[greymule]

On Sunday, I umpired a double-header for a men's modified pitch league I had never done before. Before the game, I asked if they had any special rules. They did:

1. Only a runner on 3B can tag up and advance on a fly ball. Other runners cannot advance on a caught fly of any kind. Even if they do tag up "properly," if they leave the base they can be put out on appeal. After a caught fly with runners on 2B and 1B, the outfielder can throw the ball into the stands but still no one can advance.

2. Runners can leave on the release, but it's a "force" out if after the pitch the catcher throws to the base and the runner is not back.

3. Runners get one base if an infielder throws the ball away, two bases if an outfielder throws the ball away. (How this would work exactly, I don't know, but it didn't come up.)

4. As long as the pitcher doesn't windmill, he can apparently do anything except throw sidearm (and some of them threw with FP speed).

Also had my very first instance of a coach running in what appeared to be an attempt to draw a throw. Runners on 3B and 2B, 1 out, ground ball to F4, who threw to 1B for the second out. Runner on 3B scored, runner on 2B went to 3B and stopped. Then the 3B coach ran home and touched the plate, drawing the attention of the defense. But since the runner on 3B didn't move (no possible play on him) and since there was no actual throw, I let it go with a warning. Looked through the book later to see whether there was any way I could have called an out, but I don't think there was. Too bad.