Weird play and 'experts' in the bleachers

[FleasOf1000Camels]

Long story, but I think some will appreciate it.

Working the plate on a VERY competitive 18u tournament under OBR.

Everything's going fine through the early innings, and as the backstop is rather short, I'm eavesdropping on the conversations among a group of 5-6 guys just to my right.  They're talking strategy, tactics, defensive positioning, pitch selection, etc...it's pretty obvious that these guys know baseball.

 

Somewhere in the middle innings the other team was at bat in an obvious sacrifice situation.  Batter squares and offers at a pitch that was well below his knees.  Ball hits bat, plate, bat again then goes straight in to the catcher's glove.  It all happened so fast, it took me a second for it to register.  "FOUL BALL" I shout.  Meanwhile the catcher has thrown a seed to F3 who tags R1 slowly returning.  My partner is echoing my foul call, and makes no call on the 'play' at first.

 

The reaction from the 'peanut gallery' is swift and loud.  "He hit the ball twice...he's got to be out."  My belief that these guys know baseball just took a nosedive.  They're chattering on and on as I step out to dust off the plate, and as I'm standing up I see the DC approaching me from the dugout.  He keeps looking over his shoulder at the gang of dads and nods in their direction, as if to say "yeah, I got it."

 

DC: I'm not sure I understand what just happened here.  Can you tell me what YOU saw?

Me: Sure, the pitch hit the bat, then the plate then the bat again.

DC: But didn't it then go sharp and direct to the catcher's glove?

Me: Yes, BUT as soon as the ball hit the bat the second time it was foul and dead.

DC: (looks back to his fans for guidance, they're shouting "OK, so the ball's dead, but the batter hit the ball twice, he got to be O-U-T.") DC nods in their direction and says to me "Yeah, what HE said"

Me: That's not the way it works.  The second hit was clearly unintentional, and the batter was still in the box.  That's no different that if a batted ball hits the batter while he's in the box."

DC: (looks back to fans for help...the loudest of the gang shouts "he's quoting a high school rule").  DC nods and says to me "is the MLB rule different?  A couple of these guys played pro ball."

Me: So did Rick Manning (Cleveland Indians broadcaster) but he STILL doesn't even understand the difference between a foul ball and a foul tip. (In a previous conversation I had learned that DC was an Indians fan, as am I)

The peanut gallery is now howling with a combination of laughter and jeers.

DC: Are you sure we've got this right?

Me: Absolutely.

Last shot from the leader of the gang "You've called a solid game, blue.  But you kicked that one"

 

The crowd is still murmuring, but nothing is out of control and the game continues.  Several batters later, I hear a loud voice from the leader of the gang-o-dads "GOT IT, right here on mlb.com".  At the end of the half inning, they try to get my attention.  I pretended to not hear them, trotted to the far end of the other dugout to get a drink.  There was nothing else said (directly) about this for the rest of the game.  Their team went on to have a big inning on their next at bat and put the game away.

 

Their team had to turn around and play the very next game, but I was not involved in that game.  I went to our 'campsite' beyond the LF corner, got out of the gear and settled back to relax before my next game.  About the 4th inning I see one of the dad's walking in my direction...my antenna immediately went up, as the rest rooms and parking lot were in the opposite direction.

 

Dad: It's probably out of line for me to approach you like this, but I've got to share this with you. 

Me: Yes, it IS out of line, but you're already here, so what do you have?

Dad: (looking at his I-pad) Rule 6.05

Me: 6.05h, I just finished re-reading it.

Dad: "the batter is out...after hitting or bunting a fair ball, his bat hits the ball a second time in fair territory" The ball was directly over the plate, so it WAS in fair territory, right?

Me:  Read the REST of 6.05h, especially the last sentence.

Dad: "If the batter is in a legal position in the batter's box..."

Me: which he clearly WAS.

Dad: "...and in the umpire's judgment..."

Me: I LOVE that part.

Dad: "...there was no intent to interfere with the course of the ball..."

Me: There was clearly no intent.

Dad: "...a batted ball that strikes the batter..."

Me: "...OR HIS BAT shall be ruled..."  WHAT?

Dad: "...a f***ing foul ball"

 

He stuck around for a few minutes and we talked about his son (pretty good player).  He complimented me on the job we were doing and apologized profusely.

 

When we arrived back at our campsite after the final game of the evening, we found a large garbage bag next to my chair.  My first thought was "what a.hole mistook our camp for a dumpster" but we discovered the bag was full of ice and twelve cans of beer.  There was a note on the bag's twist tie, it read "Nice work, signed Rick Manning and friends." 

 

 

[conbo61]

What edition do you have?  

 

My doesn't say "...a f***ing foul ball", it just says "...a foul ball"  

[Jimurray]

Great story, the "double hit" is still called out by many unschooled guys in blue shirts who call balls and strikes and safes and outs on baseball fields.

[GreyhoundAggie]

That is one of the funniest things I have read as an umpire. Nothing better than listening to fans shout the rules they "know" when you are 100% sure you got it right.

 

It's an awesome feeling.

[Richvee]

It's also refreshing to see there can actually be civil conversation about rules and interps between us and dads.  Great story. 

[maven]

Finally, a story that ends with beer.

[Magic]

Awesome story

[Jocko]

Finally, a story that ends with beer.

EVERY story ends with beer. it's a given. Like the implied "you" in a sentence without a noun.

[cyclonehokiece]

What edition do you have?

My doesn't say "...a f***ing foul ball", it just says "...a foul ball"

He had the uncensored rat/parent version. : :rofl:

[stl_ump]

Best story I heard.. EVER!

[millerforrest]

Ummm not if I'm a recovering alcoholic.

[millerforrest]

Maybe next time just say "FOUL!"? Everyone knows its a ball, they want to know if its fair or foul.

[elares]

Thanks for sharing the story Fleas'.

I enjoyed reading it.  Thank you.

[Ros@]

I so enjoyed the reading.

[labguy1971]

Great story and the ending was perfect!!!!  

[alan2703]

Nice