Contact at Plate - FED

[ozzy6900]

Originally Posted by bwbuddy

(FED) What guidelines should be used when calling a runner out at home for making contact with the catcher? When should contact be considered incidental? What if the catcher was up the line 2 feet without possession of the ball? What if he drops the ball? Should contact significant enough to knock the catcher over always be called an out even if, in the umpire's judgement, the contact was accidental or unintentional?

I've seen this called so many different ways - obviously, parents and coaches' perceptions of the way it should be called is always different based on whether our team is on offense or defense.

In a perfect world, the runner should be heading for the base/plate and the fielder should not be in the "line of fire" unless he has possession of the ball. That said, it rarely happens that way!

Runners playing under FED rules need to always try to get to the base/plate and not the fielder. That right there is the most important factor in how I judge malicious contact. If F2 is near the line without the ball and R3 leaves his line to the plate and purposely drills F2, that is malicious. If F2 is in the line to the plate without the ball, he is putting himself in harm's way and that is a "had to be there". Now if F2 has the ball and drops it, you will probably have a "train wreck" (both players are doing what they are supposed to be doing). The last thing to compound the whole matter is that "the force of the collision should not be used to judge if the contact is malicious" (FED quote). It really is up to the umpire's judgment.

As Umpires, we have a lot of judgment during these plays before we can apply the rules of contact, obstruction and interference. I've had collisions that resulted in cuts, bruises and even a fractured pelvis (and these were train wrecks)!

Now, Moms & Dads see it as some kid just bowled over their son so you will never win with them. As a player (which is what I think you are), you just have to do your best to get to the base/plate in a legal way. At the High School level, you don't want to purposely take out a player as you will be ejected on the spot. It doesn't help your team when that happens either.

Hope this helps.