A Fun old one.

[mazzamouth]

With one out, the batter draws a walk. The next pitch is high and tight and sails past the catcher and goes to the backstop. The catcher reaches back and the umpire automatically plants a new ball in his hand. R1 rounds second and sees the ball at the backstop, heads for third. The catcher throws the new ball to third and then runs to pick up the one at the backstop. R1 races home beating the catcher. The home team argues that the base runner should be sent back to second since the umpire's handing out the new ball permitted him to score.

a little twist what if the runner was thrown out at home? what is your ruling now?

[mstaylor]

With one out, the batter draws a walk. The next pitch is high and tight and sails past the catcher and goes to the backstop. The catcher reaches back and the umpire automatically plants a new ball in his hand. R1 rounds second and sees the ball at the backstop, heads for third. The catcher throws the new ball to third and then runs to pick up the one at the backstop. R1 races home beating the catcher. The home team argues that the base runner should be sent back to second since the umpire's handing out the new ball permitted him to score.

a little twist what if the runner was thrown out at home? what is your ruling now?

I will sit on the sidelines and watch the proceedings. :rolleyes:

[carolinablue]

I'll give it a shot. Introducing the new ball would have been my screw up so I would attempt to nuetralize the situation as much as possible. I would probably say the ball was dead as soon as I handed the new one to the catcher and allow the runner to stay at 2B on the passed ball. I don't think I can allow a run to score or an out to be made in this situation.

It was boneheaded of F1 to reach back for a ball when the live ball was at the backstop but it was also boneheaded of the umpire to hand him a new one. I don't know which ball the runner is looking at as he is trying to advance so I can't penalize him either.

[gdpmumin]

My thoughts exactly, carolinablue.

[TNCoach]

Do all rule sets allow discretion in "fixing" a play? I am ignorant on that. I ask because I once was playing (it was ASA softball). The catcher caught a pop-up on which I tagged up from first. The umpire took the ball from the catcher and put another in play while I was running. The catcher never saw me running, but the PU and BU did. The PU apologized but sent me back to first. I would have been safe without a play, but just wondering. I do know that this umpire does some high school baseball and was even in the minors as an umpire.

[mstaylor]

He has to put you back and eat the crap coming his way.

[TommyUmp]

"Time time! That's umpire stupidity! You, first base!"

Throw out the first base coach for charging you down the line. Throw out the offensive head coach for personal insults.

Write in your ejection report that you should receive half fee's for a little league brain fart.