runner struck by thrown ball

[David B]

Originally Posted by NIump50

You're not bailing anyone out. By enforcing the rule you are potentially saving future runners from brain damage.

There seems to be a myth among many umpires that middle infielders are taught to 'adjust' their throw to avoid oncoming runners. This myth is as foolish and misguided as "the tie goes to the runner" myth. Any upper level coaches reading this thread are laughing at you much like we impune coaches for their ignorance of the rules.

Any runner who comes in daring the thrower to hit him is indeed not very smart, but no one ever accused these kids of genius.
You can't always legislate for stupidity, but coaches understand automatic DP for interference and will teach slide or get out of the way for strategic purpose if for no other reason.

I'm sure many of you will continue to allow the runner to come in standing up and hopefully force the fieder to adjust his throw. I wonder though how you'll feel the first time one of these runners ends up in the hospital with brain damage. I hope it never happens, but if it does I wonder if you'll think back to this discussion and think 'yea maybe this is one of the things FPSR was trying to prevent?'
For me, if I'm doing a Fed. game, I'm erring on the side of safety. For all of Feds faults we all know that their intention is safety.

Guys are cracking me up. I'll have to research the last time I've seen a kid with brain damage from a throw in the infield.

That's why we wear helmets - its called baseball, and sometimes its a rough game.

Kids get hit by throws all the time - the point is that we are officials. Our job is to call the rules, not protect the players from injury.

By rule, the player that wants to run to second instead of sliding has the right to do that without interference being called simply because he was standing up.

Our job as umpires is to make a judgement on whether there was interference or not. (And that is very very seldom going to be the result)

Over 28 years of calling baseball and i dont' have one mention in my journal of a kid being hurt by a throw from f4 or f6 on the DP. Seen a lot of close ones, but that's what makes it such a great game.

Thanks
David