Verbal Obstruction ?

[refman]

High school baseball...
Runner on first....stealing 2nd.....as he approaches the bag the second baseman shouts "foul ball, foul ball". Runner hears that and slows up to return to 1st. Second baseman takes throw from catcher and tags runner out.
What's the call?

[SanDiegoSteve]

Verbal obstruction, award R1 2nd base, and at the end of playing action an umpire may warn the 2nd baseman for unsportsmanlike conduct, and that he will be ejected if he repeats the offense.

[Bainer]

By the time they get to high school level ball, these kids can police themselves.

There is no way I'm call "Verbal Interference" at the high school level because a second baseman called a ball foul. Coaches tell these kids- keep running until the UMP stops you.

Yeah, it's bush, but I'm not getting involved.
Shortstops yell 'back' at runners all the time to fake a pick-off- that's legal. Players shout 'going!' or 'runner!' to try to draw a throw- no problem.

It's not my job to protect the runner.

I'm not going to tip them off on a hidden ball trick, and I'm not going to give him back a base he gave up- whether the fielder misled him or not.


Bainer.

[BigUmp56]

Originally Posted by Bainer

Shortstops yell 'back' at runners all the time to fake a pick-off- that's legal. Players shout 'going!' or 'runner!' to try to draw a throw- no problem.

Here we go again. No, it's not legal for a defensive player to yell "back, back" in an attempt to drive the runner back. This is verbal obstruction and the following case play will bear this out.


2.22.1 SITUATION A: R1 attempts to steal second. F2, upon receiving the pitch, throws a pop-up to F6. F5 yells "get back, get back." R1 thinks B2 has hit a popup and starts back to first where he is tagged out.

Ruling: This is verbal obstruction and R1 shall be awarded second base.


Tim.

[Bainer]

Originally Posted by BigUmp56

This is verbal obstruction and the following case play will bear this out. 2.22.1 SITUATION A:

I don't mean to come off as aguementative- I'm certainly not trying to be- I'm just asking- what level ball is this case from? What league? What association? I can tell you that at no time have our local or regional associations observed any sort of "verbal interference".
In fact, we have gone so far as to advise umpires of defences to coaches concerns- such as "I didn't say it- he needs to listen to me, etc."
As I suggested, perhaps it's the level of ball, or the local association, I'm not sure- except to say that if I ever called it, I'd be eaten alive by the players, coaches, patners, and league officials.


Bainer.

[LMan]

Originally Posted by Bainer

I don't mean to come off as aguementative- I'm certainly not trying to be- I'm just asking- what level ball is this case from?

Its called "NFHS" or FED, in some circles. The FED casebook specifically calls this out as verbal obstruction.

If you wish not to follow the FED rules, that's your decision.

[Bainer]

Originally Posted by LMan

If you wish not to follow the FED rules, that's your decision.

I've never heard of NFHS or FED in my life. We don't use FED rules or guidelines.

We have no ammendments to the Official Rules of Baseball regarding verbal interference.


Bainer.