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Originally Posted by SRW
Wow, how arrogant.
If the BR touches the base, you call the BR safe. If the BR misses the base, the BR is considered to have touched it. You hesitate slightly to allow the players to finish the play. If no play is made, you declare the BR safe. If they appeal properly, you call them out. You do it this way so you don't tip off either team that the play may not be over. Also, they're assumed safe until put out. If the proper appeal is not made, the BR is safe.
And where is all this? You're right, it's not in the rulebook. It's in the Umpire Manual. Perhaps the most needed, and least read portion of the entire book.
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Way to a$$ume that by saying "2007 ASA rulebook" you thought I had somehow completely forgotten/neglected/blown off the part about the umpires manual (which is also inclusive). I guess it's my fault for a$$uming that every umpire/person on this discussion board actually knows that this book can be referred to in several ways/manners other than the exact and singular description for which you have developed for said published material.
You do not call the B/R safe if they touch the base and no defensive play is being made. I know this is a difficult concept to grasp for you over signaling types, but it's not in the "2007 ASA Official Rules of Softball, Umpire Edition (which includes the Umpire Manual). The fact of the matter is neither the book nor my training has led me to this practice nor anyone else in my association. I do not follow the B/R around the bases during an inside the park HR, signalling safe at 1B, 2B, 3B and HP as the B/R touches each applicable base. If you do, you're doing something seriously wrong. I don't care if it's just 1B and you're calling that...you're WRONG!
I call to your attention page 241 in the 2007 ASA Rules/regs/Umpire's manual/whatevertheheckyouwanttocallitbook, which states (under the helpful hints for base umpires section);
6. Don't make a call until the catch or play is completed
(the play is not completed until either the runner touches the 1B bag, or until the defensive players completes their play attempt against the B/R).
12. A 'safe' signal or verbal call is not necessary when the thrown ball gets by the defensive player
(or in the case I keep talking about, either never gets to defensive player F3 in the first place or gets to F3 late and he's off the bag. If F3 is on the bag, that's an out plain as day.)
Now, in the rules supplement on page 133 of the afore mentioned "book", it does state;
1. Appeals
L.
Missing First Base Before the Throw Arrives. When a runner passes first base before the throw arrives, they are considered to have touched the base unless properly appealed. On appeals involving the double base, when the batter-runner touches the white rather than the colored portion and a play is made, the same procedure applies. When an appeal is made in both situations, it must be made prior to the runner returning to first base while the ball is live.
No where does it state that I "must" signal the runner safe.