Thanks from a coach
 

We wrapped up our all-star season yesterday with a loss 8-4 and finished the state championship 5th out of 14 teams. That was great and the boys played well.

I wanted to say thank you to all who have helped teach me the rules of baseball but, more importantly, how to act like a gentleman on the field. Two situations that occurred in yesterday's game were a direct result of my learning here:

• We're on defense, R3, 1 out. There's a pop fly in foul territory on the 3rd base side. As our 3rd baseman is going after the ball R3 is scrambling back to 3rd and runs into our fielder, preventing him from getting to the ball. I ask for time and then ask if there is interference on the runner. The umpires huddle and say that "in their judgment" the fielder wouldn't have been able to get to the ball. As soon as they used the word "judgment" I knew we were done talking and went back to the dugout. A younger, less wise and informed, me would have pushed and probably ended up in the parking lot. The PU later came up and said he missed the call (i.e., he didn't see it) but it's not a big deal, stuff happens.
• Our BR hits a soft liner to RF that gets picked up and gunned to 1st for an attempted putout. The ball gets passed the 1st baseman and rolls into the dugout. Our BR had obtained 1st by the time it went into the dugout out of bounds. The umpires awarded two bases. The other coaches argued but I knew this was the correct call.

Thanks again. This game is much more enjoyable when you get more comfortable with the rules. You all have been very patient with me and my questions and I wanted you to know I appreciated it.

You are a very cool guy, Rufus.

Unless the BR had obtained first before F9 threw the ball, the proper award should've been second base. The time the ball enters the dugout is not important at all. The award is from the time of the throw since it is a throw by an outfielder.

Two bases from when? Hopefully from time of throw (release) by the fielder

Edited to add:

Sorry for repeating MSN above. I responded immediately after reading the OP. I don't normally scan the whole thread before replying.

Someone owes someone a Coke.

Why? the posts were 9 minutes apart.:confused:

Thanks Rich, that helps again. Now that you mention it I'm not sure when it was released versus when our BR achieved 1st. Our BR was fast and RF was playing kind of deep so it may have been thrown after he obtained 1st, but probably not. I had concentrated on the wrong thing and will be sure to look for it correctly in the future.

On a different note, is this why a BR is granted 2nd when an infielder throws the ball into the stands (i.e., the 2 base award is from home since the BR hadn't reached 1st base before the ball was thrown)?

First play by an infielder is 2 bases, time of pitch UNLESS all runners, including the batter runner, have obtained at least one base.

I didn't see the play, of course, but it's not too often that you see a fielder make a throw to base in an attempt to put out a runner if the runner has already reached the base. If a fielder is throwing to first base to retire the B/R it's a pretty safe bet that the award should be second base.

Rufus,

Careful there, Dude.

You keep developing an attitude like that, you're libale to end up becoming an umpire.

JM

Hehehe,

We can intro him to the dark (blue or black) at Jimmy's ... Rufus, where do you live?

SoCal - I live in Georgia north of Atlanta. I've thought about umpiring because I like the sport so much. Right now I've got 3 boys growing up with the sport and they keep me very busy coaching and acting as a shuttle service. Hopefully in the next couple of years I'll be able to take a look at it seriously.