Visiting HC crosses the Chalk line

[mcrowder]

Originally Posted by CoachJM

mcrowder,

I beg to differ. 9.01(c) is for things not specifically covered in the rules. The coach being on the field while the ball is in play is covered in the rules, and the penalty for this infraction is not the nullification of a legally obtained out and the award of an advance base to the runner who was legitimately put out.

If the coach actually did impede the runner's progress, by all means rule Obstruction, and award as apropriate. But if he didn't, don't give the jerk coach grounds for a valid protest - just toss him.

JM

A coach BEING on the field is covered. A coach issuing instructions and directly affecting play is not. (If you, as umpire, did not feel the coach directly affected anything, then by all means just eject ... but it seemed obvious to me that the umpire in the OP DID feel like the coach directly affected play.)