Appeals

Jim Krueger · #1 (**permalink**) Tue Mar 08, 2005, 12:03pm

Can you imagine what other sports would be like if they had used the appeal play?
A running back comes around the end and busts a long TD run. He stepped out of bounds at the 45 but the ref doesn't call it unless the coaching staff appeals.
A basketball player dbl dribbls or travels as he drive for the game winning shot but nothing is called unless the other team catches it.
I'm sure we could come up with many more examples, but I guess my question is why does baseball require the coach or players to see an infraction before we can call it. If a runner misses a base or leave a base to early we have to see it to make the call. Why should any one else have to see it?
The FED took out the appeal a few years ago and then reinstated it again. Why?
I look forward to your responses.

bob jenkins · #2 (**permalink**) Tue Mar 08, 2005, 12:24pm

1) In the other sports, the infraction is called immediately. We can't (by tradition) do that in baseball -- a runner is allowed a certain time to correct his mistakes.

2) Thus, having the umpire calling the infraction "after the fact" puts the umpire into the play when it's not expected.

3) It's inconsistent with other rules codes. There's enough of that already in FED.

4) Having lived through both, I prefer requiring the defense to make an appeal.

Jim Krueger · #3 (**permalink**) Tue Mar 08, 2005, 01:20pm

I'll buy the fact that we can not make an immediate call as the runner does have a chance to correct his error, but after the ball is dead the infraction should not disappear just because a coach or player didn't see it. How do you respond to some one when asked " why should the team have to do your job?"

MrUmpire · #4 (**permalink**) Tue Mar 08, 2005, 01:37pm

Quote:

Originally posted by Jim Krueger
I'll buy the fact that we can not make an immediate call as the runner does have a chance to correct his error, but after the ball is dead the infraction should not disappear just because a coach or player didn't see it. How do you respond to some one when asked " why should the team have to do your job?"

They are not doing my job. They are doing their job. This is just one area where the rulesmakers expect the players to know what is going on in the game and have given them the responsibility to get the out. Baseball is not for dummies. After all, this isn't soccer.