Quote:
Originally posted by rmstone
Interesting issue here... OBR...
Bases loaded, third strike is not caught... a young umpire calls "strike three, batters out!" the coaches seem to know the difference and yell for the runner to run... the defence, after thinking the inning is over, freak out and throw the ball into right field trying to make the play, two runs come in to score on the overthrow.
Coaches come out to argue and the parks chief umpire is asked for (which happens to be me that night, I was acting in place of the normal chief)
I ask the umpires (away from the coaches) what they saw and what they called. Well clearly the call isn't right, but can/should it be changed? Calling the batter out was a dead ball call and ended the play and the inning. The defence wasn't given a fair chance as they started to walk off before the throw, causing the error. Can the umpire claim a judgement call on the catch? Can the coach protest as its a rule violation?
Can a call that ends play be reversed?
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This is kind of like knowing when the IFF is in effect. The defense has to know the situation. The defense, and especially the catcher, must know that a dropped third strike is not yet an out in this situation. Having heard the umpire say "strike three, the batter's out", the catcher should know better, because he is the one that did not catch the ball, why didn't he just pick it up and step on the plate? The offensive coach could protest the out call by the umpire as a rules interpretation, as long as PU admits he knew the ball was not caught, but called him out anyway. The defensive coach does not have much to argue about because his catcher could have prevented all this nonsense, but instead threw the ball away. Somebody is going to be disappointed in the ruling, and I say it will be the defense. I think the out call is correctable.