Quote:
Originally posted by my3sons
This would have been an oppotunity for you to practice preventitive umpireing. If you as the base umpire know that the pitcher does not have the ball as he starts back to the mound. Why not just tell the 3rd baseman to throw the ball to the pitcher. It might save a problem before it begins. The plate umpire may not see that the pitcher doesn't have the ball, so why not help him out. Work as a team, not as individuals
|
Exactly.
As plate umpire it is POSSIBLE I might not know where the ball got to [sweeping the plate, etc], but I expect that my base umpire WILL know. If he is still staring at the vicinity of 3B, I am likely to take a look down there and notice the fielder trying to look innocent while waiting for me to call "play". At which point [the ball being dead], I am likely to ask for the ball to "examine" it, ending the charade.
If I am the base umpire, no way is a "hidden ball trick" going to catch me by suprise. I will keep my eye fixed on whoever has the ball. BTW, I have found that this tends to put the kabosh on the few attempted HBT's I've witnessed, since most base coaches seem to pick up on the fact that F1 is not on the rubber, & the base umpire is STILL watching one of the bases like a hawk, thus they don't let the runner step off the base. Eventually, everyone tires of waiting for the runner to get stupid, and we go back to playing baseball.
On the play submitted, it's umpire error, and correctable, but not by announcing BALK. If it happens [U1 calls "Play" & someone other than F1 produces the ball & "tags out" a runner]:
TIME!
Runner is NOT out, ball was not legally made live ['cause F1 didn't have it on the rubber].
YOU [fielder w/ ball] - throw the ball to F1.
YOU [F1] - DON'T DO THAT AGAIN.
Play.
[Edited by cbfoulds on Jul 30th, 2004 at 02:36 PM]