You can't be serious. Obstinate comes to mind.

I am quite serious, since you have yet to say anything uncouched in vague terms. You have yet to address the enforceability issue that I raised. Do I need to be blunt? Here goes:

Define "reasonable access."

Define "part of the base the runner can use."

You very well be meaning the same interpretation that I have been taught, but you haven't said squat as to the specifics of it. As I envision what you are saying, your interpretation is easily abused by runners, because it relies on QED logic.

Do you understand now?

Someone else stated it, but I will add, as PU, I'm not watching the pickoff at first. That's none of my business.

Game tonight and coach wants me to appeal a pulled foot by F3. "No coach we are not asking for help". I was in great position and could see the foot on the bag anyway, but coaches today want us to ask for help on everything. BTW, there was R2 and R3 on the play and PU is watching them anyway not a play at first.


It's getting pretty silly almost now to watch.

Thanks
David

[quote=LDUB;596019
I would have said that the PU's would be responsible for F1's step and after that be responsible for the ball on a pickoff at first base. What set of mechanics are you using where the PU on pickoffs watches R2?[/quote]
If we were in this position as players, I as R2 would be off on F1's move to 1st. Being in a secondary and my speed, I would now be on 3rd (I was faster in my youth). This was a standard move on a "throw behind".

Now I understand as an umpire you holding to CCA mechanics but now we have a situation where the CCA does not cover the problem. You know that F3 is going to try to nail me going to 3rd and anything under NCAA is probably going to end up as an overthrow. So while the BU is covering the pickoff at 1st, who is going to handle the action at 3rd? Your BU is not going to be able to cover this.

Of course, if you are working Summer leagues or sub-varsity, R2 problable will have bought a ticket to the action and will never have left 2nd base. So then your job will be easy. Come to think of it, never mind the above scenario becaues no one plays ball like we used to, anymore. I hardly see any agressive playing anymore so my actions as a former professional player problably are only avilable on 16mm instant replay! :D:D

Good arguing with you again LDUB (aka LubDub)!

DG --

That is clearly NOT the FED interp. There's a specific case play or interp where Rx tries to go for one part of the base, Fx blocks that part but leaves the opposite part open, then catches the ball and makes the tag. The ruling is that this is legal -- the ruling is that Fx must provide "some" access to the base, even if it's not the part that the runner wants.

That's my understanding of the interp as well. "Reasonable access" does not appear anywhere in the rules, cases, interps, etc.

That is not the interp given at our meeting. What is the case play? I would like to study it.

Actually, in the OP, the runner was called safe, so they DIDN'T pick off the runner.

Off course they would. But you're not presenting the other, more probable outcomes:
-runner at 3B with 1 out (pick-off successful).
-runners at 1B and 3B with 0 out (pick-off not successful).

8.3.2l

For those of you who are checking, that's an 'L', not an 'I'.

Thanks. That is NOT how it was explained at our state meeting.

PS. I have yet to see OBS called on a runner diving back to 1B on a pickoff, but then, the fielders are not blocking either.

I must bow to the fact that I was wrong in my answer to the OP. After discussing this with another Senior member of my association and using a white board, he proved to me that I was wrong in my answer.

The BU will cover the pickoff and take any play on R2 going to 3rd. The PU (who signaled that he was staying home) will drop back and watch the action at 1st and be available for obstruction and the pulled foot, should help be needed by the BU's request. PU will also turn and watch any subsequent action at 3rd and be prepared for R2 to round and come home. This is also in keeping with the CCA manual.

Again, my apologies....... I blew it! :eek:

I didn't want to say anything. I figured that you just had a brain cramp like we all do from time to time.