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Originally Posted by WestMichBlue
You keep focusing on assigning blame or fault to either the defensive or offense player. My focus is on the umpire. What do you do in any other situation where the umpire put the players in jepordy?
R1 at 1B, D3K, batter starts to run, umpire loudly yells "batter is out!" Batter stops and walks back to p/u her bat and catcher tags the batter. Umpire forgot there was two outs!
Now what do you say? DMB?
WMB
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Much as you will hate the answer, the proper ruling in ASA is batter-runner is out. The umpire calling "batter is out" is equivalent to an umpire telling a player there is one out when there are two. The teams (players and coaches) are responsible to know the game situation and rules. In this play, both teams were potentially disadvantaged by the umpire, as the defense assumably stopped making the play to first base, so how could you then decide you are protecting one over the other?
The ruling would be that the ball was live, both teams had the obligation to complete the play; the one that did gets the result of the play. Only if the umpires actually declared a dead ball before the out was made would the offense then be protected from an out. Further, ASA NUS have stated (at the Advanced Umpire School, actually), that the "jeopardy" clause is meant to correct only instances where one team is completely disadvantaged, not as a "catch-all" to correct situations where there is a legitimate remedy.
Incidently, I only responded to your statement that the defense erred, and should not get the benefit. No blame is involved; the teams should get the result of the play; that's what we are there for. One of my favorite statements is that we don't call the game; we simply acknowledge and announce the results of the players play.
It seems to me that you are more concerned about protecting the batter (who has remedies, a) not swing, or b) advance to first base before being put out) believing you are or may be responsible for either, than getting the call right within the rules, which is supposed to be the primary objective.
It is also interesting to me that you started this branch of the thread acknowledging that "most" of your fellow umpires disagreed with you. Can you consider the possiblility that "most" may be correct. Reminds me of a favorite phrase of one of my peers; "if one person thinks you are an a$$hole, that is just one opinion. "If most people think you are an a$$hole, you probably are an a$$hole". Not calling you that name; just using the phrase as I know it. I suggest you replace the word with "wrong". After all, I don't see a lot of people jumping out to support you on this one.