

[mstaylor]

Unless it lands in the middle of play, is going to be confusing or could be dangerous, I will the play go. If it is a strange circumstance then I will kill the ball. I did not see the play in MLB but in their defense, they don't see the stupid stuff we see on a regular basis so they react to as well as we do.

[BrianC14]

I did not see it myself and in a quick search couldn't find it online, but I heard some people talking about a game this week where a baseball was thrown out on the field and the pitcher was in his delivery the plate umpire awarded a strike, then a BU said he had called time and the strike was taken off the count. Apparently, replay shows that no other umpires really called time.

This is something as amateur umpires we have to deal with constantly, and based on what I heard (once again I didn't see anything for myself) it sounded like this caused some problems for the MLB guys. At least once a game I have a person who wants to return a ball onto the field at the wrong time, some times even after I ask them to hold onto it for me.

If the ball is in play already and it doesn't make it into fair territory, (which from what I understand is what happened) I will not stop play and will get it at the next convenient time. A pitch delivered will still be a ball or a strike and a pitch put in play will still have the same result unless a fielder tries to make a play with the wrong ball.

First, did any of you see this play if you did please describe it more accurately. Second, how do you handle such situations?

This was the Red Sox v. Rays game on Tuesday night; I was listening to it on MLB radio. There wasn't much to it, really - a ball got loose from the (Sox?) bullpen, just as the Sox pitcher was delivering. The ball had rolled in toward the infield, moving near the F6 position. Tropicana Park has those open bullpen areas along the 1B and 3B lines. Jerry Meals was 3B umpire and he called 'Time'.

Terry Francona came out to question what the story was, and he quickly returned to the dugout.

I would have handled it in the same fashion - it's really all you can do - you've got to stop play ASAP, otherwise, letting a play go in that situation, and where the ball was, you could end up with a real problem if the batter hits a ball that goes into the same area as the loose ball - - what do you do then? If the batter had hit a home run - too bad, so sad - time was called. (Ed Hochuli, anyone? Similar sitch in the NFL this past Sunday, Broncos v. Chargers... Broncos got a lucky break on a quick whistle).

Here's the story from RedSox.com:

Then came Carlos Pena, who swung and missed at a 1-1 pitch, only to have the strike taken away because an errant toss from the Boston bullpen forced third-base umpire Jerry Meals to call timeout, which neither Pena or Masterson saw.

Naturally, Pena wound up working the count full before drawing a walk.

"I was hoping they didn't [call time] after they missed," said Red Sox manager Terry Francona. "That's one of those, if he hits it, you want time, if he doesn't, you don't."

Edited September 18, 2008 by BrianC14

[Umpire in Chief]

Hearing your account seems much different from the account I heard from a Red Sox fan originally. So I should have known the Red Sox were one of the teams involved. Especially when they were talking about replay not showing the BU calling time. I'm sure that would have been the main focus of RedSox.com had that actually been the case.

That's what you get when you start listening to fans.

[BrianC14]

I'm a Red Sox fan.

Have been since about '65. :confused: