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Originally Posted by GregM
Last night was the first time I have had to deal with using the International tiebreaker rule with me actually being part of the game instead of just spectating. I was umpiring in the field.
I know that most on here are at hight schol level or above and this is just my second year at rec ball. Dizzy Dean to be more specific.
Our rule says that the last batted out goes to second. I have read on here that the player batting last in the order in the tie breaking inning goes to second, but I have a hard time seeing the connection between these two references.
Last night we had a runner on first with two out. The BR hits one deep into the outfield and the runner that was on first got thrown out going into third for the last out.
The visiting team's coach, and league president, said that it is the last person who batted is who goes to second to start the tiebreaker, however, he was not put out.
It seems to me that the term "last batted out" would refer to the player who made the last out and who actually batted. In my reasoning, this term is used to keep a speedy coutesy runner who made the last out to go to second, thus keeping a speedster from starting at second base. In this case it would go to the player who made the second out providing that they actually did bat.
I am just looking for any clarification on this term that I can find.
Thank you for your time.
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Greg, welcome to the boards. To use the phrase, "the batter scheduled to bat last in this inning" is just a way to keep it simple about who goes to second at the start of ITB play. If you say something like "the last person batting last inning" or "the last out of last inning," you could potentially place the wrong person by rule on the base. I suggest that, to keep it clear, you start thinking and saying "the batter scheduled to bat last this inning" so that you are always assured of having the correct person on base. You are correct about the reasoning of the rule, to prevent "special" runners from always assuming that position.