Blessing the Batting Order?

[jkumpire]

Friends,

 

Last week I got to work a tournament in warm weather with an excellent group of umpires. Marvelous week, and the qualtiy of play was better than last year IMO.

 

Had an interesting discussion with one guy about an OBR rules situation he had that threw me for a loop, since I had never heard of this. In my opinion he is 100% wrong, but then I may not have understood him clearly in a loud and full locker room, and not wanting to offend I just said ok. 

 

Situation: Lineup has 27 Ruth in 4 hole and 28 Mays in 5 hole. First time through the order 28 hits in the four hole, 27 hits in the five hole, Second time though the order it happens again and when 28 gets a single, the manager of the defense is already walking to the plate man. This IMO is simple BOO, lineup has the two switched and 27 is out and 28 is back at the plate. This is a nobrainer, right?

 

Discussion: The man who brought it up says, no we were not correct to get the out here; because once you go through the lineup once you have "blessed" the lineup as it is, and that is the set lineup for the rest of the game; something that makes no sense to me at all. The lineup is the lineup and the officical batting order is the one in the UIC's pocket. Now if it is 27 Mays and 28 Ruth in the order we have a mess up by the manager we can possibly fix since everyone can figure out who Mays and Ruth are.

 

But in a normal game where 27 hits in the 4 hole and 28 hits in the 5 hole on the lineup card and twice in a row 28 hits in the 4 hole and 27 hits in the 5 hole you have BOO no matter who made the mistake and you are cheating the defense who waited until the the improper batter got a hit to make the appeal. 

 

Has anyone heard of 'blessing' an incorrect lineup making it the lineup after it goes around once? Thanks for your help.

[JaxRolo]

As far as i'm concerned is still BOO.

 

Just cause it was missed the 1st time doesn't mean anything.

[grayhawk]

There's no such thing as "blessing" a lineup. The batting order is set once the PU accepts the lineup cards at the plate meeting.

[maven]

Pure fiction. Sounds like some local rule somebody assumed was OBR.

[Majordave]

"Blessing" the batting order? Hahaha

That's right up there with hands are part of the bat and ties go to the runner in my humble opinion.

[noumpere]

 

 

Has anyone heard of 'blessing' an incorrect lineup making it the lineup after it goes around once? Thanks for your help.

 

As I read the question, you are not asking whether this is BOO, you are asking only whether anyone has heard of it.

 

Yes, I have heard of it.

 

You're welcome.

[goody14]

Last time I tried to bless anything, lightning followed.

 

I let the pros handle it from now on.

[mrumpiresir]

I've heard of this.  It's a misconception.  The PU has the official line up and it is to be followed throughout the game.  BOO does not change the order.

 

A couple of years ago I had a disagreement with two umpires at CDP  who insisted the coach gets an option on whether to take the penalty for a balk or the result of the play.  They walked away when I pulled out a rulebook to prove them wrong.   Where does this crap come from?

[jkumpire]

 

 

 

Has anyone heard of 'blessing' an incorrect lineup making it the lineup after it goes around once? Thanks for your help.

 

As I read the question, you are not asking whether this is BOO, you are asking only whether anyone has heard of it.

 

Yes, I have heard of it.

 

You're welcome.

 

As a minister I have done a lot of that in my life, but not lineups. Let me know if you need it

[jkumpire]

Last time I tried to bless anything, lightning followed.

 

I let the pros handle it from now on.

 

I can give lessons if you need it, All Hallows Eve is over!

 

 

 

Has anyone heard of 'blessing' an incorrect lineup making it the lineup after it goes around once? Thanks for your help.

 

As I read the question, you are not asking whether this is BOO, you are asking only whether anyone has heard of it.

 

Yes, I have heard of it.

 

You're welcome.

 

Well played.

[MadMax]

The only exception to your situation posed, if I read it right, is if the manager got the jersey numbers wrong when he wrote and submitted the lineup. In OBR, the names are what matter, not necessarily the jersey numbers.

[Replacematt]

Did you ask him what would happen if no one noticed?

[Rich Ives]

A couple of years ago I had a disagreement with two umpires at CDP  who insisted the coach gets an option on whether to take the penalty for a balk or the result of the play.  They walked away when I pulled out a rulebook to prove them wrong.   Where does this crap come from?

 

In Little League Majors and below where a balk is called an illegal pitch.

 

(MINOR/MAJOR Baseball) PENALTY: The pitch shall be called a ball. If a play follows the illegal pitch, the manager of the offense may advise the plate umpire of a decision to decline the illegal pitch penalty and accept the play. Such election shall be made immediately at the end of the play. However, if the batter hits the ball and reaches first base safely, and if all base-runners advance at least one base on the action resulting from the batted ball, the play proceeds without reference to the illegal pitch. NOTE: A batter hit by a pitch shall be awarded first base without reference to the illegal pitch.

[Rich Ives]

"Blessing" the batting order? Hahaha

That's right up there with hands are part of the bat and ties go to the runner in my humble opinion.

 

Not only that, I've encountered folks who think if players swap positions in the field they swap batting order positions.

 

 

 

BTW - in OBR on a force play or for the B-R at 1B a tie, if one is possible, does go to the runner.

[Jimurray]

A couple of years ago I had a disagreement with two umpires at CDP  who insisted the coach gets an option on whether to take the penalty for a balk or the result of the play.  They walked away when I pulled out a rulebook to prove them wrong.   Where does this crap come from?

 

In Little League Majors and below where a balk is called an illegal pitch.

 

(MINOR/MAJOR Baseball) PENALTY: The pitch shall be called a ball. If a play follows the illegal pitch, the manager of the offense may advise the plate umpire of a decision to decline the illegal pitch penalty and accept the play. Such election shall be made immediately at the end of the play. However, if the batter hits the ball and reaches first base safely, and if all base-runners advance at least one base on the action resulting from the batted ball, the play proceeds without reference to the illegal pitch. NOTE: A batter hit by a pitch shall be awarded first base without reference to the illegal pitch.

Same wording in OBR for delivery of a doctored ball. But I don't think the guys that think a balk is coaches choice have read that rule in the LL book or the OBR book.

[Rich Ives]

 

 

A couple of years ago I had a disagreement with two umpires at CDP  who insisted the coach gets an option on whether to take the penalty for a balk or the result of the play.  They walked away when I pulled out a rulebook to prove them wrong.   Where does this crap come from?

 

In Little League Majors and below where a balk is called an illegal pitch.

 

(MINOR/MAJOR Baseball) PENALTY: The pitch shall be called a ball. If a play follows the illegal pitch, the manager of the offense may advise the plate umpire of a decision to decline the illegal pitch penalty and accept the play. Such election shall be made immediately at the end of the play. However, if the batter hits the ball and reaches first base safely, and if all base-runners advance at least one base on the action resulting from the batted ball, the play proceeds without reference to the illegal pitch. NOTE: A batter hit by a pitch shall be awarded first base without reference to the illegal pitch.

Same wording in OBR for delivery of a doctored ball. But I don't think the guys that think a balk is coaches choice have read that rule in the LL book or the OBR book.

 

 

Poster said it was umpires (" . . two umpires at CDP . . ") who insisted it was a choice.  I'd expect them to have read the book.

[basejester]

I'm guessing this myth started with someone remembering a pitch legalizes the previous batter.  They just confused that it legalizes the proper batting spot in the existing batting order, not a new batting order.

 

The balk thing might come from watching the NFL.  It's a pretty sensible idea to give the offense the option. 

[Mudisfun]

They may also be extending the rules for unannounced subs and making the leap that once though incorrectly set the order straight.

[Jimurray]

A couple of years ago I had a disagreement with two umpires at CDP who insisted the coach gets an option on whether to take the penalty for a balk or the result of the play. They walked away when I pulled out a rulebook to prove them wrong. Where does this crap come from?

In Little League Majors and below where a balk is called an illegal pitch.

(MINOR/MAJOR Baseball) PENALTY: The pitch shall be called a ball. If a play follows the illegal pitch, the manager of the offense may advise the plate umpire of a decision to decline the illegal pitch penalty and accept the play. Such election shall be made immediately at the end of the play. However, if the batter hits the ball and reaches first base safely, and if all base-runners advance at least one base on the action resulting from the batted ball, the play proceeds without reference to the illegal pitch. NOTE: A batter hit by a pitch shall be awarded first base without reference to the illegal pitch. Same wording in OBR for delivery of a doctored ball. But I don't think the guys that think a balk is coaches choice have read that rule in the LL book or the OBR book.

Poster said it was umpires (" . . two umpires at CDP . . ") who insisted it was a choice. I'd expect them to have read the book.

I have encountered a rec ball umpire assignor who knows what the balk rule says but does not feel he could convey it to his umpires and they revert to "coaches choice"

[FleasOf1000Camels]

It's BOO whenever it's properly reported.

No such thing as 'blessing' the order, altho I have heard the phrase before.