Fair or foul

[GarthB]

Originally Posted by bossman72

cmon guys, go easy on the guy! he's trying to learn.

No. He says he posts to create "discussion". He thinks he's teaching.

in Pro rules, he technically has to have 2 in, but this is rarely enforced.

The position by the original poster is that this may be a balk. It is not, in any code, a balk.

[Ump29]

The first instance would be a balk only if both feet were in foul territory. In the second instance , the runner would be out if the part of him over fair territory was hit by a hit ball. If he was hit in foul territory then it would be a foul ball.

[GarthB]

Originally Posted by Ump29

The first instance would be a balk only if both feet were in foul territory.

Oh, my God. Please read the rule and the Penalty.

If you have a new rule book, you'll see:

4.03 When the ball is put in play at the start of, or during a game, all fielders other than the catcher shall be on fair territory.

(a)The catcher shall station himself directly back of the plate. He may leave his position at any time to catch a pitch or make a play except that when the batter is being given an intentional base on balls, the catcher must stand with both feet within the lines of the catcher’s box until the ball leaves the pitcher’s hand.

PENALTY: Balk

You will then note that no penalty is listed for the other sections of 4.03


The penalty does not apply to fielders with one or two feet in foul territory. It doesn't apply to fielder pulling up a lawn chair and eating a sandwich in foul territory. The penalty of a balk applies ONLY to paragraph (a).

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by GarthB

It doesn't apply to fielder pulling up a lawn chair and eating a sandwich in foul territory.

I have often wanted to work the bases in this fashion, especially on extremely hot days. Except I would set up my lawn chair in between B and C. I would dress in appropriate attire, including Broc-a-brella w/double beer holders.

[bobbybanaduck]

i've often thought of becoming a golf club...

[oyaisee]

I often thought of becoming a violin

and I think it is a balk too The rule says it's a balk.... we can't just act like gods out there we have to follow the rules! Even if we don't agree with them... that's just the way it is!!!!!!

[GarthB]

Originally Posted by oyaisee

I often thought of becoming a violin

and I think it is a balk too The rule says it's a balk.... we can't just act like gods out there we have to follow the rules!

O YA I SEE:

Apparently you don't.

The rule does NOT say it is a balk. The rule penalizes only paragraph (a) with a balk. Paragraphs (b) and (c) are NOT penalized with a balk.

RIF

[greymule]

I once served on a three-umpire team whose job was to cover one field throughout a SP softball tournament. Teams from all over the northeast. It was autumn, and the fences had been taken down and replaced by a chalk line 300 feet from the plate, so we rotated from plate to bases to "fence." The fence ump's job was to sit in a lawn chair outside the center field chalk line, and on long drives get up and check out whether the fielder stepped over the line, whether the ball traveled over the line, whether the ball hit the fielder's glove and then went over the line, and so on.

So there actually are games you umpire from a lawn chair.