- Aug 6, 2013
- 392
- 63
The video is clear on Gamechanger. Downloading it to my phone and then emailing it to my account definitely distorts the video. If you have a better way to transfer I am all for knowing. All my videos seem to lose resolution as I download and start transferring from device to device.OK...
Few things here and lots going on.
First get a better phone or video recorder or fix your focus. It is 2023 - your video shouldn't look like it is from 1984. Details when available are important.
So, umpires judgement - if they decide C was entitled to field the ball and is protected, then OBS. If they decide 1B was the entitled fielder, then INT and an out. With just the video, I would be good with either decision being made on the field to be honest if this is how they explained it.
- The rule says (this is USSSA wording but it is much the same for all codes) "NOTE 4: If two fielders try to field a batted ball and the runner contacts one or both, the Umpire shall decide which one is entitled to field the ball and that fielder only is entitled to protection."
- The whole 'higher number position'calls/has the play is something a coach might say to make it simple for the team to understand priority, but it has nothing to do with the rule themselves so is irrelevant. Same with 'my team wants 1B to catch that' ( I don't know your team) or 'the catcher left her helmet on' (which is how most people teach it now). Not in the rule book.
- So the umpire can protect 1 fielder making a play - and it hard from the video to decide who that is. If it is an easy & obvious catch for 1B, then maybe. But the C is clearly moving to the ball and much closer, you 100% know she already has a play and she never stops trying to make the play, so I have been leaning in that direction even after several watches. 'Protection' doesn't care if there is nothing to protect - just got to decide who is 'entitled to the ball'
Let's address two more things:
- There is no malicious contact; that is just a crash unfortunately. Just two players running fast towards each other from different directions with no idea the other is headed towards them.
- The runner is allowed to run inside the baseline as long as they don't interfere with a throw, so that is irrelevant and she is clearly surprised to be running into someone who is coming fast the other way so her arms come up. These things happen.
- The ball also wasn't caught; and with the video angle it is hard to see if the ball was fair or foul. If it is fair (it looked fair but I don't have an angle down the line), you have the above decision. If not and you decided the C was entitled to the ball, it is just a foul ball.
- When a crash like this happens, it is extremely likely the umpire never even saw the drop or where the ball was as he probably looked at the crash happening.
I understand use the position numbers does not mean a dang thing - in this instance 1B was the player that was designated to make the play. Was it closer to C - yeah probably a little but as I said on DDs team she is expected to get any popup on the right side fair or foul and will run toward it. If not she will be hearing from her coaches because that is her play to make over C. The umpires did say they felt that she had the play on the ball in this instance. I never said malicious - however, like I said before - if my kid knocked a kid out of a game and that same kid was limping through the handshake line crying she would have said something to the effect of "my bad" or "sorry"..... maybe the lack of common kindness is what dumbfounds me - who knows. Regardless her comeback was spectacular so what is done is done.