I got to call it...

[Big Daddy Michigan]

I think he understood, but was thinking dropped 2nd strike but catcher thought was 3rd. So a tag on the batter wouldn't have got the ball, if the batter was confused and ran on a dropped 2nd and the catcher threw to 1 would it still be a ball?

Correct! If the confused catcher tags the runner. The ump just says, that's only two strikes, and she throws the ball to the pitcher instead of first.

I was asking if the runner was equally confused and ran with only 2 strikes, and the confused catcher threw to first, I'd think that would negate the ball being awarded.

 

[Agcy]

Correct! If the confused catcher tags the runner. The ump just says, that's only two strikes, and she throws the ball to the pitcher instead of first.

I was asking if the runner was equally confused and ran with only 2 strikes, and the confused catcher threw to first, I'd think that would negate the ball being awarded.

Ahh, the issue was not whether a pitched ball was a DK3, it was that after a called strikeout 'most' teams throw it around the horn - which is what she did. The catcher thought it was called 3rd strike and whipped it to first for the throw around. That is where the penalty is a called ball.

 

[JOND]

A loose analogy but rules like IPs. I’ve been told in tournaments, “only if it’s egregious or gaining an advantage”. No. I’m either calling them or I’m not. It’s either a legal delivery or it’s not. In those cases I simply don’t call them.

And even more loosely - I had a coach griping constantly about IPs. The pitcher was fine but he was trying to get into my head. Beautifully enough, next inning his pitcher double-touched on a 3-2 count on which the batter struck out. Sorry coach, that was an illegal pitch. Ball 4. He quit bitching about the other pitcher.

thanks for calling the IP. heroic defense of the integrity of the game, imho.

 

[JOHNN]

You are not wrong. That is an Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union adaption. Good point.

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Ive still yet to fathom why a rules committee thought they needed to add a rule regarding eye black bc it certainly wouldnt be related to safety. There are so many other things that could be considered worth making a rule on before whether a kid puts eye black on a curved fashion instead of straight across.

 

[The Man In Blue]

Ive still yet to fathom why a rules committee thought they needed to add a rule regarding eye black bc it certainly wouldnt be related to safety. There are so many other things that could be considered worth making a rule on before whether a kid puts eye black on a curved fashion instead of straight across.

They were getting out in front of NFHS, who has presumably had nothing better to deal with and has been discussing this for years.

Here is one real-world example of how eye black could go wrong:

On a Thursday, I had a "country" school team (all the players on the team are white). One of the girls had eye black smeared literally all over her face. Not any big deal on its own. However, I knew I had this team again on Saturday against a team with a significant number of players who are Black. The girl looked as if she was wearing black-face. I didn't say anything on Thursday and hoped that I wouldn't have to pull that string on Saturday. Fortunately, she did not wear it that way on Saturday. I can't say it would have been an issue or that anybody else would have perceived it that way, but given my past experience in Mississippi ...

Here is why we don't really need a rule though: we already have sportsmanship rules in place. Every theoretical reference I have heard to issues with eye black have contained concerns over writing slurs, curse words, etc. to incite the other team. That is already covered.

On the flip side ... I watched a JV baseball game (the school that I teach at) and two kids who never leave the bench had gotten into the eye black and turned it into Halloween costumes. They had painted their faces like skeletons. Odd, but it made me laugh.

 

[Lobster Birch]

Ive still yet to fathom why a rules committee thought they needed to add a rule regarding eye black bc it certainly wouldnt be related to safety. There are so many other things that could be considered worth making a rule on before whether a kid puts eye black on a curved fashion instead of straight across.

The day after I declared this as nitwitery here I learned that our local Little League (D8 Seattle) had a similar rule for All Stars. Eye Black was to be one color per team and applied only in a straight line. The reason given was that it was a sportsmanship issue.

I know a couple of players who are Native American. They sometimes go full on war paint. I wonder how that would go over if they were told they weren’t allowed to do that.

 

[The Man In Blue]

The day after I declared this as nitwitery here I learned that our local Little League (D8 Seattle) had a similar rule for All Stars. Eye Black was to be one color per team and applied only in a straight line. The reason given was that it was a sportsmanship issue.

I know a couple of players who are Native American. They sometimes go full on war paint. I wonder how that would go over if they were told they weren’t allowed to do that.

I also mentioned earlier, I'm waiting for the first kid who is told he/she can't paint a cross under their eyes. Jewelry had a religious exemption for years, but how do you justify this one?

I disagree that eye black is a sportsmanship issue that needs a blanket rule created. I agree that it can become one that is easily handled under current sportsmanship rules.

Did I mention the baseball player a few weeks ago who only had eye black under one eye? I finally gave in and asked him why ... he said an umpire told him he could only have one stripe of eye black.

 

[JOHNN]

The day after I declared this as nitwitery here I learned that our local Little League (D8 Seattle) had a similar rule for All Stars. Eye Black was to be one color per team and applied only in a straight line. The reason given was that it was a sportsmanship issue.

How on earth does “too much” eyeblack show a lack of sportsmanship? Let me guess, they dont want some kid (or parent) to become “intimidated” by another player….

 

[Agcy]

How on earth does “too much” eyeblack show a lack of sportsmanship? Let me guess, they dont want some kid (or parent) to become “intimidated” by another player….

Is this too much? (from lacrosse)