Umpire question.

[GOINGDEEP]

My big brother and I were talking today about baseball odds and ends. We brushed back on a play during his sons game at state this spring.

Runner on first, ground ball to pitcher, pitcher throws to SS who is straddling 2b ( not touching, close but not touching ) SS fires to 1b for the double play. "Neighborhood Rule"

I'd really never thought about it in softball, and not sure I've ever seen it called. Do any FP umps use this? Has anyone even seen it used in FP?


Easy copied/pasted explanation of Neighborhood rule:


The traditional application of the neighborhood play for an out developed because it is common for a sliding runner to collide with the fielder at second base, sometimes causing injury. On a double play attempt, the fielder must throw the ball to first base, which would generally require a step directly into the path of the incoming runner. On a close force out at second, a fielder often cannot avoid a collision while completing a throw to first base unless he stays some distance away from second base. For the sake of safety, umpires allowed fielders to score the first out of an attempted double play without actually touching second base as long as it "looked like" an out, i.e. the fielder made a clean catch, turn, and throw near second base before the runner arrived. This allowed the tradition of the take-out slide to continue while still providing a means of safety for middle infielders.

 

[Crabby_Bob]

Fastpitch softball has never had anyone like Ty Cobb.

 

[Ade's Dad]

My big brother and I were talking today about baseball odds and ends. We brushed back on a play during his sons game at state this spring.

Runner on first, ground ball to pitcher, pitcher throws to SS who is straddling 2b ( not touching, close but not touching ) SS fires to 1b for the double play. "Neighborhood Rule"

I'd really never thought about it in softball, and not sure I've ever seen it called. Do any FP umps use this? Has anyone even seen it used in FP?


Easy copied/pasted explanation of Neighborhood ruleI am by no means an umpire,


The traditional application of the neighborhood play for an out developed because it is common for a sliding runner to collide with the fielder at second base, sometimes causing injury. On a double play attempt, the fielder must throw the ball to first base, which would generally require a step directly into the path of the incoming runner. On a close force out at second, a fielder often cannot avoid a collision while completing a throw to first base unless he stays some distance away from second base. For the sake of safety, umpires allowed fielders to score the first out of an attempted double play without actually touching second base as long as it "looked like" an out, i.e. the fielder made a clean catch, turn, and throw near second base before the runner arrived. This allowed the tradition of the take-out slide to continue while still providing a means of safety for middle infielders.

I saw it attempted at an exposer tour last weekend. Runner on second was safe.(I am by no means an umpire,just a crazy Dad)

 

[InsidePitch]

Fastpitch softball has never had anyone like Ty Cobb.

Yes they did and her name is Taylor Schlopy. She came into second with her cleat about a foot high and caught the TN Vol Lauren Gibson in the shin. Gave her 10 or so stitches. She also threw a punch at the catcher from GT after getting called out.

 

[Ajaywill]

...Do any FP umps use this?

Not any good ones.

Has anyone even seen it used in FP?

Yep...mostly by baseball umpires that think FP is just "baseball for girls"

 

[SoCalASABlue]

Yes they did and her name is Taylor Schlopy. She came into second with her cleat about a foot high and caught the TN Vol Lauren Gibson in the shin. Gave her 10 or so stitches. She also threw a punch at the catcher from GT after getting called out.

Don't forget about the thugs from Texas and Oregon in the WCWS this past June.

 

[BretMan]

The ol' neighborhood play was for years just an accepted custom and practice in baseball. If the ball clearly beat the runner and the fielder was obviously right in the vicinity of the base (in the neighborhood, if you will), then the requirement to actually touch the base was loosened up, based on the assumption that the fielder needed some protective leeway to avoid the runner and prevent an injury.

This is just one example of what is commonly called "the expected call". The expectation is that the runner should be out anyway, so if you cut the fielder some slack to avoid an injury all is well and good. There is a laundry list of "expected calls" that have evolved over the years.

For instance, on any tag of a runner at a base, if the ball beats the runner by a good margin then the expected call is that the runner would be out- even if the fielder might not actually get the glove all the way down on the runner. There is often an expectation that if a tag of a runner is "high" (on the upper body, as when sliding on a steal) then the runner must have beaten the tag (had his feet touching the base).

Not all of these expectations are universally accepted and there will always be some differences in judgment, opinion or application from one umpire to another. It's a topic that always spurrs a good deal of debate on internet umpire forums. Some see making the "expected call" as an umpire taking the path of least resistance for the sake of avoiding conflicts or arguments. Others view it as an accepted part of the game.

For the most part, making the expected call is going the way of the dodo bird at the highest levels of baseball (ie: in televised games). With multiple angle replays scutinizing every call, the expected call is proven to not always be the technically correct call! This is putting increased pressure on umpires to make the technically correct call because, if they don't, odds are that their "mistake" will be plastered all over Sports Center for all the world to see.