quote:
Originally posted by Jim Porter:
Papa C,
I believe Bob Jenkins is agreeing with you and the ruling. I think perhaps you misunderstood what he was saying.
In short I agree with Bob, Papa C, Harry Wendelstedt, and Cris Jones. I'm afraid, Pete, you're on your own here - - so far, anyway.
The rules have been created to specifically give the defense an advantage when this sort of play happens. All they have to do is tag the plate with the ball.
So if a catcher enters the dugout and starts laying tags on everyone in sight, it's his own fault and his own doing. He should know the rules and how to play the game, and he should know that all he needed to do was touch the plate. I believe that's what Bob was saying also.
Until an OBR youth league creates a differing interpretation for their level of play, all we have to go by is Cris Jones's ruling.
To me, this ruling makes good sense.
Sincerely,
Jim Porter
"He should know the rules and how to play the game, and he should know that all he needed to do was touch the plate".
Jim when you were a player did you actually know all the rules? I know I didn't - I let the umpire worry about it. I didn't really get into the rules untill I became an umpire and I was astonished about how little I really knew about the rules.
I guess one what have to take a poll, but I would bet most catchers do not know this rule. Most people / coaches / players and even umpires would say that once a player enters the duggout - he has abandoned his / her right to retouch and would called out.
I would argue this way - once the ball goes into dead ball territory we do not let play continue. During a Mets game about a week ago or so, Benny Agbayani of the Mets forgot how many outs there were.
He caught a fly ball and thought there were 3 outs but there were only 2. As is customary at least at Shea lately is the players after the 3rd out is made throw the ball into the stands. Benny threw the ball into the stands and when he realized there were only 2 outs instead of 3 reached back into the stand to retrieve it.
However, once the ball went into the stands, the umpires called the ball dead and made the appropriate awards.
Therefore, my argument would be the player once entering the duggout is in dead ball territory and therefore, should not be allowed to come back out and rectify his mistake.
I'm not trying to be argumentataive and refuse to accept published opinions but IMO we need more than Harry Wendelstedt and Chris Jones's opinions on this particular issue.
Pete Booth