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Twins walk off April 11 - RLI not called?


Ruben

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Looking for thoughts on this play. In real time on my TV I thought it was RLI.  Runner is running in fair territory the whole time, and is hit in the helmet with the throw about a step before first base.  https://www.mlb.com/twins/video/twins-walk-off-on-single-error?t=walk-offs

There was no call, no argument, and no mention of it on either broadcast.  Here's a couple of still pictures, the first one showing him running not inside the runner's lane more than just the last step or two from the base, and the second one just before the ball hits him.

Is it not a true throw? Did he not interfere with F3's opportunity to catch the ball? I'm not surprised this wasn't called in real time as there's a lot going on very fast, but surprised the White Sox didn't challenge it. (Or if it's one of those non-challengeable plays, at least asked about it).

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RLI covers a throw that originates from the area in front of home plate. In this case, it looked like to me, the ball was bunted too far into the infield for RLI to apply. The 3rd baseman threw the ball from the side of the mound. I'm guessing that's why it was not called.

Here are a couple of references that explain RLI.

https://www.umpirebible.com/index.php/rules-base-running/basepath-running-lane

https://baseballrulesacademy.com/rule-week-runners-lane/

 

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Another interesting thing about this play is that the HP plate umpire did NOT watch the player touch the plate with the winning run. There were several replays that showed he was just kinda standing there in a trance signaling dead ball, looking down towards where the ball went out of play. Then he quickly snaps out of it and quickly turns around to look at the plate, but the runner had already passed it by a couple steps. Made me feel good to see it because it shows sometimes even the best in the business make rookie mistakes. 

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On 4/15/2023 at 6:11 PM, SleptTilNoonLOL said:

Another interesting thing about this play is that the HP plate umpire did NOT watch the player touch the plate with the winning run. There were several replays that showed he was just kinda standing there in a trance signaling dead ball, looking down towards where the ball went out of play. Then he quickly snaps out of it and quickly turns around to look at the plate, but the runner had already passed it by a couple steps. Made me feel good to see it because it shows sometimes even the best in the business make rookie mistakes. 

Or it shows that base touches are low on the priority list when you have a ball heading towards the boundary...

 

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On 4/12/2023 at 3:02 PM, JonnyCat said:

RLI covers a throw that originates from the area in front of home plate. In this case, it looked like to me, the ball was bunted too far into the infield for RLI to apply. The 3rd baseman threw the ball from the side of the mound. I'm guessing that's why it was not called.

Here are a couple of references that explain RLI.

https://www.umpirebible.com/index.php/rules-base-running/basepath-running-lane

https://baseballrulesacademy.com/rule-week-runners-lane/

 

I see both of those articles at least imply (the latter actually states!) that it must be from 'around home plate', but is that true?  I've definitely seen MLB umps enforce this pretty far up the 1B line.  Also, I can't find a way to read this limitation into either of the rulesets.  Are there case plays to support this interpretation, or are these articles supposing that?

 

NFHS rule says:

The Batter Runner is out when...
he runs outside the three-foot running lane (last half of the distance from home plate to first base), while the ball is being fielded or thrown to first base; or

  1. This infraction is ignored if it is to avoid a fielder who is attempting to field the batted ball or if the act does not interfere with a fielder or a throw.
  2. The batter runner is considered outside the running lane lines if either foot is outside either line.

 

OBR Rule says:

A batter is out when:...

 In running the last half of the distance from home base to first base, while the ball is being fielded to first base, he runs outside (to the right of ) the three-foot line, or inside (to the left of ) the foul line, and in the umpire’s judgment in so doing interferes with the fielder taking the throw at first base, in which case the ball is dead; except that he may run outside (to the right of ) the three-foot line or inside (to the left of ) the foul line to avoid a fielder attempting to field a batted ball;

 

Rule 5.09(a)(11) Comment: The lines marking the three-foot lane are a part of that lane and a batter-runner is required to have both feet within the three-foot lane or on the lines marking the lane. The batter-runner is permitted to exit the threefoot lane by means of a step, stride, reach or slide in the immediate vicinity of first base for the sole purpose of touching first base.

 

 

The 'vicinity of HP' bit is not something I can find in the rules at all?

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9 hours ago, ErichKeane said:

The 'vicinity of HP' bit is not something I can find in the rules at all?

You're right, I couldn't find it in the rules or the Wedelstedt umpire manual. It must be an interpretation somewhere. I'll look at some more of my manuals and see if I can dig something up.

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