Awkward at bat

[littleleagueump]

I got a call from one of my umpires (Buddy) and he called to discuss a situation that had happened on the field one night. He was calling the bases that night and his partner (Ted) at the plate had a play that mythed me.

Runner on second, no outs. Count on the batter is 2-2. Batter swings a a terrible pitch, the catcher makes no catch. The batter was aware of the situation and begins to run to first seeing he was quickly aware that he swung at a really bad pitch. (This to me is the dumbest rule in the rule book, if you strike out, go to the dugout) The missed ball then hits the catchers shin guards and careens off him an hits the batter in the foot as he attempts to advance to first. The ball goes toward the on-deck circle and then is fielded by the catcher where he makes no attempt to throw out the BR because his coaches kept yelling that the batter is out. WRONG!

Ted did not signal that the BR was out and when an explanation was given, that the BR was not out because it was not a batted ball. I had never seen this before and I had to give him my opinion of what happened.

My opinion to Buddy was that it is a live ball, the BR is out.

Three nights later while watching the humble Braves play, that same thing occured in the game. What are the odds this would happen, like seeing bigfoot in my yard. The BR swung at a bad pitch, the pitch was in the dirt, it came of the catchers glove and hit the BR as he attempted to advance to first. The PU immediately signaled a non-verbal safe call and the catcher got to the ball and threw the BR out at first.

New on on me. :WTF

[mstaylor]

I had it the same as the MLB umps before I got to that part. Where it wasn't batted, touching the BR is nothing unless he kicked it intentionally. Benefit of the doubt goes to the offense here.