Quote:
Originally posted by Ump20
At the Major League level it is not unusual to see a runner having easily gotten into 3B on a ground rule double being sent back to second. I would simply call that "unfortunate" and move the game along. I see no difference with a ball at the LL level that goes under a fence in the deep outfield. This is one of those things you go over in the pre-game with the coaches. I do not believe that MLB should have disallowed the overturn of Brett's homerun nor should LL overrule that umpire. It was clearly in the rulebook. Nettles had observed Brett's bat in mid-summer and alerted Billy Martin to the violation. Having said this I must confess to having done a JV game a number of years ago where football stands were located in left field about 500 feet from home plate. The home team manager said that was played as a "triple". I told both coaches we didn't have ground rule triples yet we "accommodated" them in that game. Fortunately for the integrity of the game no one hit the ball that far. Jim Simms/NY [/B]
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At this level, no matter how hard the ball is hit, any batter's going to get at least 3B since the fielders would need to run at least 150' to get to the ball. I can see a ground-rule triple being justifiable at this level on such a large field, but such a stipulation needs to be set either prior to the game or before the start of the season/tournament. I wouldn't put it past some protest committees and say, "Gee, Skip, I see your point" and change the rule.
Unfortunately, I was placed in this position a few years ago. The manager thought it was crazy to give a kid a ground-rule double on such a large field, and he convinced me to rule such. At the time I thought I was doing the right thing, but now I realize that's not how to resolve seemingly "unfair" rules. I wouldn't have put it past the manager to cry foul and ask the tournament directors for a ruling, and knowing some of them they would have ruled it a ground-rule triple.
Isn't it somewhat "unethical" to change a rule during a season? I realize the penalty for the pine tar was somewhat unjustified, but couldn't they have told Brett "Tough shit" and make the change during the off-season? If the league president/commissioner can decide to change this some August afternoon, what's to stop him from making balks a two-base award?
Dennis