Quote:
Originally posted by PeteBooth
Originally posted by David Emerling
David if we go by the strict rule, the ball is not live until Plate umpire says Play.
OBR 5.11 After the ball is dead, play shall be resumed when the pitcher takes his place on the pitcher's plate with a new ball or the same ball in his possession and the plate umpire calls "Play." The plate umpire shall call "Play" as soon as the pitcher takes his place on his plate with the ball in his possession.
This is similar to when PU puts his hands up, technically ball is dead until PU points to F1.
You said 11 yr. olds. In LL, the PU will not call Play until F1 has ball on mound, F2 is ready to receive and B1 is in the box.
Sounds like the offensive coach tried to pull a fast one.
Your thread is why it is a MUST for PU no matter how monotonous it might be to signal Play after a Time Out to avoid this.
Pete Booth
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Well, yes, the offensive coach *was* trying to pull a "fast one." Isn't the stealing of home always a "fast one" of sorts?
Actually, he just wanted to do you classic steal of home. The fact that his batter hit a foul ball on the pitch prior muddied the water because the PU was not very good at putting the ball in play.
But, if you were there, you would have never got the impression that the runner scampered home by taking advantage of the defense's perception that the play was dead.
Everything was set for the pitcher to deliver the next pitch. Everybody was ready. In fact, by his very action, it seemed that even the PITCHER thought the play was live. Why else did he make the throw to the plate? It even seems the PU thought the play was live. Why else did the PU remove his mask, step to the side, and signal the runner safe? Only after reflection and some compelling negotiating on the part of the defensive coach was the PU convinced that he had failed to properly put the ball in play ... completely ignoring the fact that he almost NEVER properly puts the ball in play.
Oh well. It was a difficult situation. The head coach came to me for some technical advice and all I could tell him was that the ball is LIVE or DEAD at the whim of the PU. If he wants to retroactively declare the ball dead - as painful as it may be - he is completely within his rights to do so. Although objectionable ... it is completely unprotestable.