I recently had an interesting scenario present itself. Runners on first and third with one out. The batter hits a ground ball to the shortstop, and the runner on third breaks for home. The runner on third is caught in a rundown, in which a collision occurs as he is retreating to third base while the third baseman had possession of the ball. The base umpire ejected both the third baseman and the runner for raising their elbows during the collision. In the meantime, the runner from third is now between second and third, and the batter/runner is standing on second. The third baseman then throws the ball to the second baseman, who promptly tags out the runner between second and third.

The ruling on the field was that the ball was dead immediately after the two players were ejected, and that all other runners must go back to the bases they last safely occupied. I later looked this up in the rulebook, but could find no mention of it. What do you think?

The ruling was wrong. Ejections do not take effect until no further play is possible.

9.01 (d) Each umpire has authority to disqualify any player, coach, manager or substitute for objecting to decisions or for unsportsmanlike conduct or language, and to eject such disqualified person from the playing field. <u>If an umpire disqualifies a player while a play is in progress, the disqualification shall not take effect until no further action is possible in that play.</u>

The ball does not become dead until the umpire calls time at the end of all continuing action, at which time the ejections take affect.

JEA puts one scenario this way:

Situation: Runner on second. One out. Batter smashes a line drive into center field... the runner heads home and is called "Safe" on a close play. The catcher argues violently and is ejected from the game. Meanwhile, the batter-runner is advancing to second... the catcher fires to second for the putout. Does this out stand since the catcher had been ejected before the play?

RULING: The out stands. The ejection does not take effect until no further action is possible.

<i> Originally posted by mattwick </i>

<b> I recently had an interesting scenario present itself. Runners on first and third with one out. The batter hits a ground ball to the shortstop, and the runner on third breaks for home. The runner on third is caught in a rundown, in which a collision occurs as he is retreating to third base while the third baseman had possession of the ball. The base umpire ejected both the third baseman and the runner for raising their elbows during the collision. In the meantime, the runner from third is now between second and third, and the batter/runner is standing on second. The third baseman then throws the ball to the second baseman, who promptly tags out the runner between second and third.

The ruling on the field was that the ball was dead immediately after the two players were ejected, and that all other runners must go back to the bases they last safely occupied. I later looked this up in the rulebook, but could find no mention of it. What do you think? </b>

Im most cases TIME should not be called but allow play to continue and eject AFTER play ends. EXCEPT:

If a fight breaks out, I would call TIME. You see this even in the PROS. F1 pitches one inside and B1 takes offense to this and then all of a sudden, B1 charges F1. You see the PU call TIME immediately.

With the exception of an actual fight on the field, allow play to continue, then eject the offenders.

Pete Booth

Agreed for straight OBR, but if a malicious contact rule was added, then you need to know the basis of the rule for the league.

In FED, malicious contact is an immediate dead ball.
As described, this may have been ruled malicious contact, and the possibility exists a dead ball call may have been correct.

Check your league rules.


Just my opinion,

Freix

Steve,

What's the awards on an immediate dead ball for malicious contact?

Bases loaded, defense up by two, batter hits a gapper, F3 tackles him as he approaches 1B. Only one runner has scored at the time. What do you rule?

That's also obstruction -- award bases to nullify the penalty. In the specific play, 3 runs score, even if R1 would normally lose a race with a snail.

Malicious contact by the offense is (in FED) an immediate dead ball -- runners return.