MAKE THE CALL (5 Rules to think about)

[scorekeeper]

Jun 8, 2009 13:06:24 GMT 10 QBUA said:

For those who are not experienced accredited working umpires.
We all know the Rules? Which one do we go with?

Play scenario: below are all in the one continuous play in sequence from 1 to 5.
Loaded bases, no outs.

1. Pitcher BALKS (No Stop), Pitcher continues to pitch, ball is still in play.

2. The BATTER swings, the catchers Interferes with the batters swing, CATCHERS INTERFERENCE is called, ball still in play.

3. The Batter hits an INFIELD FLY, INFIELD FLY CALLED, Ball is still in play.

4. The BALL falls and hits the RUNNER STANDING ON 2ND, the ball has not been touched by any fielder.

5. All RUNNERS stay on thier bases, the BATTER after hearing the infield fly call and only running half way to 1st base, heads to the dugout.

MAKE THE CALL and WHY.
Remember, you will have to explain it to one or both the managers.

1. Who is OUT.
2. place the BATTER only.

I'll have a go at this one now, but I'm not too sure...

1. Batter is out for abandoning his effort to run the bases since play proceeds after both the balk call and CI call (OBR 6.08).

2 See 1.

Had the batter run all the way to 1st base, then I would assume the CI would be enforced, meaning no out and the run is forced home.

[kylebyrne]

Good Work mstaylor, you covered that fairly well, snoochies hopefully you understand. See a balk, call balk. wait for the play to happen, if all runners including the batter runner advance one base safely the the balk is nullified.If not then you must enforce the balk.

Also, if you read what i just wrote it should give you an idea as to what the answer to this question is.

[JRA Qld2]

Play can continue after a balk has been called by the plate umpire. You call it when it happens, but do not call "time" until the batter gains no advantage from it, or the play ceases.
Much like an advantage play you may see in football codes.
For example (I hate doing examples now, I get butchered on everything I post here)
Pitcher doesn't stop
Balk is called immediately by umpire
Pitch continues
Batter hits a home-run

You award the home-run because the batter (and all subsequent runners) advanced at least one base.

I quoted the exact rule, straight off the MLB website. So you are being very unkind Richo

[QBUA]

scorekeeper. Thankyou for your posting and participation in this one.

From my research and understanding of the Rules,
OABR, the only times a batter can be OUT for abandoning the bases is after a dropped third strike, 6.09b (comments).

Your entry: (1. Batter is out for abandoning his effort to run the bases since play proceeds after both the balk call and CI call (OBR 6.08). )

For the BR to become a runner, they must reach or touch 1st base, then as a runner, then they can be called out for abandoning their efforts to run the bases, 7.08(a2).

In plays where the umpire has declared the BR or runner OUT, I believe that the runner or BR is taking the call from the umpire, and leaving the bases as required.
If the umpire does call someone out (incorrectly) and that player abandons the bases in relation to the OUT call, I hope the umpire would not then call that player OUT for abandoning the bases.
You would expect the umpire to correct the situation.

If any one has another Rule concerning this play, abandoning bases, please let us know so we can look up the Rule.

[QBUA]

TO EVERYONE, I can see that maybe, just maybe, in my first posting in this thread, plays 1-3 mention that the ball is in play, may have thrown some people.

(Ball is in play), was included for you to know that the ball may NOT be automatically DEAD on such plays.
As we have gone through the Rules and the interpretations, we can see when the ball would be DEAD and when.
We are getting close to the answer.

Can everyone MAKE THE CALL NOW please.
We may even ask you (as a manager) why you have made such a call, because they will in a game, and you have to be confident with your call.

[QBUA]

EVERYONE, as I have mentioned and apologized to JRA, I am only reading the Rules from the OFFICIAL AUSTRALIAN BASEBALL RULES 5th EDITION book.
As this is the book I have to use if I am to Rule on, concerning a question or PROTEST from a manager.
Seminars, training coarses, the OABR book is the publication referred too, as this is the book we use.
We can be confident that most people who would look up a Rule, would refer to the OABR.

MSTAYLOR is from the States, and does not have copy of our book, therefore, we must accept references of Rule numbers and quotes from him.
Interpretation of Rules are generally the same worldwide.
Since mstaylor would not have to take a PROTEST from a game in Australia, the reading of the BOOK, would not be as important.]

Mstaylor, I would believe that our book would not be very much different than the MLB RULES.

I make this statement so that people in Australia use our book more than going on the web and using the MLB online rules.

I would love a copy of the EVANS UMPIRING MANUAL, but my poor little body could not do the 5 weeks.

[puff]

Jun 13, 2009 8:40:50 GMT 10 QBUA said:

SCOREKEEPER,
here is another play for everyone to look at, similar to the attempted double play, with ball out of play.

NO RUNNERS ON BASE, 2 OUT.

Battered ball hit to shortstop, SS fumbles the ball, BR touches 1st base before the SS releases the ball in the throw to 1st base to try and retire the BR.
The SS throws the ball out of play.

Place the Batter/Runner please.

My guess on this call would be a judgement on what the ss was trying to do on the play. If he was attempting to throw the runner out on the force play at 1st base then the runner would be awarded 2nd base. If the runner knew he would be safe and took a turn toward 2nd base and the ss was throwing the ball to get him out on a tag play then the runner would be awarded 3rd base.

[BQ Moderator]

QBUA, great questions/scenarios and discussion on Rules.

But if we can make new questions/scenarios on new threads otherwise it makes it too hard to follow for the readers/posters to read and respond.

I have now locked this thread but please post more rules/scenarios on seperate threads.