Quote:
Originally Posted by chapmaja
One more play from today's JV masterpiece (in the category of comedy).
R1 on third, R2 on second, R3 on first. B4 hits a fly ball towards F8. F8 is in position to make the catch, so R1 and R2 stay on the base to tag up. R3 doesn't tag and reaches 2nd base as the ball hits the glove of F8 and drops to the ground. R3 then pushes R3 towards third base. She is thrown out on a force out at third base.
I think nothing of the play other than just one of those plays I've already seen too much today.
After the inning my partner and I are talking and he says I should have called the runner who was forced out at third out because she was pushed at second base by R3.
The only applicable rule I can find is 8-6-5, which prohibits assistance from an offensive team member other than another runner. Since R3 was another runner, and she never passed R2, I have nothing to call on this correct?
|
There is no rule preventing one runner from assisting another runner.
Maybe we just dedicate a bit more to training, but that is standard Base Runner 101 instruction for new umpires first time through rules 7 & 8.
As much as the umpires kicked the runner assistance rules in the college game a few years ago, they did what many umpires do when they publicly screw up, they provided instructors something to reference as to what to avoid and to encourage umpires to learn the rules so this doesn't happen to them.