Leaving the base early

[radness]

“she’s fast”, everyone is faster with a head start.

Here's my positive solution for that

The sooner the defense can
YELL "GOING"
the better opportunity the catcher/defense will have to throw her out!

WOOHOO ZAP!!!

 

[PapaBear]

Here's my positive solution for that

The sooner the defense can
YELL "GOING"
the better opportunity the catcher/defense will have to throw her out!

WOOHOO ZAP!!!

We had our infield talking a few weeks ago when a kid known got on. Basically telling her, ump and 1st base coach they knew she’s known for leaving early.

 

[EdLovrich]

And yet the rule was broken before the double play happened.

It's peculiar to me to think let's play this out and see how it happens and then make a decision.

Why is it any more peculiar than catcher's obstruction? The breaking of the rule may NOT have put the other team at a disadvantage, or by enforcing the rule, we might put the offended team at a GREATER disadvantage.

 

[marriard]

So, we can pick and choose which rules to enforce. When it comes to leaping/crow hop etc it’s all about doing it the right way and developing kids at young age to do it right. But having a kid leave early is overlooked as no big deal. Leaving early puts a disadvantage to the catcher making the play or the middle infielder who now has to make a bang bang best case.

Not at all. I will call it but I have to be ABSOLUTLEY certain I have it right - and in most games we umpire - with 2 officials - that is not easy.

With two umpires and a runner at 1B, it is just a hard call to make and down the list of my list of priorities for the field umpire.

The worst thing is that the angle is terrible - I have to be certain the ball is out of the pitchers hand AND the base runner is really off the base - those things are 30-40' in different directions and your eyes just don't work that way. PLUS on a right hand pitcher their body is blocking my view. So even if I am looking for it, it is still really hard. It doesn't help that the coaches often have the view I need to call it.

As BU I am responsible for pitchers feet, swing/no swing, moving on steals/pickoffs, fouls off the batters body, catcher drops on pitches, and a few other things I have to get right. If I see a player pushing the envelope for leaving early I will move my priority list and look for it a little more, but in general play I have so many more likely things I have to get right.

Wanting close leaving early calls are what I call a $50 call.
If you want it more consistently, then you have to pony up an extra $50 per game so you can have 3 umpires - and literally no one wants to do that. (and right now, even if you wanted, there are nowhere near enough umpires to go to 3 per game anyway).

Since I am already writing; infield fly is not a dead ball because the rule was written in 1895 in baseball to stop infielders purposely letting the easy catch drop so they could get triple/double plays. It already helps the batting team. If they don't know it by 12U that is on the coaches

 

[JayW]

Not at all. I will call it but I have to be ABSOLUTLEY certain I have it right - and in most games we umpire - with 2 officials - that is not easy.

With two umpires and a runner at 1B, it is just a hard call to make and down the list of my list of priorities for the field umpire.

The worst thing is that the angle is terrible - I have to be certain the ball is out of the pitchers hand AND the base runner is really off the base - those things are 30-40' in different directions and your eyes just don't work that way. PLUS on a right hand pitcher their body is blocking my view. So even if I am looking for it, it is still really hard. It doesn't help that the coaches often have the view I need to call it.

As BU I am responsible for pitchers feet, swing/no swing, moving on steals/pickoffs, fouls off the batters body, catcher drops on pitches, and a few other things I have to get right. If I see a player pushing the envelope for leaving early I will move my priority list and look for it a little more, but in general play I have so many more likely things I have to get right.

Wanting close leaving early calls are what I call a $50 call.
If you want it more consistently, then you have to pony up an extra $50 per game so you can have 3 umpires - and literally no one wants to do that. (and right now, even if you wanted, there are nowhere near enough umpires to go to 3 per game anyway).

Since I am already writing; infield fly is not a dead ball because the rule was written in 1895 in baseball to stop infielders purposely letting the easy catch drop so they could get triple/double plays. It already helps the batting team. If they don't know it by 12U that is on the coaches

the calling of the automatic out solves the problem of the intentional drop double/triple play. calling it dead would have no effect on the purpose of the rule. it’s an historical vestige like dropped 3rd strike that doesn’t add to the game.

 

[marriard]

the calling of the automatic out solves the problem of the intentional drop double/triple play. calling it dead would have no effect on the purpose of the rule. it’s an historical vestige like dropped 3rd strike that doesn’t add to the game.

Ball is in play and hasn't been played dead. Nothing wrong with the rule - our 10U teams understand it just fine.

And dropped 3rd strike absolutely adds to the game.

 

[JayW]

sure.

 

[YOCOACH]

Easy fix. Have your fastest person/runner play first base. Have her stand in the baseline until the ball is about to be released by the pitcher 2-3 steps away from 1st base. As it's released, have her step out of the baseline forward. Play 3rd farther up than normal until 2 strikes and CF a little shallower. If they fake bunt and show early, make sure your 2nd baseman is moving down the line earlier than necessary. Practice in advance and tell them when you face a team that does this to expect to do it.

 

[Northball]

We had our infield talking a few weeks ago when a kid known got on. Basically telling her, ump and 1st base coach they knew she’s known for leaving early.

So do you have your infielder(s) yell when the runner breaks contact with the bag to specifically draw the umpire's attention to a runner leaving early?

 

[radness]

Why is it any more peculiar than catcher's obstruction? The breaking of the rule may NOT have put the other team at a disadvantage, or by enforcing the rule, we might put the offended team at a GREATER disadvantage.

Obstruction is a whole different Beast.

I can understand why obstruction gets played out because actually have to see where the catcher is standing upon receiving the ball. That is two things coming together to be able to make the call.

As opposed to seeing a runner leaving early at its immediate moment.
It just takes having a good angle to see the foot and the pitcher at the same time but not really dependent on any other Factor. Obviously that new rule creates an additional Factor. Called a choice of how they want the rule enforced.

Also infield fly rule as someone else commented that could just be called right when the ball is at its peak height but not always is. Not really dependent on anything other than the distance its flying.