4th Out Appeal

[Mr Umpire]

Sometimes, it is hard to just sit by and watch a team give up plays b/c they have no clue about the rules.

Situation: Bases loaded, 1 out. Fly ball hit to F9 and R2 and R3 take off for the next base thinking no play can be made. F9 catches the ball and throws to 2B retiring R2 after R3 touches HP. Run scores.

Now, this is where it gets to be ridiculous. The defense wants the run not to score b/c of R2 being retired on the appeal play. I explain to them it is not a force play so the run counts. All I can do at this point is sit and watch. Finally, after all of his defensive players are off the field, I explain to him about the 4th out.

If he would have appealed R3 leaving early, I would have called that runner out and no run scores. Even after the third out has already been declared. Maybe next time. And they wonder why we get paid, so we can learn these things and enforce them accordingly as they happen. Now, after he has been educated by me, he will be the very first one to jump on me b/c he thinks I don't know a rule.

[mstaylor]

This just happened in a MLB game and Joe Torre said he had never heard of a fourth out. He's only been in the game about 40 years. It just goes to show they play 80% of the game with 20% of the rules.

[willv28]

Sometimes, it is hard to just sit by and watch a team give up plays b/c they have no clue about the rules.

Situation: Bases loaded, 1 out. Fly ball hit to F9 and R2 and R3 take off for the next base thinking no play can be made. F9 catches the ball and throws to 2B retiring R2 after R3 touches HP. Run scores.

Now, this is where it gets to be ridiculous. The defense wants the run not to score b/c of R2 being retired on the appeal play. I explain to them it is not a force play so the run counts. All I can do at this point is sit and watch. Finally, after all of his defensive players are off the field, I explain to him about the 4th out.

If he would have appealed R3 leaving early, I would have called that runner out and no run scores. Even after the third out has already been declared. Maybe next time. And they wonder why we get paid, so we can learn these things and enforce them accordingly as they happen. Now, after he has been educated by me, he will be the very first one to jump on me b/c he thinks I don't know a rule.

Well, it's understandable, it could be a long time before a coach even encounters something like that. That's why I don't get upset easily at coaches. They're reactionary, automatic beasts. He's not thinking and analyzing the situation from a standpoint anywhere close to you are. If he stopped to think about it can be seen how that ruling is logical and that's why they put these things in the rulebook.

[MCLEOD36]

Mr. Ump.

This is a very good post, and pregames do help this as well to make sure you have tag up coverage etc. Just taking it a step further, had a deer in headlights look this weekend from PU, until I pointed to him and go, THAT IS YOURS.

Timing plays and fourth outs, are very important and I am sure the coach will not lose sight of this again, in the next game and hopefully will grab you during the later games in the season and thank you.