Philp, I respect your decision to handle this in the way you describe. As long as you realize that
this particular "trick play" is well-known to be perfectly legal. The other nonsense you describe has no history, so you could handle them as you desire and set whatever precedence that needs to be set for runners running the bases carrying helium balloons.
Personally, I think you run the risk of being labeled an umpire that does not understand the rules very well when you prevent a team from employing an age old tactic that actually appears in several coaching books.
The fact that it is a poor tactic does not make it illegal. And, in the FED casebook, it is
specifically mentioned as being legal.
I am always leary of interjecting my personal views of how I think the game of baseball ought to be played in my rulings. I try to detach myself and simply prevent those things that are clearly illegal.
You could make the following argument: How else are these players and coaches going to learn that many of these silly tactics, in the long run, DON'T WORK? Sure, they may experience some success at the younger level, but you will never see the big boys attempt this silliness. And that's because they've already learned that lesson somewhere along the way. I say, let them learn it!
Quote:
Originally posted by philp
Thanks to everyone who added their two cents (sometimes three cents) worth. I've decided that if I see this play, God forbid, I'll ring him up for 'abandoning his effort to go directly to the next base'. There is much room for interpretation here, but this play is taking baseball to the outter limit. Not only will I forbid the runner from running around in the outfield, but I will also keep him from doing cartwheels on the basepath, carrying helium-filled balloons, and climbing out of a tiny, little car after driving to first base.
|