Stump the ump
 

R1, R2, R3 - 1 Out - inning of your choice. Batter swings hard for strike 2. Batter's helmet comes off and falls in front of catcher. F2 mishandles the pitch and it falls in the dirt just out of F2's reach. BRs do not attempt to advance. F2 picks up the batters helmet, and uses it to drag the ball back within F2's reach. F2 then returns ball the F1.

Any violations?
(I didn't not witness the event - I made it up on my own.)

Nope.

Don't trouble trouble. This is a whole lot of nothing. No advantage was gained.

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Not the right criteria.

OBR, I have this as either being a one-base award for touching a pitched ball with detached equipment, or nothing if we take the letter of the rule that states it has to be his own equipment.

FED, I have a two-base award.

My response was not the one I would use on a test. This is not only a sasquatch question, but the penalty is so far beyond the spirit of the rule, I wouldn't consider applying a penalty unless the runner from third would have had a chance to score.

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Doesn't matter. Detached equipment is not an advantage/disadvantage rule. The penalty must always be applied.

Im simply saying I would pass on this one. The levels where thus could possibly happen are games that are subvarsity or below. NO quality catcher would actually use a batting helmet to drag a ball towards him. It doesnt make sense.

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If it's a subvarsity game, so more the reason to enforce it.

The rule states if it is a fair batted or thrown ball including a pitch. The rules also state when a pitch ends. Once the ball came to rest, which is the way I see it in the OP, the pitch ended.

Let's not forget we have a batter without a helmet on. Once there was no play being made, I'm killing it.

A. It's still a pitched ball.

B. You're killing it with the ball in no one's possession?

A. No, it was a pitched ball until it came to rest. There are 6 others I believe.

B. Yes. No different than a pitch coming in and the catcher takes one off the arm protecting you. No one moving, I'm killing it. I'm dusting off the plate taking another ball to the pitcher.

Are you saying you can't kill a play unless someone has possession of it?

I wonder if the rules makers ever played the game!? Same for officials who administer the rules. Maybe another thread coming! Nah! Already know the answer!

Wrong on both A and B, and your implied insult.

It was no longer a pitch, but it was still a pitched ball. Otherwise, under FED (which might be the only rules code to really make a distinction) you'll get some weird interps (and even FED might not be consistent in their use of it).

Sorry if you took it personally, I was not directing the comment to any one specifically. I have read a lot of your input on here and other forums and respect your opinion greatly.

I thought we were talking FED and just don't see how we cannot just kill it, by rule, when action is relaxed.

Let me ask you this. If your catcher blocks one in the dirt keeping the ball in front of him, he removes his helmet while looking at the runner/s who are not moving, slides the ball toward him or picks it up using his helmet/mask, you are going to award bases?

Absolutely. Even got this one at the college level once.

Personally, I'm going to call time at this point and check the ball -- before the catcher does what you describe here.

If I have to award bases on detached player equipment, I will, but if I can avoid it (like in this situation), you're damned right I will.

Unless you're a mindreader, why would you check the ball? I'm assuming you don't do it on all balls in the dirt. I think you're looking retroactively at the situation and applying a proactive remedy that you just won't have at the time it would need to be applied.

If I see F2 start his mask towards it....

I'm cringing. We're in bail-out-stupidity territory here.

I'm just thinking back to the one we had in that college game...had we done that, it would have been at least one ejection (and with that coach, him protesting that we killed the ball improperly.) And he would have been totally justified and correct.

I can stop play whenever action is relaxed.

After 30 years at all amateur levels, I don't feel the need to show everyone how smart I am.

That's not the point. I have a similar (if not better) resume. I would get hammered if I did this, because play isn't relaxed.

What about this is unrelaxed? The runners aren't moving and the ball is laying in front of the catcher.

And what is the catcher doing?

Not a thing before I call time.