Administer This Play

[PeteBooth]

Originally Posted by JJ

OBR. R1, 0 out, 3-1 on the batter. Next pitch is borderline, and R1 attempts to steal. The call of the pitch is inaudible and no signal is given, and the throw from the catcher easily beats R1, who is tagged.
Not knowing what the pitch was, I observed the play and did not SIGNAL out, but I told the runner - who ended up on second base - "You're out unless it was ball four". I then turned to look at the plate umpire, who finally indicated it WAS ball four.
I know the runner is supposed to be aware of the count and the situation, but he would have been out by a mile. Should I have kept my mouth shut? Not made a call until I was aware of the call of the pitch? It looked bad enough as it was - that would have made it look worse. There was a lot of lag time...
Thoughts?

JJ

Unfortunately the aforementioned play is not Covered by OBR rules but is Specifically Covered by FED rules. Let's disect what happened.

Next pitch is borderline, and R1 attempts to steal. The call of the pitch is inaudible and no signal is given,

The aforementioned is VERY poor mechanics on the part of the PU. The PU is supposed to call EVERY pitch. It is either a strike or ball not a "maybe" which seemed to be the case here. The PU must say something or at the very least signal something.

The BU's job is to make the call at second base. In this case it would be an out call.

Here's the problem. Players REACT to an umpires call, therefore, for all practical purposes when the runner here's the out call from the BU, and the PU said nothing at this point, the runner will head for his duggout where a smart fielder will Tag him again to make sure of the out.

As mentioned, in FED they have a specific rule govering umpiring mistakes in which it places either team at a disadvantage. OBR has no such ruling, so the bottom line in the play given is that for all practical purposes R1 will be out even on ball 4 because he would be tagged again heading for his duggout after the out call by the BU.

As for the comment that the players should be aware of the situation, that is true but from the thread since NO Signal from the PU was given no-one KNEW what the call was. Also, take a look at this way. Suppose you as an umpire called the runner out and he still stays on the base refusing to accept your out call. Chances are that player would be heading for the showers.

Players do react to the call by the umpire. In FED you can Legally within the rules "fix" it. In OBR one would have to resort to 9.01(c) or simply let the play stand.

Pete Booth