Jump to content

Teams walk off with only 2 outs


grayhawk
Umpire-Empire locks topics which have not been active in the last year. The thread you are viewing hasn't been active in 4831 days so you will not be able to post. We do recommend you starting a new topic to find out what's new in the world of umpiring.

Recommended Posts

Had this happen yesterday - Pony League 10U game working alone. One out and R3. BR pops out to F6 and everyone (except me) thinks there are now 3 outs. Defense starts running off the field. R3 starts walking towards the dugout. He had not reached the dugout when all this happened - he was only about 10 feet off the bag towards the third base dugout.

What do you do? Let them all walk off? Tell everyone there are only 2 outs?

I signaled there were only 2 outs. Defense yells, "Tag him!" and R3 goes back to third before anyone reaches him. Defense takes the field and we play on.

Of course, there were the inevitable, "He's out of the baseline!" comments from the stands - no need to address that here.

If you say nothing and everyone walks off, then what? R3 is out for abandoning the base and we move on? I am assuming the scorekeeper would have caught up eventually and said that there were only 2 outs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 24
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

If you say nothing and everyone walks off, then what? R3 is out for abandoning the base and we move on?

Yup. As soon as he hits the dugout casually pump your fist for the out. No need to make a big production of it. If everyone is playing it as three outs, let it go. If the scorekeeper asks you about it, just let them know R3 made the third out.

Bottom line : Just let it play out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yup. As soon as he hits the dugout casually pump your fist for the out. No need to make a big production of it. If everyone is playing it as three outs, let it go. If the scorekeeper asks you about it, just let them know R3 made the third out.

Bottom line : Just let it play out.

What if there was no R3 and the defense walks off the field?

What if there is no R3 and they walk off and while F1 is warming up the coach discovers he still has one more out? Do you put the defense back on the field?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I will let them know (for younger age groups especially) that there are less than 3 outs before they clear the field if there's no runners. If by chance they get all the way to the dugouts and the other team has taken the field then I let it play out, it's their mistake at that point and IMO I don't want to delay the game resetting everything.

If there are baserunners, let it play out and if the runner(s) abandon then you have the third out as Kyle mentiioned.

In our association, I think the question of how many outs there are is asked at least 30 times an inning :clap:, but I've still seen this happen twice in the past year. Once at 9U and once at 12U.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Had this happen yesterday - Pony League 10U game working alone. One out and R3. BR pops out to F6 and everyone (except me) thinks there are now 3 outs. Defense starts running off the field. R3 starts walking towards the dugout. He had not reached the dugout when all this happened - he was only about 10 feet off the bag towards the third base dugout.

What do you do? Let them all walk off? Tell everyone there are only 2 outs?

I signaled there were only 2 outs. Defense yells, "Tag him!" and R3 goes back to third before anyone reaches him. Defense takes the field and we play on.

Of course, there were the inevitable, "He's out of the baseline!" comments from the stands - no need to address that here.

If you say nothing and everyone walks off, then what? R3 is out for abandoning the base and we move on? I am assuming the scorekeeper would have caught up eventually and said that there were only 2 outs.

I always read these post with s skeptical view because I've been in LL since 1974 and:

I have NEVER seen a case where EVERYBODY had the outs wrong.

I have NEVER seen a case where ALL the coaches had the outs wrong.

I have seen cases where SOME of those in attendance had it wrong, but not all.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I always read these post with s skeptical view because I've been in LL since 1974 and:

I have NEVER seen a case where EVERYBODY had the outs wrong.

I have NEVER seen a case where ALL the coaches had the outs wrong.

I have seen cases where SOME of those in attendance had it wrong, but not all.

Hey Rich, I think there's something wrong with your caps lock button.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Had it this weekend actually. Long inning there was a play at the plate for out # 2 to go along with a walk. The batter went to the dugout and the fielders went off the field. When the OC HC finally realized there were only 2 outs I got the 3rd out on the BR for abandonment.

Folks must be smarter in NY. :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I always read these post with s skeptical view because I've been in LL since 1974 and:

I have NEVER seen a case where EVERYBODY had the outs wrong.

I have NEVER seen a case where ALL the coaches had the outs wrong.

I have seen cases where SOME of those in attendance had it wrong, but not all.

It happened. Now, perhaps if I had let it go, someone would have figured it out before everyone got to the dugout, but I doubt it. It was a long inning and it "felt" like there should be 3 outs, but there weren't.

The coaches from one of the teams were constantly asking me the count and how many outs there were, so I wasn't surprised that they weren't keeping track.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've had everyone leave the field once, but I see the entire defense do it, or at least start to, relatively often. The problem is not everyone does think there are three outs. Usually it starts with one coach yelling "Two!" when there's only one. The kids echo this. Usually the OC will say to himself "That isn't right..." but not say anything out loud. But occasionally, he'll believe the guy. Then when out number two happens, the four kids that think there are three outs run off the field. The other five will say to themselves "Well, all four of them can't be wrong...I must be." and start to jog in. If you really watch hard enough, you'll see that it's staggered; they start to jog off in waves. It's funny how even people that are right would rather follow the crowd than just say "Blue, that's only two, right?"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It happened. Now, perhaps if I had let it go, someone would have figured it out before everyone got to the dugout, but I doubt it. It was a long inning and it "felt" like there should be 3 outs, but there weren't.

The coaches from one of the teams were constantly asking me the count and how many outs there were, so I wasn't surprised that they weren't keeping track.

WOW!

18 players, 6-10 subs, 4-6 coaches, and parents in the stands and NO ONE knew there were only two outs?

WOW!

And the adult folks are allowed to vote and serve on juries?

WOW!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

WOW!

18 players, 6-10 subs, 4-6 coaches, and parents in the stands and NO ONE knew there were only two outs?

WOW!

And the adult folks are allowed to vote and serve on juries?

WOW!

Well, some of them may have thought there were only 2 outs, but they weren't saying anything. If the coaches for the offense were calling their runners in (which they were), I guess the coaches for the defense weren't going to argue.

I wish I would have let it play out to see what would have happened. As it was, the only complaints I got were from ignorant fans saying that R3 was "out of the baseline." :hi5:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

If i hear a team say the outs, I have a diffrent one. i signal to my partner for confermation. if on my own i will signal the outs as soon as i can. and if questioned i would go to the score keeper. I find prevention is better that letting your game management get out if control.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 weeks later...

I have had the extension of this. Runner on 2, 2 outs. Pitcher steps off, fakes a throw ( legally) to second on a pick play, ENTIRE defense reacts as if the ball is overthrown into center field. Even the center fielder reacts to a ball "supposedly" running into the outfield. Pitcher keeps the ball, running towards second to cover a potential throw. R on 2 "drifts" off the bag to see where the ball is and potentially advance a base, is tagged out by F1. Inning over. What do you call, if anything?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have had the extension of this. Runner on 2, 2 outs. Pitcher steps off, fakes a throw ( legally) to second on a pick play, ENTIRE defense reacts as if the ball is overthrown into center field. Even the center fielder reacts to a ball "supposedly" running into the outfield. Pitcher keeps the ball, running towards second to cover a potential throw. R on 2 "drifts" off the bag to see where the ball is and potentially advance a base, is tagged out by F1. Inning over. What do you call, if anything?

"Out."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have had the extension of this. Runner on 2, 2 outs. Pitcher steps off, fakes a throw ( legally) to second on a pick play, ENTIRE defense reacts as if the ball is overthrown into center field. Even the center fielder reacts to a ball "supposedly" running into the outfield. Pitcher keeps the ball, running towards second to cover a potential throw. R on 2 "drifts" off the bag to see where the ball is and potentially advance a base, is tagged out by F1. Inning over. What do you call, if anything?

I'd call it a lesson learned for R2.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Day game or night game?

I've seen the play both day and night games. I have HS coach around here who also does a travel ball team, he teaches it to all his kids.

I called him out, of course. I even had to override an unexperienced BU one time, cause I knew that the coach would blow a gasket, and he knew that I knew they ran that play.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have had the extension of this. Runner on 2, 2 outs. Pitcher steps off, fakes a throw ( legally) to second on a pick play, ENTIRE defense reacts as if the ball is overthrown into center field. Even the center fielder reacts to a ball "supposedly" running into the outfield. Pitcher keeps the ball, running towards second to cover a potential throw. R on 2 "drifts" off the bag to see where the ball is and potentially advance a base, is tagged out by F1. Inning over. What do you call, if anything?

Consider the thread hi-jacked :angry:

Except for the part about the runner not paying attention, this has absolutely nothing to do with OP..:(

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've seen the play both day and night games. I have HS coach around here who also does a travel ball team, he teaches it to all his kids.

I called him out, of course. I even had to override an unexperienced BU one time, cause I knew that the coach would blow a gasket, and he knew that I knew they ran that play.

Going to have to hijack the thread a little more.

You say you "had to override an inexperienced BU". How did you do that? Did he come to you in a conference and ask you about the play? Or, did you call him out for the whole world to see?

If he conferenced, bad on him. He should know the rules and make his own calls. If you called the runner out, bad on you. Don't make another umpire's calls ever. Give info when asked but don't give it or change a call on a whim. You have no idea why the BU made his call until you ask him.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Going to have to hijack the thread a little more.

You say you "had to override an inexperienced BU". How did you do that? Did he come to you in a conference and ask you about the play? Or, did you call him out for the whole world to see?

If he conferenced, bad on him. He should know the rules and make his own calls. If you called the runner out, bad on you. Don't make another umpire's calls ever. Give info when asked but don't give it or change a call on a whim. You have no idea why the BU made his call until you ask him.

Fair enough explanation, but in this case not applicable. This was a BR 10U league game, and in this league, they often get HS kids to work the bases for a small fee ( around 15 bucks ) and want the certified Umpire to work the plate. This kid BU, was working his first season, probably his 8th game, and the first thing he did while the play was going on was start moving towards third to be in proper position in case there was a play at 3rd. With nobody out, I had mvoed to about the edge of the dirt circle in front of the plate, as I was aware that this might happen.

After the tag, which was clearly made about 6 feet off the basepath, the first thing the BU did was look at me. SO, yes, I made the call, for the whole world to see. If I had been working with a certified umpire, I would have reacted differently.

As is often the case with this play, when the kids were changing field positions due to inning over, the R2 coach came over to me and asked what had happened. I told him that his player had been legally tricked into moving off the bag, and was not going to embarrass a HS kid who was hesitant to make the call anyway. He, in turn called it bush league ( like most do ) and I didnt say anything.

And, on my way out to the car to the post game meeting with my young BU, he and I heard everyone in the stands muttering about the play, which of course is normal, and proceeded to explain to my young BU the concept of a balk, a hidden ball trick, stepping off, anticipating the play as an umpire, et. Al..... and what to do in that situation ( ALWAYS watch the ball- which he told me he did, but didnt make the call because he got sucked into the situation like the runner did)

Link to comment
Share on other sites


×
×
  • Create New...