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Originally Posted by MNBlue
This may or may not be true - but I think it is irrelevant to the conversaton.
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It IS relevant to the conversation as the elimination of the rule WOULD make this thread and subsequent discussion obsolete.
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It IS a rule right now. It IS expected to be enforced.
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We enforce the rules in place. I'm pretty sure I've got that one down after 43 years of umpiring.
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It IS used by players and coaches that understand it.
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As noted by people other than myself, this rule was not meant to be "used" by anyone other than the umpire.
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Would it make a lot more people happy to do away with the rule - maybe. But if so, why havn't ANY of the rule makers for any of the organizations done so?
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Maybe for the same reason that until a couple years ago, the rules did not allow a batter to attempt to advance to 1B on an U3K with two outs and 1B unoccupied.
Maybe for the same reason that ASA rules do not address a fair batted ball which lands (hits the ground) and deflects off a fielder and leaves play in fair territory.
People are apathetic and often just accept the status quo whether it makes sense or not.
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Until the rule is done away with, we obviously have to enforce it. And keeping the ball alive and not turning our heads on the ball and players is how we have to do it.
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The ball is "live", not alive. But because of this rule, nothing can happen. Runners cannot leave the base, so there is no reason to throw the ball, the ball cannot be pitched or hit, so what is so "live" about the ball other than to get umpires to argue over who said what about who is watching whom first and whether "backing" into position is acceptable at any level of the game!
