This happened a while back and now I was wondering what is the correct call. Runner on second two outs base hit to center field and center fielder throws the ball in toward home catcher catches it and the runner tries to bull over the catcher. The catcher held onto the ball and he was called out. My coach came out and asked why isn't thrown out of the game for milicious contact? The umpire gave some dumb response. So my coaches next question was what happened if my player dropped the ball. The umpire would have called him safe.

Suggestions?

Punctuation! (Oops, there I go again....)

Gruberted,

What rule code do you play under? That is, are you playing under Major League Baseball Rules (aka OBR), High School Rules (aka FED), College Rules (aka NCAA), or something else? It may have some bearing on the answer.

JM

<B>"The umpire gave some dumb response."</B>

What was this dumb response?

If (In High School) it looks like malicious contact, call it.
Happenned to me yesterday. R3 gets picked off third. He makes break for plate. Guessin' hes pissed cause he got picked, he heads straight for F2 who now has the ball.
R3 lowers his head and goes in head first. In this head first slide, he doesnt throw his hands out, ala a dive, like most head firsts.
R3 tucks his arms into his body football style.
He goes up and into catcher, clearly going after the catcher, and not for the plate. Blasting now airborne F2 into the backstop.
F2 holds onto the ball, and I say..."Your out, and your OUT!."
Mgr comes out, but doesnt argue. Just wanted to know what happenned, and would his guy miss the next game, etc.
Malicious Contact" You Know It When You See It.

In FED if the MC happens before the runner touches the plate the runner is OUT and EJECTED (restricted to the dugout for duration of game in my state). If it happens after the runner touches the plate he is simply ejected and the run scores. So it does not matter whether the catcher holds onto the ball if MC was called. If it was not then it matters.