Wed Jul 02, 2003, 09:13am
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Official Forum Member
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Join Date: Aug 1999
Posts: 18,130
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Quote:
Originally posted by Bfair
Quote:
Originally posted by Ump180
I know that the answer is simple, but I can't seem to get a consensious:
Runner on second and third, outs don't matter. Grounder to short, fields clean and throws wide of first. F1 nocks the ball down, rolling (but not going to go out of play) 1st base coach (a) in box or (b) out of box kicks the ball out of play.
Who advances/is called out? Basiclly, what does the umpire do? (FYI: when this actually happend, the umps missed the kick so played is as if the ball went in off the throw)
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The primary issue that must be judged here is whether you felt the ball was kicked unintentionally or intentionally.
If judged that the kick was unintentional while a coach was attempting to vacate the area needed by the player(s) to retrieve the ball, then there is no interferference. Since you state the ball was not going to DBT of its own impetus from the throw, you would award the runners 2 bases from base occupied at TOI. If the ball would have gone to DBT of its own impetus despite the kick, then the kick is a mere deflection that would result in a 2 base award from TOP.
If the kick by the coach is judged as intentional, then you should kill the play and declare out the runner most likely to be played upon. In your scenario, that could either be the BR or perhaps R2 advancing to the plate. If in doubt as to which runner would have been played upon, I'd declare out the runner closest to the plate, and return any other runner(s) to base occupied at TOI.
The location of the coach in or out of his box is of no relevance. Still, if in doubt as to whether the act is intentional or unintentional, I never provide the offending team the benefit of the doubt. Yet if the coach had proven to me through his efforts to avoid being hit that he was truly attempting to avoid the action, I'd consider the kick as unintentional.
Just my opinion,
Freix
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Agreed, and I'll add that in NCAA, a "kick" by the coach is always considered intentional. I'd not be surprised if there isn't some similar "instruction" to umpires under OBR that's similar.
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