Tough call at 1st...Say Goodbye to another Asst. Coach

[cbfoulds]

Originally Posted by irefky

My brother had this play this week.

BR hit ball in to deep short, F3 is prepared to take throw and BR steps on F3's foot then the ball gets to F3. My brother calls BR safe. He knows BR did not touch the base but would have if F3 did not have his foot on top of the base.

However, F3 screams at his coach and tells him what happened. The HC appeals to PU, not the Bu and the PU calls BR out. Well, BR's HC gets tossed as he argues the call.

As I told my brother, PU should not have appealed, that was BU to appeal to PU. Anyway, PU should have left things alone.

OK, I ....THINK..... I agree w/ irefky:
but would someone please tell me in what demented CalvinBall universe does a rat "appeal to ..." an umpire other than the one who actually made the call AND GET ANY RESPONSE AT ALL??

This happens to me, I'm not going to the visitors for the bus, I'm looking to borrow a bat.

[David Emerling]

On a pickoff play, the fielder almost NEVER puts his foot on the base. Hell, it's not like it's a force play.

If a runner comes in standing up when a throw BEATS him, and that runner places his foot on the fielder's foot (and the fielder's foot isn't even on the BAG!) ... the runner is out!

That's the expected call.

That is quite different when, on a force play, the runner beats the throw but the runner actually steps on F3's foot instead of the bag. Then I would agree with Rich's comments.

David Emerling
Memphis, TN

[David B]

Originally Posted by nickrego

Pick play at 1st, on at throw-down from the catcher.

F3 does a perfect job of blocking the front part of the bag with his foot as the throw is coming in (seeing a lot of more of this, this year).

F3 catches a high throw just before R1 comes back to the base (so he has the ball as he is blocking the base).

R1 comes in standing up, and puts his foot on top of F3's foot.

F3 applies the tag, while R1 is still in contact with his foot, and not the base.

R1's momentum takes him into F3, bumping him into foul territory. This causes F3's foot to slip out from under R1's foot. R1 is now standing on the base.

I call R1 OUT, and say F3 legally blocked him off the bag.

ASSistant coach at 1st goes ballistic. And tells the runner to stay put. I repeat that the runner is out, and start to head back to A. I see the manager coming out to talk, so I stop and wait for him. Blah, Blah, Blah. Then I tell him to get his, still griping, ASSistant coach under control.

I head back over to A, coach keeps nipping at my heals, so I dump him.

Replacement ASSistant coach comes out, and immediately starts talking to me. Asking why I dumped the other coach, what did he say. I told him that unless he wanted to join him, coach your base. He shuts up after saying, "OK, OK. It's cool we're all friends here." (yeah right)

After the game, as I am walking off the field with my partner, the head coach of the team (that lost by 8 runs, and was down 6 -1 at the time of the call) is telling me that my call cost him the game, and that is was a mistake that effected the game.

I just smiled and kept walking. My partner and I had a good laugh about it at the car.

I agree completely with what Rich said and would like to add that there is way too much talking to an assistant coach. His only reason to be on the field is to coach.

Thanks
David