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Scott Kelly,
District Commissioner 231-547-1144 Brad Hasse,
Commissioner-at-Large 231-313-3737 Billy Norton,
Umpire in Chief |
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July 2008 Plays and Clarifications (from
ASA) There have been many questions this month on the issue of a charged conference on visits to the pitcher by a coach. The questions have been if a coach goes to the pitcher and has a conversation with the pitcher and then decides to change the pitcher is this a conference. We believe our rule is clear on this situation. <>Rule 1 Charged Conference: When a team representative requests a suspension of play or delays the game for the purpose of delivering a message to another team member.Play 1: After having a conference with the pitcher in the 2nd inning the coach of the defensive team request time to go and talk to their pitcher. The coach talks to the pitcher, first baseman, and the third baseman. As the coach leaves the field the umpire tells the coach that that was their 2nd conference. <>Ruling: This is correct the coach requested time and delivered a message to the defensive team.Play 2: The coach if the defensive team has a conference with the pitcher and catcher in the 1st inning. In the third inning the coach request time and goes out and talks to the pitcher. After a small conversation the coach makes a pitching change before returning to the dugout. Is this a defensive conference? <>Ruling: Yes, in this case the defensive coach requested time for the purpose of talking to their pitcher. While doing so they decided to make a change. By rule the defense requested a suspension of play for the purpose of delivering a message therefore this is a charged conference.Play 3: The coach of the defensive team has a conference with their pitcher in the 2nd inning. In the 5th inning the coach request time and goes out to talk to their pitcher. As the coach approaches the pitcher they turn around and call to the umpire that they will be making a pitching change. Is this a conference? <>Ruling: No, this is not a charged conference. In this case the coach informed the umpire that they will be making a change prior to delivering a message to any defensive team member. The reason for the suspension of play was for a pitching change not for delivering a message.Remember when charging a conference to either the defense of the offense the question of who requested a suspension of play and for what reason. If the suspension of play was to deliver a message then there is a charged conference. If the suspension of play turns out to be for a pitching change and not to deliver a message, then no charged conference has taken place. TIME LIMIT: ODD PLAY: This month we received an odd play which really requires us to look at our rules and apply the rules that fit a specific situation. The play is as follows: Play: R1 on 1B with less than two outs. B3 hits a ground ball to F4 who tags R1 with the glove but the ball was in the hand out of the glove. F4 then makes an errant throw to F3. B3 then proceeds to pass 2B and be thrown out at third base. The offense then asks the umpire to ask for help on the tag of R1. The umpires conclude the ball was not in the glove and R1 was not out. What do we do with R1 and B3? <>Ruling:
Rule 10 Section C is the only rule we have to address this particular
play. It allows the plate umpire to
rectify any situation in which a reversal of an umpire’s decision or
delayed
call by an umpire places a batter-runner, a runner, or a defensive team
in
Jeopardy. In this play the “phantom tag”
out call has put the runner in jeopardy. We must apply the rule and not
assume
or guess what could have happened if R1 was called safe. Therefore, the
umpires
should award the runners the base that they would have reached had
there not
been an errant call. Our judgment, in this case, puts R1 on 2B and B3
on 1B OR
if in your judgment your thought R1 would have reached 3B and B3 would
have
reached 2B, you could put them on those bases.
Remember that this is a batted ball to the infield. In
conclusion, when interpreting any type of play, our answer must be
justified by
one of our rules and not by our opinions. 2008 Rule Book Errors Rule 2 Dimension Table: The batter's box distance from home plate shows to be 6' and should be 6" for all batter's boxes. Rule Supplement #33 A 1 e: References RS # 14 and it should be RS #13. Rule Supplement # 33 G 2: A word (Interference) was left out in the last sentence of the paragraph. The last sentence should read “Umpire interference may not be called in any other case. Rule Supplement # 33 H: References RS # 18 and it should be RS # 17. Rule Supplement # 50: Stealing: Base stealing in not legal in youth and Women's C & D Slow pitch, in CO-ED play and Master's and Senior's play. Because of the rule change this year All Adult SP, which includes Men's and Women's, can steal. The supplement should read “Base stealing in not legal in youth, CO-Ed, Master's and Senior's play……. Fourth Out Appeal The question of a fourth out appeal has been raised again and the ability to appeal a batter-runner not making it to first base or missing first base as a fourth out appeal to nullify a run that has scored. We need to remember, the reason the fourth out appeal was added to our rules was to penalize a runner for missing a base or leaving a base too soon and who has scored. Not to penalize a team for a batter-runner just stopping on the way to 1B because the third out has been recorded. How many times have we seen the batter-runner stop when the third out was recorded because they do not have to run to 1B any more? The same is true when they do run to 1B but miss it when going to 2B or just over running the base. In these cases they can be appealed for the third out but not the fourth out. The rule was made to nullify a run scored by a runner but violated a rule like missing a base or leaving a base too soon. Play: R1 on 3B and R2 on 2B with 1 out. B4 hits a fly ball to F8 who catches it for the 2nd out. R1 and R2 both tag up, R1 scores and R2 is thrown out for the third out. The defense wants to appeal R1 for leaving to soon. Ruling: If appealed properly R1 is out and the run is nullified by our Fourth out appeal. Rule 5 section 5 C Play: R1 on 3B and R2 on 2B with two outs. B4 hits a ground ball in which R1 scores before R2 is tagged out between 2B and 3B for the third out. B4 never runs all the way to 1B because the third out has been recorded. Now the defense wants to appeal the batter-runner not reaching 1B. Ruling: This appeal will not be granted since the third out has already been recorded. To nullify a run the fourth out appeal has to be on a runner who has scored and has missed a base or left a base too soon. Remember the defense always has the opportunity to appeal a force out or the Batter-runner not making it to 1B as the third out before making the third out somewhere else. Once the third out is made elsewhere a Fourth out appeal has to be made on a runner who has scored and THAT runner has violated a rule. For additional information and plays involving this rule refer to the 2007 Plays and Clarifications the April Editions. Illegal Pitch / Runner leaving Early The question has been asked what to do when an illegal pitch is called in fast pitch and also a runner leaves before the release of the pitch. If an Illegal pitch is called and then a runner leaves before the pitch is released then the base umpire should also call dead ball. Since dead ball is called and no pitch happens the umpire should enforce the Illegal pitch, a ball on the batter and the runner leaving the base too soon will be called out. If there is more than one runner on base then the runner leaving the base too soon is out and all other runners are advanced one base because of the illegal pitch. PLAY: R1 on 1B and no count on B2. F1 commits an illegal pitch, by bringing the hands together a second time, which is called by the plate umpire, but continues the pitch. Just before releasing the ball R1 leaves the base before the release of the pitch. In (a) B1 does not swing at the pitch. In (b) B1 swings at the pitch and gets a base hit. In (c) R1 is on 1B and R2 is on 3B at the start of the play. RULING: The illegal pitch happened when the pitcher brought their hands together, paused, the hands separated to begin the pitch, then the hands came back together prior to the release of the pitch. In (a) and (b) the ball became dead when R1 left 1B before the pitch was released. The fact that the batter did not swing in (a) or got a hit in (b) is irrelevant because the ball became dead when R1 left 1B early. Enforce both the leaving early and illegal pitch infractions, The Ball is dead and R1 is out and a ball is awarded to B2. In (c) The plate umpire should call illegal pitch when it occurs and then “dead ball” when R1 leaves 1B too soon. R1 is out, R2 is awarded home and B2 is awarded a ball in the count. Rule 8, Section 7-S, Effect, Rule 6, Section 3-B, Effect-A Illegal Pitch Umpire Manual Last year the part of rule 10 which described the procedures of the Umpires checking the field and equipment was moved to the umpire manual. However the portion on the umpires checking equipment before each game was left out. The questions are coming in asking if the umpires should still check equipment. Prior to each game in championship play it is the responsibility of the umpire crew to complete a walk through inspection of the playing field. Prior to meeting with the managers, the umpire crew will complete an equipment inspection of each team which will include inspection of all batting helmets and bats. The umpire's will permit corrective action by the teams to make questionable equipment playable. The purpose of the inspection is to identify illegal or non-approved equipment. Illegal or non-approved equipment must be confiscated by the umpire crew at the time it is identified, marked with the owner's information and held by the tournament UIC until the team is eliminated from play in that event. Rule Clarifications and Plays Index
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Any questions,
please send me an email at umpic@masad21.org.
Billy Norton
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