Andover Baseball Association

Click on the link below for information on the 2012 Gopher State Umpire Clinics. If you want to work any MYAS tournaments of regular season games you must attend one of these clinics. Level I clinics are for the beginner umpires and level II clinics are for the more experienced umpires.

http://www.myas.org/gm/program.asp?SportID=14&ProgramID=94

It is the top of the 4th inning with runners R1 on 3rd base and R2 on 2nd base, 1 out. Batter hits a long fly ball into deep center field. R1 stays on 3rd base to tag up but R2 gets a few steps off 2nd base to try to score if it is dropped. The fielder makes a diving catch and comes up throwing to 3rd. R1 leaves the base after the catch to score. R2 fails to retouch 2nd and hurries to 3rd in an attempt to advance. The throw from the fielder carries well over the 3rd baseman and goes out of play into the dugout. The umpire signals "dead ball" and points to R1 and signals that he is awarded home and then points to R2 and signals that he is awarded 2 bases on the overthrow that went out of play so he also is awarded home. After both runners have touched home plate the coach of the home team yells out to the umpire that the runner on 2nd (R2) did not retouch 2nd after the catch. As the umpire on the field you are the only one who can make the call.

What is your call? How many runs score? How many outs are there? Where should the runners be?

Send me your answers by clicking on my name below

Mike Keeney

This months situation brings several events and decisions together at the same time. Get used to it, there are many times during the season that you will need to know how to handle multiple events during a single play. One of the most important things to know is when to NOT make a call or indication that something happened or did not happen.

This play started with 1 out and runners on 2nd and 3rd. The fly ball was caught for the 2nd out. The runner on 3rd legally tagged up and advanced to score. The runner on 2nd did not legally tag up. Although it is important for the umpire to observe the runners and whether they tag up or not, the umpire should not indicate one way or another during the play. When the ball was thrown out of play it becomes a dead ball(5-1-1g3). The runners are awarded 2 bases from the base they occupied at the time of the throw(8-3-3c2). When a runner who is returning to touch a base after a batted ball has been caught is prevented from doing so because a thrown live ball has become dead, the award shall be from the base occupied at the time of the pitch(8-3-5). The umpire in this case did the right thing to award both runners 2 bases allowing both to reach home.

The coach made a dead ball appeal after both runners advanced to home giving them both time to complete their baserunning responsibilities(8-2-6c). Even though the runners were awarded home the appeal must be allowed(8-2-6g). Since the appeal was made after the runners had proper time to complete their baserunning requirements, and it was determined that the runner on 2nd did not properly retouch 2nd after the catch, the runner that was on 2nd would be ruled "out" on the appeal for the 3rd out(8-2-5).

The run scored by the runner from 3rd would be allowed because that runner scored before the 3rd out was made. If a runner leaves a base too soon on a caught fly ball and returns in an attempt to retag, this is considered a time play and not a force out(8-2-6h). The appeal resulted in the 3rd out but all runners who scored ahead of the legal appeal would count.

End result is top of the inning is over and 1 run scored on the play.

Bottom of the 7th, 2 out and bases loaded. Full count to the batter. Time limit has expired so this is the last inning. Home team is down by 1 run.

As the pitcher begins his wind-up the runners all start to go. Batter tries to check his swing, but cannot, as the nasty curveball breaks in on his hands. The ball hits his right hand while it is still gripping the bat. Since the ball hit him he runs to 1st base. The runners all advance to the next base. The catcher has trouble finding the ball. When he gets the ball he throws down to 1st (thinking dropped 3rd strike) after the batter reaches the base. The runner who was on 2nd comes home during the throw to 1st.

What is your call: send me what you think. I will publish the correct call next month.

Mike

umpires@andoverbaseball.org

The batter attempted to check his swing but could not is the key in this situation. The umpire would have called a strike on the batter if the ball had not hit him. The hitting of the batter is disregarded except that the ball is dead-Rule 8-1-1-d. The hands are not part of the bat so it is not a foul ball as many of you had guessed. The umpire should have immediately signaled "dead ball" and called the batter out on the third strike. In this situation the batter can not attempt to reach first base on the dropped third strike. The game ends with the Visitors winning by 1 run.

Congrats to Adam Gilsrud for knowing that the umpire should announce "dead ball" and no runs would score.

Please click on the link below if you had an umpire no-show or show up late.

Late/No-Show Report