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I read a few weeks ago about guys writing down info on their games. While I have never kept a journal, I wanted to share some things that I had in a series this past weekend.

Fri: worked 3rd and had two chances to go out from the middle and a chance to come inside when U1 went out.

Sat 1st Game: worked 1st and got a few check swings for strikes, but nothing really.

Sat 2nd Game: I did something to upset the baseball Gods because I had every rule under the sun. I had a tag-up appeal at 3rd where I outted the guy for leaving early. The 3rd base coach was upset with the call and this is how he tried to argue it; “why would he leave early, the ball was deep and there was no reason to leave early.” I told him I agreed 100% and maybe he should talk to him about it. Then I had backswing interference on strike three, and with a steal, and they couldn’t understand why the BR was still out and the runner had to return. Then I had a Batter’s interference in the bottom of the 6th where the runner was safe and I outted the batter, then again in the bottom of the 7th where the runner was thrown out and we kept the batter at the plate. I got questioned on in the first time and had the dugout erupt the second time. My partner dumped the third base coach after I warned him not to leave his position to argue, he was an assistant, and after I warned him he turned around so I couldn’t see or hear him and mother ****ed me. The head coach tried to tell me there had to be contact and the batter never left the batter’s box. I told him “Now you’re just making things up. You have a video right behind the plate and I suggest you watch it tonight, because the first guy made it to the other batter’s box and the second guy was standing on the plate.” I then informed him not only does there not have to be contact, but the catcher doesn’t even have to throw the ball. In the bottom of the 8th I had obstruction by the catcher at the plate, the old type A, and was happy I didn’t call time and kill it. Then I had the batter that K’ed looking to end the 8th start crap and a 1st base coach hurry down and kick his *** to the dugout before he said anything stupid. He told the kid “If you’re gonna take cock shots in the 8th with runners at 2nd and 3rd then you might not be on the field much longer.” That made me smile.

Sun: Worked 3rd and had an appeal for a guy not retouching 2nd on his way back to 1st that I safed. When the head coach came out to ask about it, I told him the he kicked the inside of the bag with his right foot, Crixy, thanks for teaching me that one in the SL. I later had a ground ball right back up the middle that was gloved diving behind the bag at second and F6 threw to 2nd from his back on the ground. I heard it gloved by F5 saw his hand coming up and the ball headed to the ground, due to the angle, I couldn’t see a thing even though I never got set and was swinging hard to get a look, so I did what any decent umpire would do, I outted the guy and sold the hell out of the transfer. I ended up getting the crew together and getting help after being asked, and we flipped the call. I did not leave the crew conference and signal safe, I instead went to the dugout of the team that it would be going against and called the HC out to tell him what we had, he didn’t like it, but didn’t charge me, because I took the explanation to him, Denny and Felt, thanks for that tid bit. The rest of the game was a breeze and we finished up at the local pop shop and I bought a round for the guy that dumped the base coach the day before for having my back.

BTW, I did a game yesterday and had batter’s interference once against each team. These guys need to learn how to cover better.

Please define "backswing interference" for me. You don't mean that the batter swung hard and his follow through hit the catcher do you?

Yes, the batter swung hard through and knocked the caught third strike out of the catcher's glove. Batter is out and no runners may advance.

Just that it isn't considered interference. The only reason the batter was called out is because it was the third strike. True, the ball is dead and no runners may advance, but it isn't called interference. Rule 6.06(c), Case Book comments, 3rd paragraph.

The way I learned it, pro ball and NAPBL blue book, it is referred to as Backswing interference. The batter is only out if it is the third strike, but not otherwise. No runners may advance, but it is a delayed dead ball and the catcher can still have the opportunity to retire the runner. And NCAA 6-2-d refers to it as well.

I am glad we would rule it the same we just call it something different.

Durham,

I'm sure you are right that you call it Backswing Interference, since you are the one who is working the level you do.

This is what my copy of the NAPBL says:

If a batter strikes at a ball and misses and swings so hard that he carries the bat all the way around and, in the umpire's judgment, unintentionally hits the catcher or the ball in back of him on the backswing (i.e., the follow-through), it shall be called a strike only (no interference). The ball will be dead, however; and no runner shall advance on the play.

If this infraction should occur in a situation where the catcher's initial throw directly retires a runner despite the infraction, the play stands the same as if no violation had occurred. If this infraction should occur in a situation where the batter would normally become a runner because of a third strike not caught, the ball shall be dead and the batter declared out.

The proper mechanic is for the plate umpire to call, "Backswing hit the catcher!" as soon as the violation occurs (while pointing at the infraction), and then to call "Time" as the play dictates.

After the play is over; the umpire should then turn toward the press box and announce and signal that such infraction has occurred-the same as he should do with any unusual play-in order that the ruling be made as clear as possible.

Steve,

Mine is a few years old, but it has a heading that is bold and says, Backswing Interference, but the text is the same as yours. Its kind of like we call it catcher's interference, when it really is obstruction, its just words. As long as we enforce it all the same then we keep the baseball gods happy. ;)

Your right, I was just picking nits anyway.
http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/18/18_7_23.gif

I have never seen this technique at any level. Please explain your logic.

Any of the old dogs, ie Tee, HHH, MByron, Papa C, etc you guys have opinions on this?

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I think I explained it in the statement that you pulled out. I learned it on a night in Lakewood, NJ where they have a strange cinder block wall in the out-field alleys. Above the fence in straight away center there is an area of wall that extends above the fence that the ball must clear to be a HR, but in the alleys the fence angles back away from the fence and if it gets hit it is a HR. I was working 1st with no one on and the ball was hit to the left field alley. I did not pivot, I did not take my eyes off of the ball, you guys talked about that one a little bit ago, and I watched the ball hit the angled part of the wall, which meant HR, and come back onto the field. My partner signaled that the ball was down and no HR, the B/R, Ryan Church, ended up being thrown out at 3rd once the Left fielder figured out that we had not called it a HR.

The visiting manager came out on my partner and got him to ask for help. My partner said he didn’t see where the ball hit and I told him what I saw. He came up immediately with a HR mechanic and we then came up with 3 ejection mechanics. We had an evaluator in the stands and he told us how we might have handled it differently, and I have been told that that is a preferred method by PBUC now.

Take the USA-Japan incident, if Bob after talking to BK, had gone over to the Japan dugout and explained the situation before reversing the call, we would all probably be talking about how well the situation was handled. It wouldn’t have been a big deal, because the Japan manager would have been calm and understood what was going on. The way it was done in my situation in NJ, and the USA game has the manager coming out mad and ready to fight, and there is nothing wrong with that, but if you can get him to come out and listen and understand what you are doing, it works out a little better, with no ejections, and you look like you are approachable and can handle your stuff. Just something that was taught to me that I would always use, if I can.