[QUOTE=PeteBooth;623442]
Quote:
David watch again. I bet we could fill this Forum with CONCRETE examples of a manager heading to the mound way before B1 reaches first base. This is accepted practice at the major league level.
How many times have you watched Joe Torre motioning for the great Rivera when the previous F1 walked the batter. The batter no sooner tosses his bat down and out comes Torre motioning for MO and it's not just Torre.
Back in the day you had guys really doctoring the baseball like Gaylord Perry. Since MLB is a billion dollar industry, they can afford new baseballs. Also, look at the REAL picture. Whenever an outfielder makes a catch for the third out it's commonplace for him to simply toss the ball in the stands.
Same is true for the ball Boys/Girls on the first/ third base side. They also toss balls into the stands etc.
FWIW you cannot compare what is done or accepted in MLB to what we do. Heck I bet most of us umpired games where we only had 1 / 2 baseballs left (scuffed or not) and if they were lost we were down to the "real scraps" that's the world of amateur baseball NOT even close to MLB.
Pete Booth
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First of all, I agree that it is common for managers to exit the dugout
before the batter reaches first but I disagree that they are actually on the field (i.e. crosses the foul line) before the BR reaches first - not even Joe Torre.
This thread has taken many twists. I do not pretend to suggest that what is done at the MLB level should always apply to amateur levels, and vice versa.
Two simple points:
1) I just expressed the opinion that I find it mildly annoying and anal as to how the ball-switching occurs so frequently at the MLB level, and
2) I found it mildly curious how there seems to be no concern that this switching occurs during a live ball situation where a runner is advancing.
I understand the explanations. I understand the unlikelihood that the BR is going to advance to 2nd.
Bob Jenkins thought it was analogous to runners "returning" after a foul ball. I don't think that is
completely analogous because those runners are clearly
not advancing whereas the BR is most
definitely advancing. Yet, I see his point, and it's probably a good one.
Personally, while a BR is trotting down to 1st I would prefer to see the catcher throw the ball back to the pitcher -or- at least
ask for a new ball -or-
wait for me to hand him a new ball. Just as I do not honor a request for time by a relay man in the outfield, even though the runners have apparently stopped advancing. At least get the ball out of the
outfield and into the infield before you start asking me to kill the play. Just like I do not honor an
immediate request for time
every time a runner returns to a base after a pickoff attempt unless, of course, we have one of those obnoxious fielders who will never take their glove off the runner. I say, throw the ball back to the pitcher and get up - all while the ball is
live. Now, if they have a belt full of dirt, that's a different matter.