What's The Call..Tuesday

Here is the situation: Runner at 1st, ground ball up the middle. F4 fields the ball in front of 2nd base, bobbles ball, drops ball, picks up the ball and never touches 2nd base. Runner from 1st slides into second and is safe. F4 ends up with ball between 2nd base and the mound.

For some unexplained reason the runner at 2nd leaves the base and takes a couple steps off the base toward 1st base. F6 yells to F4 to get his attention. F4 runs at the runner getting him in a rundown. F6 yells to F4 for the ball and touches 2nd base. Is the runner out, or does he need to be tagged because he acquired 2nd base safely and the force is no longer in effect? The runner did not give up, he was avoiding being put out by getting in the rundown.

Is there another force or does he have to be tagged?

Thanks for the great year guys. It was fun getting the chance to help with training you guys. You all did a great job. It was an honor. See you at the banquet. Enjoy the summer

What's The Call Thursday

Lets roll. Please rule reference if you can (or case book)

Batter drag bunts down 1st Baseline. Batter drops bat properly on the fair side of the line. Ball is rolling near the line about 2 inches fair, strikes the bat lying on the ground, and settles on foul ground.
Whats the call?

What's The Call Thursday

Ready for the ride... Here we go!
Situation: Runner on 1st with no out. Batter hits a pop fly to F3. R1 stays of the bag. F3 who is attempting to field the ball drifts into R1 who is standing on the bag. R1 actually bends down and covers head due to ball possibly hitting him. The ball probably would have hit the bag if allowed to fall. The ball hits the fielder's glove over Fair territory directly over the bag and is dropped.

What is the call?

Interesting

Yesterday I was working a game up in Portland. I was in the field with nobody on base. The batterrunner either bunts or has a swinging bunt close to the plate. He dropped his bat unintentionally contacting the ball. The catcher removes his mask (traditional since legal in college) with his right hand and picks up the baseball with the same hand. I position myself for a call at first and I see the throw. Funny thing was the mask and ball both were thrown to first. The mask when much further than the ball. One of the oddest things I had ever seen. I did not know if he picked it up with that hand or thrown his mask on top of the ball. Either way seeing that mask flying to first instead of the ball was LOL funny.

My question is this... What if the bat contacts the ball after dropping? And What if the catch throws his mask on top of the ball stopping it from traveling?

Enjoy and enjoy the weather!!

What's The Call Thursday

Catcher's Interference (or Obstruction, whatever you call it :)

Runners on 1st and 3rd, one out. As the hitter swings at the pitch, his bat ticks the catcher's glove. The ball is hit to the center fielder and is caught. The runner from 3rd tags up and scores; the runner on first retreats to the bag after the catch.

HP umpire calls time and places runners for interference by the catcher (again obstruction).

Where should they runners and batter runners be placed?
What options, if any does the coach have for changing it and what is the umpire's responsibility to provide that? Sorry if a bit vague.

4th Out Rule

Ran across this one today. Good stuff.

http://arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090412&content_id=4239682&vkey=news_ari&fext=.jsp&c_id=ari

Andre Ethier(R3) was at third base, Juan Pierre (R2)at second, and with one out, Batter lined out to pitcher Dan Haren, who threw to second baseman Felipe Lopez, who tagged out R2 instead of tagging second base for the apparent third out of the inning.

But by the time R2 was tagged out, R3 had crossed the plate. The D-backs left the field without making a play on R3 at third base, which would have been the fourth out of the inning.

But as the teams changed sides, plate umpire Larry Vanover walked over to third-base umpire Charlie Reliford, apparently to discuss the play, which Dodgers bench coach Bob Schaefer pointed out to manager Joe Torre, who went out to appeal.

So what should have been done to get the fourth out? Why does the fourth out really matter in this situation? Enjoy and see you guys tonight!!!

What's The Call Thursday!

Welcome all. I'm sure you have been anxiously awaiting this Thursday's post :)
Today's is a doubleheader. First lets have the rookies answer the first one and vets comments on the second one. If no answers Vets please help out. Thanks all!

First Game: Rookies

Runner on 1st with no out. Runner takes off for 2nd and the pitcher steps off and throws to first. They proceed to have a run down between 1st and second. The runner is attempting to return to 1st and the defense throws the ball out of play.

What is the award?
What if the pitcher did not step off and tried to pick off the runner and threw it out of play?

Second Game: Vets

End of inning. The 3rd base coach walks across infield on the way to the dugout and stops by to have a quick chat with the pitcher. Nothing more than a, "don't be afraid to change it up some, go get um Billy and a quick pat on the butt".

Do we charge a conference? What should we do?

What if he stops by and chats for a bit longer. Actually talking for 30 seconds?
Do we charge a conference? If not what should we do?

Why or Why not?

Thanks Guys!

Thanks.