Crazy situation

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Dec 2, 2013
3,410
113
Texas
Over the weekend DD's team had crazy situation. We are down 6-2, up to bat with bases loaded. Our batter hits a grand slam which ties up the game 6-6, and the dugout empties as you can imagine. As the players were returning to the dugout, the opposing coach is on the field talking to the umpires and pointing at home plate. We hear the parents yelling rules are rules!! What the heck is happening??? After about 5 minutes of coach/umpire/coach discussions, the ump points to the plate and signals out but also signals 3 runs score. The place erupted. More coach discussions going back and forth. From what I am gathering they are saying players were in fair territory when the hitter made it to home plate. We have it on video that it was the runners who scored turned around and welcomed the hitter home.

Umpires now disappeared from the field while our players are now on the field b/c that would have been the 3rd out. 20 minutes have now passed and we assumed the ump went to his car to make a phone call. Meanwhile, we are on our phones trying to find the rule and we found this. Umpires finally come back to the field and signal that the HR counts. We end up losing anyway.11-7.

But wow. They tried to take the HR away from that kid and the coach was adamant that he was right. The umpires originally ruled incorrectly after the coach talked them into it, but eventually did the right thing. First of all, if they don't understand/know the rule how can they make a ruling? If they did not see it, how can they make a ruling?

Teams should make a tunnel instead of running out to home plate!

The COVID-19 home run waiver has been rescinded. Therefore, teams may congregate in foul territory around home plate to congratulate the runner(s) on an out of the park home run as per Rule 12.17.3.4.2. Rule 12.17.3.4.2 Offensive team personnel shall congregate only in foul territory around home plate to congratulate the runner(s). EFFECT—For the first offense of Rule 12.17.3.4, the umpire shall issue a warning to the offending team. If a subsequent offense of Rule 12.17.3.4 occurs that violates Rule 12.17.3.4.1, the ball is dead and the player touched is immediately declared out and credited with the last base legally touched at the time of the interference. If a subsequent offense of Rule 12.17.3.4 occurs that violates Rule 12.17.3.4.2, the ball is dead and the batter-runner is declared out and credited with the last base legally touched at the time team personnel entered fair territory. In all cases, each other base runner must return to the last base legally touched at the time of the violation.
 
Last edited:
Dec 11, 2010
4,713
113
Another case of umpires unable to do the right thing. Poorly handled. Learn how to talk to people. Handle a situation that absolutely didn't affect fair/safe play without screwing a player and looking like a fool.

Her is one possible solution of many: ”Y’know coach, I’m not sure I saw that. I’ll mention it to the other coach so it doesn’t happen again.”

Good grief I hate this kind of stuff. Cue Umpire Squarenuts to tell me why “They can’t do that.” Of course you can.

The answer isn’t always in the rule book. I know it’s asking a lot to ask these goofs to use their noodle but a guy can dream, right?
 
May 27, 2022
412
63
Another case of umpires unable to do the right thing. Poorly handled. Learn how to talk to people. Handle a situation that absolutely didn't affect fair/safe play without screwing a player and looking like a fool.

Her is one possible solution of many: ”Y’know coach, I’m not sure I saw that. I’ll mention it to the other coach so it doesn’t happen again.”

Good grief I hate this kind of stuff. Cue Umpire Squarenuts to tell me why “They can’t do that.” Of course you can.

The answer isn’t always in the rule book. I know it’s asking a lot to ask these goofs to use their noodle but a guy can dream, right?

A - the answer is most definitely in the rule book. (albeit sometimes with interpretation)
B - Please let me know how is goes the next time an Umpire decides to freelance the rules and you are on the receiving end of it.
C - Regardless of how this situation ended, I bet that the girls on that team never do it again.
 
Dec 11, 2010
4,713
113
A - the answer is most definitely in the rule book. (albeit sometimes with interpretation)
B - Please let me know how is goes the next time an Umpire decides to freelance the rules and you are on the receiving end of it.
C - Regardless of how this situation ended, I bet that the girls on that team never do it again.
This took longer than I thought it would. Freelancing the rules indeed.
 
Dec 2, 2013
3,410
113
Texas
During the 1st game of the series, there was an opposing fan-lone college kid jeering at our players the entire game. He never even cheered for his own team. He brought an air horn and started blasting it while the pitch crossed the plate. Umpire did nothing. After the inning is over our HC had to say something to the umpire, and only then he talked to the other coach. It put a stop to it. Of course the other team's parents said nothing. If that happened with one of my fans, I would have immediately put a stop to it. Nothing wrong with artificial noisemakers...between plays. Although very annoying.
 
May 29, 2015
3,731
113
During the 1st game of the series, there was an opposing fan-lone college kid jeering at our players the entire game. He never even cheered for his own team. He brought an air horn and started blasting it while the pitch crossed the plate. Umpire did nothing. After the inning is over our HC had to say something to the umpire, and only then he talked to the other coach. It put a stop to it. Of course the other team's parents said nothing. If that happened with one of my fans, I would have immediately put a stop to it. Nothing wrong with artificial noisemakers...between plays. Although very annoying.

Fans are not under the authority of the umpire. Contrary to the way youth sports have bastardized that.
 
May 29, 2015
3,731
113
Over the weekend DD's team had crazy situation. We are down 6-2, up to bat with bases loaded. Our batter hits a grand slam which ties up the game 6-6, and the dugout empties as you can imagine. As the players were returning to the dugout, the opposing coach is on the field talking to the umpires and pointing at home plate. We hear the parents yelling rules are rules!! What the heck is happening??? After about 5 minutes of coach/umpire/coach discussions, the ump points to the plate and signals out but also signals 3 runs score. The place erupted. More coach discussions going back and forth. From what I am gathering they are saying players were in fair territory when the hitter made it to home plate. We have it on video that it was the runners who scored turned around and welcomed the hitter home.

Umpires now disappeared from the field while our players are now on the field b/c that would have been the 3rd out. 20 minutes have now passed and we assumed the ump went to his car to make a phone call. Meanwhile, we are on our phones trying to find the rule and we found this. Umpires finally come back to the field and signal that the HR counts. We end up losing anyway.11-7.

But wow. They tried to take the HR away from that kid and the coach was adamant that he was right. The umpires originally ruled incorrectly after the coach talked them into it, but eventually did the right thing. First of all, if they don't understand/know the rule how can they make a ruling? If they did not see it, how can they make a ruling?

Teams should make a tunnel instead of running out to home plate!

The COVID-19 home run waiver has been rescinded. Therefore, teams may congregate in foul territory around home plate to congratulate the runner(s) on an out of the park home run as per Rule 12.17.3.4.2. Rule 12.17.3.4.2 Offensive team personnel shall congregate only in foul territory around home plate to congratulate the runner(s). EFFECT—For the first offense of Rule 12.17.3.4, the umpire shall issue a warning to the offending team. If a subsequent offense of Rule 12.17.3.4 occurs that violates Rule 12.17.3.4.1, the ball is dead and the player touched is immediately declared out and credited with the last base legally touched at the time of the interference. If a subsequent offense of Rule 12.17.3.4 occurs that violates Rule 12.17.3.4.2, the ball is dead and the batter-runner is declared out and credited with the last base legally touched at the time team personnel entered fair territory. In all cases, each other base runner must return to the last base legally touched at the time of the violation.

What the heck code is this? COVID-19 home run waiver? 12.17.3.4.2

giphy.gif




;)
 
May 27, 2022
412
63
This took longer than I thought it would. Freelancing the rules indeed.

Not sure exactly what you mean, but infer you mean that it isn't really freelancing to ignore this rule because it didn't really interfere with play. But then you have to ask yourself how many 'judgement' calls can an umpire ignore?
- What if the runner hits a home run and misses a base
- runner at first leaves early (not stealing) and then a Home Run is hit.
- runner rounds first and looks at the pitcher for 2 sec while P has the ball with no one on.
You could argue that all these don't affect safe/fair play, but they are illegal. Which ones should we simply say aren't really affecting the game and play on?

Now, if you weren't inferring that - please ignore my post.
 

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