NFHS Malicious Contact?????

[umpstu]

On 7/26/2018 at 5:58 AM, scrounge said:

This, at least to me, definitively proves that the catcher didn't materially move into an unavoidable collision. The runner made absolutely no attempt to do anything other than go in a direct line to the plate, catcher be damned. He had his line and dammit, he was sticking to it.

Upward crouch, initiating contact to the catcher's head/neck area, raising his elbow and shoulder in order to deliver a blow, no attempt whatsoever to avoid. What on earth do we need further to say it was MC? Frankly, while I deeply respect those who disagree, I'm troubled they don't see it.

And could the PU have had a worse angle? Completely screened.

Dude, I'm watching this and am baffled at how people keep denying this is anything but the runner's fault.  His right foot is on the grass when he lunges into the air to take out the catcher.  I mean, he made no attempt to put his left foot on the ground like a normal person does when they run or walk.   

[umpstu]

On 7/26/2018 at 11:39 AM, Stk004 said:

Okay help me out here guys, because I could certainly be wrong about this. 

R1 doesn't avoid the collision, I'll give you that. But he also didn't go out of his way to seek out F2. F2 moved into his path. Now, if you guys have him launching into F2, that's an argument worth hearing. Although I'd argue that the side view shows that he didn't launch into F2. F2 has no right to be where he is. He can't impede the progress of the runner without the ball, which is why we have the obstruction that we all agree on. But watch how late F2 runs into foul territory. Do you honestly think that F2 had time to process the adjustment and run 3-4 steps around him? I think that's an unreasonable expectation. 

He lunges off of his right foot into the catcher.   He made no attempt to run at this point.  He came off the ground.

[JaxRolo]

Jax,
 
It's not HS baseball.  This play checks all the boxes for MC under Fed.
 
I'm kind of surprised you don't see it.

I’m sure I would have called MC at the moment..

[JaxRolo]

He lunges off of his right foot into the catcher.   He made no attempt to run at this point.  He came off the ground.

He saw there was going to be contact so he made the best of it...

[umpstu]

18 minutes ago, JaxRolo said:

He saw there was going to be contact so he made the best of it...

You're sounding like a skimmer. lol

[johnnyg08]

14 hours ago, umpstu said:

He lunges off of his right foot into the catcher.   He made no attempt to run at this point.  He came off the ground.

At some point somebody probably told him that he "has a right do the baseline" and he lit him up. There was zero attempt to avoid that collision. 

As stated earlier. If that's not an MC collision, then they should take it out of the rule book. 

[Jackrabbitslims]

I am interested if anyone umpires in Iowa and knows how the Iowa umpires feel about this situation? Info on the teams and if the umpire crew has been disciplined for actions or inaction by association or State athletic association? 

[hbk314]

On 7/27/2018 at 6:05 PM, umpstu said:

He lunges off of his right foot into the catcher.   He made no attempt to run at this point.  He came off the ground.

I know I'm very late to the party here, but this is exactly what I saw. He essentially launched himself into the catcher. It's a targeting ejection all day in football.

[humanbackstop19]

On 7/24/2018 at 12:57 PM, JSam21 said:

And apparently the runner was their SS and leadoff hitter. 

He also got the save on the mound.