Dropped Third Strike rule?
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There isn't any standard playing rule that prohibits the batter-runner from advancing past first base on this play (though it is possible your league has written their own rule to cover this).
This is where it helps a team if their coach understands the rule and procedure for filing an official protest. If it was a misapplied rule, filing an official protest should have resulted in the call being reversed. You would replay the game from the protested point, with the runner correctly allowed to remain at second base.
It has been my experience that few coaches understand how an official protest works or how to file one (and, yes, some leagues may not allow them). Understanding how a protest works can be the difference between losing a game on a bad rule interpretation or salvaging a win for your team!
This is where it helps a team if their coach understands the rule and procedure for filing an official protest. If it was a misapplied rule, filing an official protest should have resulted in the call being reversed. You would replay the game from the protested point, with the runner correctly allowed to remain at second base.
It has been my experience that few coaches understand how an official protest works or how to file one (and, yes, some leagues may not allow them). Understanding how a protest works can be the difference between losing a game on a bad rule interpretation or salvaging a win for your team!
I do understand, but The game was just a HS Fall ball game which really doesn't mean much, there games just to keep the girls playing. I respectfully questioned his call, but he said i was mistaken. It wasn't like in regualr season game or a TB Tournament, i really wouldn't have had anyone to protest to. This is also the same umpire who, on a foul ball would throw another out to the pitchers. My pitcher would on occasion throw it back saying i don't want this one. After the others teams pitcher hit my batter, the girl said somethings wrong with that ball. I walked out the batters box and picked it up, the damn thing was lop sided. It may have been his first game.
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Hmmm...what was I saying about coaches not understanding how an official protest works?
Sure you would have someone to protest to! Protests are to be handled by the plate umpire in the game you're playing. The protest is noted in the team's scorebooks, the game continues, the protest is reviewed by a third party (league officials) at a later date and either rejected or upheld. If rejected, the protest becomes moot and the game's final score stands. If upheld, then the call is corrected and the game is replayed from the point of the protest.
I know that a lot of times coaches will say they didn't file a protest because "we were way ahead in the score" or "it was only a league game". Personally, I'd rather have them file the protest in any situation where the feel an umpire has misapplied a playing rule. If the umpire was wrong, and a protest is upheld, then the umpire learns something and that helps prevent him from making the same bad ruling in the future. If the protest is rejected, the coach learns something and that can stop him from arguing an incorrect rule in the future.
Bret, there is no league, no officials to file a complaint with. The games are just basically scrimmages between a couple High School teams who play double headers on weekends just so the girls can get some extra games in, or so a JV player can make a push for the varsity team come spring. Each team pays ump 40 bucks to do 2 games. We will play 5 Sundays, total 10 games. No champion or winner. My protest started and ended with the plate umpire, there would be nobody else to talk to?
Being that they are unofficial practice games, agreed probably not anyone to really protest the game to, but, you are getting officials from somewhere. You should contact the assignor with your concerns about the call so that they can go over it with the official. If they arent corrected they will continue to make this incorrect call.
About once a year, we try this if we have a slow runner on 2nd and we need runs and have had limited base runners. Have the batter run to 1st on the second strike. Sometimes with all the confusion, the slow runner will advance to 3rd. You would be surprised how successful this is. Before any of you get on my case about a” bush league tactic”, let me remind you that it is up to the team on defense to know the situation. By the way, we learned this trick because, way back when, it happened to us.
Some might call it bush, some might agree that it is the defense's responsibility to know the count and situation. There's no rule that specifically addresses this, but it can backfire a few different ways:
- If the batter is milling around outside the batter's box and subsequently interferes with the catcher making a play on the other runner, she could be called out for batter interference.
- If the batter being out of the batter's box delays the game (she has 10 seconds to get in her position in the box), then the umpire may access a penalty strike. Now, she really will have three strikes and will be out!
- Depending on the game situation (like time running out on the clock) this could be judged as a tactic to delay the game. The prescribed penalty for that violation is forfeit (though you should probably be warned first before a forfeit is declared).
- If the umpire judges this is a coached tactic, and it is repeated after being told not to, a forfeit can be declared.
Let your conscious be your guide on whether this is a bush move or not. But just be aware that there are potential downsides to employing it.
- If the batter is milling around outside the batter's box and subsequently interferes with the catcher making a play on the other runner, she could be called out for batter interference.
- If the batter being out of the batter's box delays the game (she has 10 seconds to get in her position in the box), then the umpire may access a penalty strike. Now, she really will have three strikes and will be out!
- Depending on the game situation (like time running out on the clock) this could be judged as a tactic to delay the game. The prescribed penalty for that violation is forfeit (though you should probably be warned first before a forfeit is declared).
- If the umpire judges this is a coached tactic, and it is repeated after being told not to, a forfeit can be declared.
Let your conscious be your guide on whether this is a bush move or not. But just be aware that there are potential downsides to employing it.
- Jul 28, 2008
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I say this also applies and I would argue it on such a play. Whether the batter meant to draw the defense off or not.
33. INTERFERENCE.
Interference is the act of an offensive player or team member that impedes, hinders or confuses a defensive player attempting to execute a play.
Interference may be in the form of physical contact, verbal distraction, visual distraction, or any type of distraction that hinders a fielder in the execution
of a play. Defensive players must be given the opportunity to field the ball anywhere on the playing field or throw the ball without being hindered.
If we are trying to get the runner at 3rd and you distract or confuse our defense into throwing down to 1st by sending the BR to 1st, that's interference.
33. INTERFERENCE.
Interference is the act of an offensive player or team member that impedes, hinders or confuses a defensive player attempting to execute a play.
Interference may be in the form of physical contact, verbal distraction, visual distraction, or any type of distraction that hinders a fielder in the execution
of a play. Defensive players must be given the opportunity to field the ball anywhere on the playing field or throw the ball without being hindered.
If we are trying to get the runner at 3rd and you distract or confuse our defense into throwing down to 1st by sending the BR to 1st, that's interference.
