Situations from this weekend

[law_reb]

A couple interesting(at least to me) things from my 9 games Friday-Sunday. 

 

1.  High school varsity game using Fed rules, I've got the dish.  Runner on 1st with LHP on mound.  Pitcher picks up his foot and runner takes off for 2nd.  Pitcher wasn't planning on throwing to first, but when runner took off he decided to do so.  He had picked his foot straight up, had upper body lean toward the plate, but had not yet stepped toward the plate when he decided to throw to first.  He stepped toward first and threw the ball toward first, but he was off balance.  After making the throw he tumbled to the ground and rolled down the mound.  Throw was wide and low to first and went to the fence, runner ends up on 3rd base.  From the dugout I can hear the defensive coach saying that his pitcher balked, we should have called a balk, how could we miss an obvious balk, etc.  I ignored him, my partner did as well.  First time I've ever heard the defensive coach complaining about a non-balk call.   

 

2.  13 year old Majors USSSA game with OBR, I'm on the bases.  Runner on 3rd base with 1 out.  Batter swings and hits ground ball to shortstop.  On the swing he hit the catcher's mitt, knocking it off his hand.  My partner calls out an emphatic, "that's catchers interference!"  Everyone keeps playing.  Then my partner is yelling, "Dead ball!  Dead ball!  Dead ball!"  Within moments of his "dead ball" call, the shortstop throws the ball into the 1st base dugout.  My partner then says, "batter to 1st base, runner back to 3rd base."  Offensive coach does not like this.  My partner comes to talk to me, and wants to know if he got it right.  I tell him that he should not have called "time".  If he hadn't the coach may have had an option or the play could have stood if all runners advanced at least one base.  "Ohh.  What do we do now?" he asks.  I tell him he's going to have to eat this one.  Since play was stopped with his call, nothing after his call happened.  He asked if I would explain it to the offensive coach.  I politely declined.        

 

3.  13 year old Majors USSSA game with OBR, I have the dish.  Runners on 1st and 3rd with 2 outs.  Runner on 1st attempts to steal second and catcher throws to 2nd base.  Runner on 3rd then starts for home.  I start to set up for potential play at the plate.  Shortstop caught the throw in front of 2nd base.  He fakes a throw to the plate, runner stops and retreats to 3rd.  Shortstop throws to 3rd base where there is a close play.  My patner, who is still in B position, points to me.  I just look at him.  He waits a few seconds, then signals safe.  Defensive coach is not happy.  He asks for time and approaches me.  I tell him that is my partners call and if there's a question he can speak with him.  He and my partner get into a loud exchange of words.  I hear my partner say, "my play was at 2nd base, how am I supposed to make that call all the way over at 3rd base." 

 

4.  High school JV game using Fed rules, I'm on the bases.  Runners on 1st and 2nd base.  2-2 count on the batter.  Inside pitch that causes the batter to spin out to avoid getting hit.  My partner flinched pretty big as well.  There was no verbal call(that I could hear) or hand signal given by my partner.  The batter takes off for 1st base as if he has been hit by the pitch.  Runners on 1st and 2nd start to move up as well.  My partner says, "No! No! No!  3 balls 2 strikes."  Runners are now hung out between bases.  Catcher throws to shortstop, tag is applied to runner, I have an out call.  Offensive coach doesn't like this.  We get together, we confirm that no one had called "time".  Out stands.  Offensive coach asks how his base runners were supposed to know what to do.  Answer to coach: Neither umpire called "time", the ball is still live. 

 

         

[noumpere]

1) of course the D coach complained.  Had you called the balk, R1 would have been held at second (in FED).  It does sound like a balk to me.

[maven]

1) of course the D coach complained.  Had you called the balk, R1 would have been held at second (in FED).  It does sound like a balk to me.

 

Me too. "Upper body leaning toward the plate" is a move to the plate, which fails the "step and throw directly to a base" provision. Still, it's HTBT, and I didn't see it.

[pnewton]

Be aware that the catcher's interference isn't a coach option if the batter reaches and everyone moved up at least one (which is what would have happened) then you ignore the interference.  The option is to decline the INT and have the batter be out in favor of runners advancing.

 

We all have partners that kick rotations and things from time to time (some of us have been that partner too, if we're willing to admit it).  Nothing you can do about the play at 3rd but try to teach in your post game.  I just don't think this is a play that most guys would ever think to discuss in pre-game.

[maven]

I just don't think this is a play that most guys would ever think to discuss in pre-game.

 

Not this play as such, but a customary part of many pre-games is: "BU takes all plays on the bases until PU calls him off at 3B." That would cover this play.

[catsbackr]

I think you just need to work with better partners.

[stl_ump]

A couple interesting(at least to me) things from my 9 games Friday-Sunday. 

  

 

3.  ... My patner, who is still in B position, points to me.  I just look at him.  He waits a few seconds, then signals safe.  Defensive coach is not happy.  He asks for time and approaches me.  I tell him that is my partners call and if there's a question he can speak with him.  He and my partner get into a loud exchange of words.  

 

Was your partner Jimmy the Umpire? See 2:55 for the best part.

[Majordave]

Love that clip. Thanks for sharing.