Straight from the case book

[bigwes68]

Had the ultimate "straight from the case book" play last night. I know something similar to this is on the test every single year.

Two out, bases loaded. B1 hits double to right field. R2 and R3 score, but R2 misses third base on his way to the plate. Def. coach tells the pitcher to appeal, he does so properly, and I call R2 out for missing the base for the third out. Neither run counts because it was a force play; i.e., the runner was forced from second to third and never touched the base, therefore the force was never removed.

I fully expected an argument, and I got one, and the coach was giving the absolute lamest reasons why it was not a force play, such as "The run already scored" and "The ball was hit to the outfield." I laughed at the guy.

As if that wasn't enough -- later in the game, a kid from the same team gets to the plate, gets a 2-0 count on him, calls time to talk to his coach and then runs off the field. We're all standing there confused, and my partner (who is PU, but has no experience whatsoever calling baseball at any level) asks what the deal is. The coach said that the player had to go to the bathroom. I get a little ticked, because I've never in my life seen a game delayed for close to 5 minutes so a kid can go pee.

Our league has no dignity left. It makes me wonder why I even go to the trouble to put on a uniform to umpire. I used to think that wearing a full uniform got me some respect; now I realize that it just makes them resent me because the coaches know that I know more than they do, and they can't talk me into making a call that benefits them. Might as well go with the wife-beater, blue jeans and mullet look of all the other idiots that call ballgames in this league.

[Baseball_North]

That's rediculous.

I would have asked for a substitution for the pisser.

[FVB58]

Toss him for "travesty of the game", Rule 10, whatever. Toss the coach too.

[DG]

6.02(c). Direct the pitcher to pitch and on each pitch call a strike. After the first strike the coach may figure out what is happening and call time to substitute for him. If no, then three pitches later and we move on to the next batter, with an out recorded. No reason to toss him for having to pee.

[greymule]

I have some experience in this area. Once in a 12-and-under girls' rec softball game, in the very first game of a newly founded league, a batter got into the box, raised her hand, and said to me, "I have to go to the bathroom."

Being a wise and seasoned umpire, I told her that she had to wait until she finished her turn at bat. She said, "OK," and play proceeded without incident.

[WindyCityBlue]

DG,
I assume that since it was "right from the case book" that this is a High School game played under Fed rules.

When the player delays the game, you can charge a strike for every twenty seconds he is doing so - BUT - you need not direct the pitcher to actually throw the ball. Since there is no batter, it makes no sense to have him pitch the ball.
I know some will argue, but I saw a kid do something last year that will make my case. I was the base ump and my partner called a strike on the batter. The batter did not like it and stood onteh plate staring down. He never said a word. My partner asked him to get back in the box. He didn't move. He told him that if he did not get back in the box and get ready to hit, he would ring up a strike for delay of the game. He never moved. His coach yelled for him to move but couldn't talk to him because he had already used his offensive time out; the fans got on him, his teammates got on him. Another strike was called and he was rung up. His coach came down the line and asked him what was going on. He replied that the first pitch was "three balls outside". His coach looked at my partner and said that he couldn't be out because the pitcher didn't throw the pitches. My partner asked if he wanted the pitcher to hit his batter in the back or head. Both said something that got them tossed and the game disintegrated. We left the field only to find the Baseball Director for our state standing there. He said that he saw the whole thing and complimented us on controlling the situation. He agreed, don't penalize the pitcher by making him throw (even light tosses) when the opponent is at fault. Discretion is the name of the game.

[DG]

Originally posted by WindyCityBlue
DG,
I assume that since it was "right from the case book" that this is a High School game played under Fed rules.

When the player delays the game, you can charge a strike for every twenty seconds he is doing so - BUT - you need not direct the pitcher to actually throw the ball. Since there is no batter, it makes no sense to have him pitch the ball.
I know some will argue, but I saw a kid do something last year that will make my case. I was the base ump and my partner called a strike on the batter. The batter did not like it and stood onteh plate staring down. He never said a word. My partner asked him to get back in the box. He didn't move. He told him that if he did not get back in the box and get ready to hit, he would ring up a strike for delay of the game. He never moved. His coach yelled for him to move but couldn't talk to him because he had already used his offensive time out; the fans got on him, his teammates got on him. Another strike was called and he was rung up. His coach came down the line and asked him what was going on. He replied that the first pitch was "three balls outside". His coach looked at my partner and said that he couldn't be out because the pitcher didn't throw the pitches. My partner asked if he wanted the pitcher to hit his batter in the back or head. Both said something that got them tossed and the game disintegrated. We left the field only to find the Baseball Director for our state standing there. He said that he saw the whole thing and complimented us on controlling the situation. He agreed, don't penalize the pitcher by making him throw (even light tosses) when the opponent is at fault. Discretion is the name of the game.

The "right from the case book" play was about a runner missing a base. The later issue was about a kid who had to pee. This was what I commented on, and I did not assume HS rules, I quoted 6.02(c) from OBR. While there is an official case book for HS, there are numerous books for OBR rules that could be considered case books, so I did not take the case book reference literally to apply only to HS rules.

In the case you mention where the batter stood on the plate, in HS you could just count to 20 and call a strike after each 20 count, but in OBR, the pitcher is supposed to pitch. In theory, the pitcher could pitch to the batter without hitting him and I would still call strikes, per rule. Theory and reality are two different things so I think I would just invoke 9.01(c) and call him out as if the pitcher had pitched. I am sure some of my compadres would happily eject him, but please invoke 9.01(c) first, call him out and then eject him.

[LDUB]

Originally posted by DG
In theory, the pitcher could pitch to the batter without hitting him and I would still call strikes, per rule.

I think it would not matter if the batter was hit with the ball, unless it was intentional. Think about it, batter gets hit, ball is dead. If the batter gets hit by a pitch in the strike zone, then it is a strike. In this case the strike zone is where ever the pitch is. Therefore I think it would be a dead ball strike.

[DG]

Originally posted by LDUB

I think it would not matter if the batter was hit with the ball, unless it was intentional. Think about it, batter gets hit, ball is dead. If the batter gets hit by a pitch in the strike zone, then it is a strike. In this case the strike zone is where ever the pitch is. Therefore I think it would be a dead ball strike.

I thought of two ways to throw the pitches and actually had it posted, but then edited my post when I realized that throwing a strike while the batter is standing on the plate would be intentionally throwing at a batter, ie not legal. The other way is to throw the ball into the other box, like an intentional walk, but I call strikes by rule. But I think this is an excellent 9.02(c) situation and it will save time and not risk injury if I just call him out for delay of game, and being stupid.

[bigwes68]

I did everything I could do, except walk off the field and tell them what a piece of crap their league was. The plate umpire (who is a crackhead and an alcoholic, literally) didn't know better, and then when I tried to tell them what the rule was, the coach comes up to me and says, "You've got to understand, these are 9- and 10-year-old kids."

I DON'T CARE! When I was 9 or 10 years old, I think I could hold my bladder for long enough to finish a time at bat.

And so I got overruled by a crackhead, a coach that doesn't know his a$$ from a hole in the ground (but of course thinks he knows everything), and a 10-year-old kid that couldn't hold it.

As for asking for a substitution for the pisser, the team only had nine players. Oh yeah, the other team only had 8.

If I try to call something a "travesty of the game" in this backwards, piece of crap, redneck, po-dunk county I live in, I get told "But this is the way we've always done it" or "You don't know how to deal with kids." Bullcrap. I'm sick of it. I'll tell you what is a travesty of the game -- this whole friggin' league!

[DG]

Time to quit and go fishing..

[TBBlue]

Bigwes, With all due respect for your situation, I have to agree with DG. It's time to step away from this situation. Get your degree, move somewhere that you want to go, and start over. Based on your posts, the league and community has soured your attitude, and you are doing yourself a disservice. If possible, maybe even look into transferring to another school somewhere, and finish your degree elsewhere. JMHO...good luck.

[ecurebel]

i am actually with don on this one...if the batter fails to achieve his rightful position in the box i will call a strike every twenty seconds he fails to do. he is the one making the mockery of the game for having to use the restroom at his time at bat..

it would be up to the coach to sub or something inorder to safe the pissers time at bat