Odd Scenarios - Stump the Ump

[johnnyg08]

I'm going to post some plays that I received in an email from a non-umpire asking for my OBR interpretations. I have answered all of them to the best of my ability, but I want to run them by those of you who choose to participate to see if I missed anything.

Ground rules: Yep, some of what you will read are indeed third world and even next to impossible scenarios. Please answer them regardless of how rare it might be. Also, it's very obvious that the questions are coming from a non-umpire so let's be respectful of that and work through it as though you're talking to a non-umpire about a play that they saw last weekend. If you're making assumptions, state that in your responses. Let's try to have a little fun with these.

Use OBR references.

Okay, here we go:

Problem 1:
With one out R2 and R1, B3 hits an over-the-fence home run. As B3 comes to the plate the runners turn to congratulate B3 after they both advance to home plate. R2 touches home plate, R1 misses it.

Then, they both wait between home and third to congratulate B3.

After B3 has crossed the plate, the defensive team legally and properly appeals that R1 is out for not touching home. The umpire agrees and calls R1 out.

The defensive team then appeals again claiming that since B3 passed a live runner (B), B3 is also out. The umpire does not grant that appeal.
The questions are:

1) Should the umpire have called the B3 out as soon as he passed R1? Had he done so, could R1 still have touched home plate?
2) Should the umpire have awarded double play as the defensive team claimed?

Problem 2

Team A brings only nine players to the game and trails 6-3.

In the top of the ninth B4 is called out on strikes and argues, with the umpire and is ejected from the game. The team rallies scoring four runs and leads with 7-6 with two out. That brings up the spot held by B4 who has been ejected. The umpire rules the inning is over.

After the first pitch in the bottom of the ninth inning, the manager of Team B comes to the umpire and asked for a forfeit as Team A has only eight players on the field.

The questions are:

1) Is the manager from Team B correct saying the Team A has to forfeit because it has only eight players.

2) If a team needs to put nine players on the field, should the umpire have declared the game forfeit when the Team A finished its at bat?

Problem 3

Bottom of the 9th, two out, the home team trails by one run but has R3 and R2.

B5 grounds a ball to the infield, but the throw to first base is not cleanly handled by the first baseman. Because of the position of the players, the umpire’s view is blocked and B5 is ruled out. The defensive team thinks the game is over and comes off the field. The batter and first base coach, also thinking the game is over, go to their dugout.

The third base coach, however, saw the misplay and has keeps waving the runners around and both score.

1) Did the home team win because the runners and batter crossed home plate?

2) Was the game over when the umpire ruled the batter out (even though it was the incorrect call and it is obvious the defense did not control the ball?

3) Did the missed call create a weird situation because it led players to believe the game was over? Should play resume with the B5 at first, the R2, now R3, at third and a tied game?

4) Would the inning be ended with tie score because R3 scored, but B5 walked into the dugout during a live play?

Problem 4

The visiting team is batting with one out, the bases are loaded and the visitors are down one run in the top of the ninth inning. With a suicide squeeze on, B5 misses the sign and hits one a into the deepest part of the park. Everybody is running, but the outfielder catches the ball, turns around and throws to the second baseman who relays to first. The first baseman misses the throw. R1 tags up, but is thrown out trying to reach second base. In the meantime R3 and R2 have scored neither R3 or R2 returned to their respective bases to retouch.

As it is third out the visitors celebrate taking a 4-3 lead.

The pitcher throws to F4 who is standing on 2B to appeal R2 for failure to retouch. Upon proper appeal, R2 is ruled out.

F4 then throws the ball to F5 who is standing on 3B to appeal R3’s failure to retouch.

R3 is then ruled out.

Now the home team celebrates winning the game.

1) Even though R3 was called out on a double play, do the runs by Runner A and B count?

2) Is the process outlined needed to nullify those two runs (because the runners did not tag)?

3) Had the pitcher gone to third first, would the need to appeal at second still exist?

4) Does that constitute five outs in an inning?

Problem 5

B9 and the home team is batting with R2, R1 and one out. B5 hits ball to the mid right field, that lands just barely fair. R2 makes the turn at third and heads for home. R1 stops at third. B5 thinking he has triple slides into third base. R2 meanwhile has decided he might not get home and turns back to go to third.

The ball comes to the third baseman, at which point R2 races to home plate. He crosses the home with no attempt to tag him.

F5 instead tags R1 and B5, who are both standing on third base. Then he rolls the ball to the mound thinking that he completed a double play and the half inning is over. R2 scored before R1 or B5 were tagged while standing on third base.

R1, when he saw no one pick up the ball races home and claims to have scored the winning run.

Questions are:

1) Was the third baseman right in claiming both R1 and B5 are out because (until R2 touche home plate) entitled to that base first?

2) Is R1 correct in assuming that because R2 was not physically on third base, there were only two people on base and therefore only one runner is ruled out on the tag (that being the trailing runner) no matter who is tagged?

3) Would the runs count because R2 scored before anyone was tagged out and R2 scored because after the tag out there were only two out and play was still live?

[bob jenkins]

1) One out only on the appeal.

2) The umpire is wrong to "declare the inning over" when B4's spot comes up. The game should have been forfeited then (OBR).

3) Make it right -- score 1 run and advance BR and R2.

4) No run scores. HAd R3 been appealed first there's no need to appeal R2.

5) BR is the only one out, and the rest of the play stands.

[johnnyg08]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

1) One out only on the appeal.

2) The umpire is wrong to "declare the inning over" when B4's spot comes up. The game should have been forfeited then (OBR).

3) Make it right -- score 1 run and advance BR and R2.

4) No run scores. HAd R3 been appealed first there's no need to appeal R2.

5) BR is the only one out, and the rest of the play stands.

Thanks for chiming in Bob!

[CoachPaul]

Problem 1
1) no, irrelevant
2) no

Problem 2
An MLB team would never bring just nine, so I'll make the assumption that this is a youth game. If this is a youth game, many leagues allow for starting with 9 or more and finishing with fewer than 9. In those cases, the batter is out when his time comes. The team does not automatically forfeit at the youth level.
If we are assuming the entire MLB roster ate at Chipotle's before heading over to the stadium and only those lucky 8 remain to play...
1) OBR does not allow for playing with fewer than 9-- that I can find.
2) I'm thinking the game should have been forfeited at the moment of the ejection. The roster submitted before the game would have only had 9 names on it. No way to continue. IF the team were smart they would have signed a bullpen catcher or two to one day contracts for $1 and added them to the roster for such a contingency.

Problem 3
1) Unless the umpires get together and reverse the call, the game is over.

2) It would have had to be obvious to one of the umpires to initiate the reversal.

3) It was weird. I would have plated R3 and advanced R2 to third and put the BR on first with two out.

4) No, once you have confusion, you just try to set it as right as possible--assuming the original 3rd out call is reversed.

Problem 4
Had the runners retouched, their runs would have counted because it was a timing play due to the 3rd out not being recorded by a force or before the BR reached 1st base.
Had the defense not appealed, the visitors would have won. With the appeal, the home team preserves the victory by recording the virtual 4th out on R3. On a play like that, the home team would ALWAYS appeal--even if they didn't know for sure if R3 retouched (just in case).

Problem 5

R2 legally scores. R1 has rights to 3rd base and is safe when tagged and the BR (aka B9/B5) would be out when tagged since he has no claim to 3rd base. Two outs and we play on.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by CoachPaul

2) I'm thinking the game should have been forfeited at the moment of the ejection. The roster submitted before the game would have only had 9 names on it. No way to continue. IF the team were smart they would have signed a bullpen catcher or two to one day contracts for $1 and added them to the roster for such a contingency.

Under OBR, you have to "field" 9 players -- so until they go on defense (or the spot comes up in the order), they can play.

Under NCAA -- you have to have 9 players. Immediate forfeit.