South Carolina appeals (or lack thereof)

[DevildogUmp]

For anyone in SC, is the state rule for calling runners out for missed bases/leaving early without an appeal actually in writing anywhere?

 

[boyinr]

@lawump would be the best source of this information

[lawump]

Yes.  It is in the South Carolina High School League's (SCHSL) rule book (which is called the "AD Notebook" on their website (www.schsl.org) ).

It reads, simply, "Dead ball appeals will not be recognized".

[DevildogUmp]

@lawump I had found that and I thought it was maybe spelled out somewhere else since, in my mind, that sentence doesn't translate to "the umpire will call out base runners after the play is over". When I read "Dead ball appeals will not be recognized", I interpret that to mean all appeals must be live ball appeals. Any idea what kind of twisted road the interpreters took to get there?

[lawump]

On 3/12/2025 at 7:23 PM, DevildogUmp said:

@lawump I had found that and I thought it was maybe spelled out somewhere else since, in my mind, that sentence doesn't translate to "the umpire will call out base runners after the play is over". When I read "Dead ball appeals will not be recognized", I interpret that to mean all appeals must be live ball appeals. Any idea what kind of twisted road the interpreters took to get there?

Um, they passed a rule without thinking it through.  Then the umpires told it was a disaster, so they just issued opinions at the annual coach's clinic that made it clear that it applied only to missed bases and leaving too soon (when the runner was not actively trying to correct his mistake).  

When I write "just issued opinions" I mean verbal opinions at pre-season clinics.

I really think this rule is on its last legs.  There are a number of constituencies working to end it.  We're getting closer.