This had more to do with the umpire screwing the pooch than a dropped third strike. If everyone is going hard that means all the runners are unaware of the rule as they should know with the bases loaded and 1 out that the BR can't advance to first. If they are running, it may be because of a passed ball more than a D3K. The umpire should have never called an out on the force, that messed everything up. He should have ruled the runner safe, no tag. And if he called an out on the force at home, how come the inning continued? Two umpires didn't catch this???
Thinking on the original issue more, there is one time where a signal other than strike seems appropriate. What about a thrid strike where the BR could advance on a D3K and pitch is close to the ground but the catcher did catch it and not short hop it? Shouldn't there be some signal made to confirm that the catch was clean and there was no D3K?
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Originally posted by jstone999
Just visiting from the Softball board, but couldn't help mentioning something here since it seems relevant.
Last Saturday, I'm a spectator but sitting at the official scorer's table (new scorer's first game). One out, bases loaded, D3K: everyone goes hard. F1 comes in and gets the ball from catcher while standing on the plate: Blue gives R3 out on the force.
Hold on... At the scorer's table everyone is confused. Why a force with less than two outs? Did the umpire see something else? Maybe a fair hit ball that somehow rebounded behind the catcher? (Is this even possible? I don't think so.) Or were there already 2 outs, and had the scorer missed one? (Much more likely.) But play continued after the out. I argued (with the scorer) that there was no possibility other than a D3K. But the scorer tells me there was only one out. We discuss during the rest of the inning.
After the inning ends, the scorer calls the Umpire to the table for an explanation. Says he had 3 outs altogether. That means there was no mistake on the scorer's part that there had only been one out (otherwise he would have ended up with 4.) Why the D3K with less than two outs? There were two outs, says he! I argue (in no official capacity whatsoever) had there been two outs the force at home would have been out 3, inning over. (Three more runs scored afterwards.)
Long story, but I hope my point is clear: confusion ruled in this sitch. Both umpires had brain farts. Why? Because everyone went, and went hard, and the umpires had been trained to wait and see how the play develops. So put me in the camp who says, when BR can't go because the rules won't let him, call him out.
I think that when confusion rules, the umpires have not done their jobs. In this situation, and this situation ONLY--D3K with less than 2 outs--the umpire should call the batter out. It doesn't lead to an advantage of either team. It does avoid confusion.
jeffstone
goettingen
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