Between Innings The Rat Said...
 

"You guys don't know the rules! You missed that one....the batter's out!" After being encouraged to go home and spend some time reading the rules, he said, "I don't need to read the rules...I have coached for 10 years in New York."

At that point, I smiled and said, "there's your problem."

Situation:
OBR, R1, 2 outs, dropped third strike.

In the previous inning he had complained about an infield fly not being called with R1 only.

Now tell me guys, is that really how it works it New York? :confused:

I can't say for sure how it works in New York, but here in the armpit of the Midwest he would have been on his way to the Lazy Boy and Budweiser for the rest of the game. He certainly isn't going to stay after making those comments!


Tim.

I don't know. Let's ask the expert.....

Rich Ives, where are you?

There are a lot of folks in NY that are short on clues. Why would you think we're any different?

NY is pretty big and diverse. Any resemblance between NY City and where I live is strictly coincidental. Even within NYC, any resemblance between the South Bronx and Staten Island is coincidental.

NY is bigger than one usually thinks. It's over 500 miles from Montauk to Buffalo (using the shortcut through NJ&PA) and 400 miles from NYC to the Canadian border north of Plattsburgh.

Last I checked an infield fly can only be called with runners on first and second or bases loaded and less than two outs (and I ump in NY). Although occassionally the coaches try for a variation or two.

Ed H

ah, so the state of NY doesnt allow for bases loaded - less than two out infield flys. you crazy new yorkers...

Hey out here in California , last night I had a coach ask for the infield fly on a pop up in front of the dug out , clearly in foul territory. He had the situation right (Runners 1 & 2 with less than two outs) but the location wrong. I just shook my head and said "your just testing me, right coach?"

Steve

Sunny CA

Out here in the dismally overcast, chilly and damp Midwest, I had an umpire call an Infield Fly with runners (only) on 2nd & 3rd last week. Unfortunately, the fielder caught the pop-up & the runners stayed on their bases, so it wasn't nearly as much fun as it might have been.

JM

Oh, God is that embarrassing. I did the same thing a few weeks ago, working alone, naturally. There was a passed ball the pitch before and the runners both moved up. Next pitch was popped up to shortstop, there I go with "Infield Fly, batter's out." As soon as it escaped my mouth, I realized what I had done, looked for the big hole to crawl into, and not finding one just stood there hoping for the best. Fortunately it was caught and the runners stayed on their bases, so it wasn't nearly as much fun for the local rats as JM would want it to be. Everyone still managed a little chuckle. I played it off and laughed with them.

Guys, the coach was right. It was an "infield fly", just not an out!!! Maybe we should be yelling.. "infield fly batter is not out until caught"???

Last season I had a coach ask me to get help from my partner after I called a strike on a check swing. And believe it or not, a coach actually tried to tell me that the hands were part of the bat... Can you believe it??

Bob P.

This is why we signal each other that IFF is in effect. I've made the occasional mistake of signaling IFF is on when it wasn't. Partner's quick swipe of the arm (IFF is off signal) told me I was in outer space, and prevented the possibility of the sitch above.

Mcrowder, poor Steve was working alone, by his lonesome. That happened a lot this season, with all our rain-out makeup games here in sunny California.

While working solo, signals are superflous. I have asked for help from my "partner" on occasion, just for giggles.

Bob P.

You do that too? I do it on check swings when they from reflex say "ask for help." I say to Harvey the Rabbitt, "did he go?......."no, he didn't go!"

I work with Harvey on all but tournament games, when we go to 2-man.

Steve,

The real fun is when I work a 4 man all by myself. "They're coming to take me away....haha...hehe"...

Bob (Straightjacket Blue) P

Yes, I can....
Varsity game a couple years back, we are getting continuous static from the visitors dugout. V'sB1 takes a mighty cut and cracks his knuckles on the ball; takes off running. I'm yelling TIME!, DEAD BALL! IT HIT HIM at the top of my lungs; and here comes the visitor's head rat: "Hands are part of the bat, Blue!" "You're kidding me, right, coach?" "NO- THE HANDS ARE PART OF THE BAT!" "Not this bat [holding up Exhibit A]. Count is 2-2."

My favorite: in a solo game, catcher asks me to appeal the check swing. So I holler down: "Coach, did he go?"

Coach nearly always says "No." Had one ring him up, though. ;)

You would have dumped him for that? Wow.

"You guys don't know the rules! You missed that one....the batter's out!"

I believe this is the part that Tim was referring to. The word YOU makes it personal, and he got personal exactly twice. Buh-bye!

It's a universal situation.

Bob

Symbology
 

"You guys don't know the rules!" is the implicit meaning of pulling out a rulebook; we would all eject for that. If we would eject for the symbol, we should eject when the statement is explicit.

If a player yelled out, "That pitch was 4 inches outside!" rather than drawing a line in the dirt, wouldn't we dump him?

Not giving up nine runs in the first place.

Chacon stunk up the joint. Randy has lately too.

"You guys don't know the rules! You missed that one....the batter's out!"

Twice you missed your chance to run him.


E-PU

i was at two games today as a fan (double header at two different schools, makeups) and the second had one of the worst rats ive seen at the HS varsity level. in the first inning he was chirping at ball/strike calls on the corner and yelled "and that is why you were banned from working plainfield south games". later on hes chirping more and full sprints out of the dugout towards the plate to show his disgust. more chirping, then theres a close play at 2nd base and he is full, all out sprinting to the base umpire while flailing his arms screaming.

no ejection, no warnings, and between innings he was their best friend. it made no sense at all to me. i had him tossed after the 3rd batter

Don't worry. You're sarcasm wasn't lost on me.;)



Tim.