Quote:
Originally posted by CoachJM
jicecone,
Not so fast there! I fear that you and your colleagues came to the wrong conclusion at your meeting.
The proper award in the situation you described in the inital post of this thread is 2 bases for any runners on base at the point in time that the catcher carried the ball into dead ball territory. That is, the BR, standing on 2B at that point in time (if I'm reading your description correctly) is awarded home.
By my read, only DG and, possibly Carbide Keyman (it's not clear from his response if he would award 2 bases from TOP, TOT, or Time that the ball became "out of play") have given you the correct answer to your question.
Let me try to illustrate by putting a "twist" in your inital siutation.
Let's imagine that everything happened as you described up until the point in time that the runner who may have missed home entered the dugout. Let's say he was "loitering" near the on-deck circle watching the play unfold and, seeing the batter arrive safely at 2B, starts walking back to the dugout. The imbecile coach instructs his catcher to throw the ball to the F5 (assuming said runner is returning to the 3B side dugout) so that he may tag the runner. The catcher attempts to comply with his coach's instruction, but, alas, the throw "gets away from him" in his excitement and sails over the dugout into dead ball territory.
What would your ruling be in terms of base awards? (Hint: The correct ruling would be two bases to any runners beyond the last base legally touched at the time the ball left the catcher's hand.)
In terms of the rules governing base awards, the situation you described is no different!
JM
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JM, in your situation, where the ball was put into DBT more as a result of a throw than the catcher carring it voluntarily, I agree a 2 bases award would be more apprpriate. However, that was NOT the case.
Also, I don't believe that there is a correct or incorrect ruling on this because as Bob has already stated, "it is not covered". Had there been continuious action on the part of the defense to play on the runners then mabey I would also agree that 2 bases should have been awarded.
Also, it is customary in basesball, when a situation is arises for which no ruling is addressed, to look at the other codes for help. OBR and NCAA plays that are close to this, both deal with players carrying a throw or pitch into DBT. If they fall the ball is dead and all runners advance 1 base otherwise the ball "remains alive and in play", BRD 2005 Sect. 41 pg 39.
Again, correct or incorrect answers may not be possible for this situation however, the one that seems most likely to be correct is a one base award.
For the "if you would have used preventive umpiring techniques crowd", We know, we know, we know. But, we didn't, we didn't , we didn't.
Thanks again, for your inputs.