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When does a slide begin?
Interesting play and call(s) the other night.
R1, 1 out Fed varsity
Hit to gap in LCF, F7 boots it and R1 comes home. Relay from F6 is on line but low, F2 is in a weird position with both knees on ground and blocking the plate. Throw beats R1 by 5 or 6 steps. As F1 makes catch R1 begins a head first slide, Pete Rose style, he's horizontal and airborne when his left shoulder buries into F2s stomach. F2 topples backward, ball drops to ground, R1 scrambles to plate while F2 tries to catch his breath, BR heads to third.
PU kills the play, points to R1, yells "that's interference" and bangs him out.
HC comes in quickly from his box saying something to the effect 'that can't be interference he slid directly to the base, what else can he do?'
PU puts his hand up and says "hold on Jim let me tell you what I got"
Jim responds "I don't care what you got that can't be interference"
PU listens to Jim, cocks his head a bit and says "You're right" he then turns to R1 who is still standing near the plate and says "That's malicious contact, you're out and you're gone"
Jim is dumbfounded, as am I. I come in from C to make sure R1 gets off the field while Jim and PU have a few more words. Surprisingly Jim stayed in the game.
Unique tactic to agree with arguing coach and then enforce a stiffer call.
But for me it begs the question, when does the slide begin?
If you judge R1 to be in the act of a legal slide then interference or MC should not be called. If R1 is airborne he's not technicallly sliding yet.
What do you think?
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