[QUOTE]
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by TwoBits
Got my USSSA book right here.
USSSA Rule 8.04D: Whenever a tag play is evident, runners must slide, go around or seek to avoid contact with the fielder and/or catcher. Attempting to jump, leap, or dive over a the fielder and/or catcher is not an act of avoiding contact. Malicious contact shall supersede all obstruction penalties. PENALTY: Runner shall be called out and may be ejected from the game at the umpres discretion.
|
The aforementioned is the problem with amateur baseball these days.
Bottom Line: There will be contact. The question? Is it malicious and/or legal
If you want to explain the rule to an 11 yr. old then explain by example. If you can get a tape of what Pete Rose did to Ray Fosse, then show it to him and say
You CANNOT do that or any other violent collission we had in the past regarding plays at the plate.
Also, if you go strictly by this wording
Quote:
|
Whenever a tag play is evident, runners must slide,
|
you are going to have a "can of worms" on your hand.
Example: R3 heading home, a tag play is evident HOWEVER, the ball now sails over F2's head or gets by F2. According to the way the rule is written R3 MUST slide even though there is no need to.
IMO, insurance companies have ruined amateur baseball and each year the game gets diluted by safety rule changes.
Then who gets the blame? Of Course we do because we are the ones who have to enforce these rules.
IMO, simply mirror the NCAA Collission rule which IMO makes the best sense. Collission un-avoidable for the most part play on. Collission avoidable and violated then penalize.
I do not like phrases such as "avoid contact" If you want to avoid contact then play golf.
Pete Booth