Interesting call this weekend

[roscoe545]

I'm not a coach, and this is not specifically a rule question, but I thought I would share this
and would like some opinion's on how this should have been handled, or was this ok.

A little history before the play. Other than this play, both Umps did a great job, and PU was
very vocal, (I like that). I did not have a great view of the play, so I don't have an opinion
of exactly what happened, just that it was handled incorrectly by PU.

R1 on 3rd, 1 out. B1 bunts, ball comes to rest an inch in front of home plate, C hesitates
(possibly didn't see the ball). PU yells "FAIR BALL". C picks up the ball and fires to first.
While C is picking up the ball, a coach yells "The ball hit her in the box".

B1 is safe at 1st. As R1 is running home after the throw to first, PU yells "DEAD BALL"
Now says the ball hit B1 in the box. Never a peep out of the FU, and no conference.

Definately an awkward and confusing moment and a few loud comments from parent's
in the stands regarding letting a coach call the game and such.

Thoughts?

 

[quincy]

Something very similar happened in our game this weekend.

Runners on 2nd and 3rd. Ball brushes batter on ball 4. Ump calls it a walk, runner on 3rd ran home and was tagged out by the C who still had the ball. After some confusion PU changed his call to hit by pitch and put everyone back where they started and awarded batter 1st base.

IDK, not worth getting to wound up about.

 

[David Carter]

I'm not a coach, and this is not specifically a rule question, but I thought I would share this
and would like some opinion's on how this should have been handled, or was this ok.

A little history before the play. Other than this play, both Umps did a great job, and PU was
very vocal, (I like that). I did not have a great view of the play, so I don't have an opinion
of exactly what happened, just that it was handled incorrectly by PU.

R1 on 3rd, 1 out. B1 bunts, ball comes to rest an inch in front of home plate, C hesitates
(possibly didn't see the ball). PU yells "FAIR BALL". C picks up the ball and fires to first.
While C is picking up the ball, a coach yells "The ball hit her in the box".

B1 is safe at 1st. As R1 is running home after the throw to first, PU yells "DEAD BALL"
Now says the ball hit B1 in the box. Never a peep out of the FU, and no conference.

Definately an awkward and confusing moment and a few loud comments from parent's
in the stands regarding letting a coach call the game and such.

Thoughts?

Not really much can be done if the ump changes his mind and decides it hit her, then it's a dead ball and he did the right thing, sure it looks bad but it is what it is.

The only thing I am unsure about is the ump yelling "fair ball" maybe things have changed but the technique I was taught was to yell "foul ball" with both hands up and simply point towards fair territory on fair balls. I would think an ump yelling "fair ball" might be confusing.

 

[Comp]

The umpire is not to verbalize a fair ball only foul because it is confusing. Fair ball the umpire is to only point toward fair territory. Are you sure the umpire didn't yell foul?

 

[roscoe545]

Exactly what I was thinking after the play. This was probably the first time I have
ever heard PU call a fair ball on a bunt. And in the end, calling it fair to begin with,
then calling dead ball 4 seconds later made him look bad. It was a pool play game
we ended up losing in extra's, but to me it was no big deal other than the delay on the
call. HC didn't make a big deal about it, so it was forgotten about quickly, and it was one
of the most exciting games to watch all year.

 

[SAMBU101010]

Good For umps to be vocal but they should not be vocal on a fair ball, they should only point. From what I heard they are teaching now, the old "Foul Ball" shout should now be just "Foul", with no BALL included. Not sure that makes a big difference but that is what I heard. Let's hear it from an ump now......

 

[Cannonball]

An umpire never vocalizes fair. The only time that I can think of is if there are runners on 1st and 2nd in an infield fly rule situation. I've heard umpires vocalize, "infield fly if fair."

 

[roscoe545]

That is what was so weird, he clearly said fair ball, I've never heard that.
90% of the "dead ball" calls I hear are from the FU because they have a better view
looking in than the PU looking from behind most of the time.

And on the infield fly comment, I was very impressed this weekend on the quick and
loud infield fly calls.

This was our first U-trip tourny, and the overall game calling was great. Some questionable
consistancy on strike zones, but that is a given. There were a few very quick warnings to
vulger coaches (which were definately deserved).

 

[Ajaywill]

I'm not a coach, and this is not specifically a rule question, but I thought I would share this
and would like some opinion's on how this should have been handled, or was this ok.

A little history before the play. Other than this play, both Umps did a great job, and PU was
very vocal, (I like that). I did not have a great view of the play, so I don't have an opinion
of exactly what happened, just that it was handled incorrectly by PU.

R1 on 3rd, 1 out. B1 bunts, ball comes to rest an inch in front of home plate, C hesitates
(possibly didn't see the ball). PU yells "FAIR BALL". C picks up the ball and fires to first.
While C is picking up the ball, a coach yells "The ball hit her in the box".

B1 is safe at 1st. As R1 is running home after the throw to first, PU yells "DEAD BALL"
Now says the ball hit B1 in the box. Never a peep out of the FU, and no conference.

Definately an awkward and confusing moment and a few loud comments from parent's
in the stands regarding letting a coach call the game and such.

Thoughts?

As has been stated, the PU should not verbalize the fair ball. I would be willing to bet that he knows that, and it just happened during the heat of the play. As for the coach yelling about the ball hitting the batter, it could have triggered an "instant replay" of the play in the umpire's mind and he realized that, yes, the batter was hit by the batted ball while she was still in the box. So he kills the play and resets.

Yeah...I'm sure it looked awkward and confusing to the players and fans. I can think of more than once when I have made a call and heard somebody yell something and think...you know what, they are right. If the opportunity allows for a reset and do over, then that's what will happen. Might have been a good idea to call both coaches out and explain exactly what happened to them, eat a little crow, then reset and play.

 

[roscoe545]

Very well said Ajay. Our HC didn't make a scene, so I think he understood without
an explanation. Maybe HC saw the ball hit her and didn't question it because the call was
correct in the end, but I forgot to ask him about it after the game.