Batting out of order

[UMP25]

OK, here's one for you. OBR...

The # 3 hitter Johnny is up to bat with a 1-1 count. He takes strike 2 and the defensive manager goes out to talk to his pitcher. After he's done with his trip, there's a new batter at the plate, the # 4 hitter Billy. Apparently, Johnny believed he had struck out. Billy takes a strike when the defensive manager now brings this to the attention of the home plate umpire.

Have fun with this one!

[ManInBlue]

Originally Posted by UMP25

OK, here's one for you. OBR...

The # 3 hitter Johnny is up to bat with a 1-1 count. He takes strike 2 and the defensive manager goes out to talk to his pitcher. After he's done with his trip, there's a new batter at the plate, the # 4 hitter Billy. Apparently, Johnny believed he had struck out. Billy takes a strike when the defensive manager now brings this to the attention of the home plate umpire.

Have fun with this one!

Johnny's out (strike out on the first one Billy watched). Billy's up 0-0 count.

Why was that hard? What'd I miss here?

[UMP25]

I didn't say it was hard--or easy, for that matter. BTW, I didn't have this. One of the guys I assign actually had this. He called me with the details.

[Ump153]

Originally Posted by UMP25

I didn't say it was hard--or easy, for that matter. BTW, I didn't have this. One of the guys I assign actually had this. He called me with the details.

You send an umpire who could allow this to happen out to work games?

[UMP25]

Uh, yes. Lower level game with a young umpire who is otherwise pretty good. I doubt this would happen in one of the college games I assign.

[Ump153]

Originally Posted by UMP25

Uh, yes. Lower level game with a young umpire who is otherwise pretty good. .

Oh.

[UMP25]

BTW, give the young man credit. In only his 2nd year with us--effectively his second year of umpiring--he made the same call MIB and my colleague Bob Jenkins would have made.

This young man is a player on Lewis University's baseball team (D2), and when he's not playing or practicing, he does games for us. He's also a catcher on Lewis's team, which, if you ask me, is a good thing. Many good umpires were once catchers. Must be all the shots to the head we've taken.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by UMP25

OK, here's one for you. OBR...

The # 3 hitter Johnny is up to bat with a 1-1 count. He takes strike 2 and the defensive manager goes out to talk to his pitcher. After he's done with his trip, there's a new batter at the plate, the # 4 hitter Billy. Apparently, Johnny believed he had struck out. Billy takes a strike when the defensive manager now brings this to the attention of the home plate umpire.

Have fun with this one!

No one noticed when the umpire gave the count after the visit? The batter (Billy) didn't question it when the umpire rang him up on "strike one"? The umpire didn't notice it after noting who was the batter during the visit?

Anyway, I agree with MIB's answer.

[UMP25]

Apparently a sleepy-headed umpire was working this game.