Interference, Obstruction or Train Wreck??

[BigUmp56]

Originally Posted by Interested Ump

The Deej took one to the back of the head on the basepaths? I'll have to ask him about that. Could you cite fo me?

Not on the basepaths, it was working the dish with his back turned to the ball that caused Donovan to get plunked in the back of the head. He made no bones about letting us know this, along with mentioning he'd been hit "dozens" of times by batted balls while working the bases. Get him out to a clinic or two, Walter.


Tim.

[LakeErieUmp]

"What if he runs into the umpire going after a batted ball?" SteponTyler asks?

I myself never go after batted balls when I umpire.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by LakeErieUmp

"What if he runs into the umpire going after a batted ball?" SteponTyler asks?

I myself never go after batted balls when I umpire.

In the sentence structure, "he" was the subject, so it was "he" that ran after the batted ball, not the umpire. Nice try though.

[mbyron]

Sorry, Steve, but you're wrong. The phrase "going after a batted ball" modifies what immediately precedes it: in this case, "the umpire."

[GarthB]

Originally Posted by mbyron

Sorry, Steve, but you're wrong. The phrase "going after a batted ball" modifies what immediately precedes it: in this case, "the umpire."

Exactly. What we have here is a misplaced gerund phrase. When discussing this with students I use the classic, "The soldiers snuck up on the enemy crawling on their bellies."

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by GarthB

Exactly. What we have here is a misplaced gerund phrase. When discussing this with students I use the classic, "The soldiers snuck up on the enemy crawling on their bellies."

When dangling, don't use participles.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by GarthB

Exactly. What we have here is a misplaced gerund phrase. When discussing this with students I use the classic, "The soldiers snuck up on the enemy crawling on their bellies."

So, to make the sentence grammatically correct you could insert the word "while" between "umpire" and "going for a batted ball," correct?

[GarthB]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

So, to make the sentence grammatically correct you could insert the word "while" between "umpire" and "going for a batted ball," correct?

No. You'd move the gerund phrase.

"What if he, while going after a batted ball, runs into the umpire?"