Lodged or temporarily stuck?

[midtnblu]

Didn't see this one, but was given the situation by some who did. I think this is one of the YHTBT plays.

0-2 pitch in the dirt, batter swings, ball bounces up, deflects off bottom of catcher mask and "lodges" just inside top of catchers CP. Not sure if ball completely disappeared.

Batter/runner heads to first, catcher reaches up and pulls ball out of CP and throws B/R out. Happened pretty quick because B/R was only 20-25 feet down the line when throw was made.

BU kills it and rules "lodged" ball and puts B/R on first.

Again this is probably a YHTBT play but would you consider this a lodged ball or a "temporarily stuck" ball and play on?

[Dave Hensley]

Originally Posted by midtnblu

Didn't see this one, but was given the situation by some who did. I think this is one of the YHTBT plays.

0-2 pitch in the dirt, batter swings, ball bounces up, deflects off bottom of catcher mask and "lodges" just inside top of catchers CP. Not sure if ball completely disappeared.

Batter/runner heads to first, catcher reaches up and pulls ball out of CP and throws B/R out. Happened pretty quick because B/R was only 20-25 feet down the line when throw was made.

BU kills it and rules "lodged" ball and puts B/R on first.

Again this is probably a YHTBT play but would you consider this a lodged ball or a "temporarily stuck" ball and play on?

I don't see any functional difference between "lodged" and "temporarily stuck." If the umpire judged it to be either, he's justified in killing it and making the award, per rule.

If the catcher recovers the ball as quickly as you said, I probably wouldn't see that it had been temporarily lodged.

[LMan]

I think a good call here. Once the ball is judged to be lodged, its immediately dead and runner (s) are placed to nullify the action. You cannot declare an out after the lodgement, so I dont know what else the PU could do here.

[midtnblu]

There is a FED rule, maybe others, that cover a ball stuck in a glove. It is considered "lodged", but if the fielder is successful at removing the ball after a few attempts it is "PLAY ON".

I guess I would call that temporarily stuck.

That's in a glove, however, not equipment.

[ctblu40]

Originally Posted by PWL

Sounds to me like he pulled the trigger a tad bit early. If's it's lodged, it should be more difficult than this to get out or throw the runner out.

I think I agree with PWL on this one...

Think of it this way, if there is a netting-type batting cage in LBT on a field and a batted ball strikes it, it will remain in contact with the cage much longer than it would with a wall or chain link fence, but that doesn't mean it's lodged.

solution, slow down.

[UmpJM]

I would agree with those who suggested this was a HTBT.

In support of ctblu40's and PWL's assertion that the umpire MAY have been a tad "hasty" in killing the play (since it is a matter of umpire judgement AND I didn't see it, I would not say he was WRONG), I offer the following from the JEA under 5.09(g) (my emphasis):

Historical Notes: This rule first appeared in 1973 and applied only to pitched balls which lodged in the umpire's mask or paraphernalia. The explanatory notes were inserted in 1976. Until 1982, any ball which lodged in the catcher's mask, protector, or uniform was considered alive and in play. In '82, the rule was revised in two ways. First, it now provided the same award for balls which lodged in umpire's or catcher's equipment. Secondly, it allowed that a ball must remain out of play for this rule to apply. A ball which temporarily lodged in the catcher's gear but was quickly retrieved or fell out became a ball "in play." Likewise, a ball which temporarily stuck in the umpire's equipment but then fell to the ground was alive and in play....

JM

[DG]

The swinging third strike that went under the catcher, rode up my leg and hit me in the throat under my mask was only temporarily lodged. The catcher quickly retrieved and retired the batter.

Lodged, to me, means no play was possible, until the play was over. With the ball in the pitcher's glove he can retrieve it at any time to make a play.

[lmathews19]

I'm sorry to ask this question, but why does PWL delete almost every single one of the posts he makes? I read what you guys are writing, and then I see where you have inserted PWL's comment, but I can't find PWL's post. What's the deal here?

[SanDiegoSteve]

I have my own idea about this. He doesn't want a high post count, so he can tell me that I just sit around and post crap all day, every day. He wants it to look like he doesn't post often.

Also, so many of his posts contain false information, that he gets embarrased by it. I will delete many of my stupid posts as well, but he has to do this on an hour by hour basis.