Quote:
Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA
The idea of the rule is to protect the player, not a gotcha or free out. ASA instructs their umpire directly from the rule to use discretion as to the intent of player safety.
If there is no play being made anywhere, I'm not worried about it. If the defense does begin to make a play by throwing the ball, then yes, I will enforce the rule and call the player out.
In the OP, this was believed to be the final out of that half-inning, so I'm guessing the ball is on the ground the most of the defense is in or near their dugout, unless the OP tells me differently.
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I agree with that. This is one of the few rules that has the "intent" built into it. No doubt because umpires were making egregious calls on the field. I saw an umpire call a batter out on an over-the-fence homerun. She took it off and flipped it up in the air right before she hit home plate. Ridiculous.