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Originally Posted by U of M Sam
WOW! This seems like a "made up" rule. In this situation would you allow the run and if no appeal occurred then eject the runner? What if no appeal and other runners scored on the same play? How are we as umpires to decide if a player or coach is "cheating"?
I trust it is best for umpires to enforce and properly apply the rules. Making "adjustments" as indicated will just create confusion.
Sam
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My association feels that it is cheating for a coach to teach a player to intentionally miss a base by several feet in order to gain an advantage over the defense. They feel that by ejecting the player (and in some associations the coach) it sends a strong message to everyone that cheating of any kind will not be tolerated. We are also required to mention this new ruling during our pre-game meeting with the coaches, kind of preventive umpiring.
Personally, I feel that I could handle it using the current rules, an appeal play, regardless of how much the runner cuts off. A missed base is a missed base, regardless of by how much or why the runner missed it. I am concerned that some umpires, especially the rookies (3 years or less) will be calling this for a base missed by inches. That would not be good.
BUT
Whether I agree with my associations decision in this matter or not I am obligated to enforce the rules as my association dictates.