Little League: Kentucky vs. Texas

[jwwashburn]

I am not sure exactly how that works in Little League. You cannot leave the base until gets to(crosses?) home plate. Could you take second base on a walk if there was a passed ball? Is the ball live? Between batters? Not really, I guess.

Maybe that is why these guys are trained to do what they are doing...seems a little bit odd to me.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by jwwashburn

I am not sure exactly how that works in Little League. You cannot leave the base until gets to(crosses?) home plate. Could you take second base on a walk if there was a passed ball? Is the ball live? Between batters? Not really, I guess.

Maybe that is why these guys are trained to do what they are doing...seems a little bit odd to me.

They can't leave the base until the pitch reaches the batter. The ball is live, just like regular baseball. The umpire, especially the goof working the California/Mass game, kept giving the count, then putting up a stop sign, then pointing it back in play after nearly every pitch when the batter wasn't quite ready in the box. Ridiculous.

But they're volunteering their time.

[zm1283]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

They can't leave the base until the pitch reaches the batter. The ball is live, just like regular baseball. The umpire, especially the goof working the California/Mass game, kept giving the count, then putting up a stop sign, then pointing it back in play after nearly every pitch when the batter wasn't quite ready in the box. Ridiculous.

But they're volunteering their time.

They did that in one of the regionals as well. He would put the ball in play before EVERY pitch in the game. It looked pretty goofy.

[SethPDX]

Originally Posted by jwwashburn

I am not sure exactly how that works in Little League. You cannot leave the base until gets to(crosses?) home plate. Could you take second base on a walk if there was a passed ball? Is the ball live? Between batters? Not really, I guess.

Maybe that is why these guys are trained to do what they are doing...seems a little bit odd to me.

Sure you can try for 2B on a walk. To summarize LL rule 7.13, the runner must stay on his base once the pitcher has the ball and is on the pitchers plate and the catcher is in position to catch. As in regular OBR the ball stays live until and unless there is a reason to call time.

This holding up the pitcher/pointing the ball in is a combination of bad habits and a lack of training.

[jwwashburn]

So, after a walk, if the catcher fires the ball back to the pitcher, the BR has to go to first and stay? Is there something in there about there having to be a batter in the box or, just the pitcher and catcher must be ready?

I can imagine some interesting walks with a runner on third situations...

[SethPDX]

Originally Posted by jwwashburn

So, after a walk, if the catcher fires the ball back to the pitcher, the BR has to go to first and stay? Is there something in there about there having to be a batter in the box or, just the pitcher and catcher must be ready?

I can imagine some interesting walks with a runner on third situations...

The batter doesn't need to be in the box. Otherwise, you could just have your batter stand back and let the runner run.

I always thought getting the ball back to the pitcher quickly was a good idea at whatever level.

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by jwwashburn

So, after a walk, if the catcher fires the ball back to the pitcher, the BR has to go to first and stay? ...

No. You can't use the rule to stop a play in progress and the runner advancing is a play in progress.

[SAump]

LL uses basically the same OBR rules. A LL guy has his first time behind the dish on national TV, and he's finds himself putting the ball into play after every pitch. Now you think the reason is because he has no training or rule knowledge. You suppose he was "coached" that way or in awe of the big time national exposure.

[zm1283]

In the Washington/Georgia game today, there was a pitch where the PU didn't call catcher's interference where the batter swung and missed. I thought it was a foul ball because there were two sounds, the bat hitting the ball and the ball hitting F2's glove. The PU got all four infield umpires together to discuss it.

If that's me and I don't have CI, there is no way I'm asking a BU for help. Of all that calls that you should get on your own, that is one of the most obvious.

[SethPDX]

Originally Posted by zm1283

The PU got all four infield umpires together to discuss it.

If that's me and I don't have CI, there is no way I'm asking a BU for help. Of all that calls that you should get on your own, that is one of the most obvious.

This is very common in LL, at every level, and every tournament (not in the games I work, where I get my own call as often as possible and ask for help quickly if needed).

Let's get the call right. Let's make sure we're all on the same page. Don't get me wrong--I'm all in favor of that, but it gets taken way overboard IMO.

Last year, at the LL Softball World Series here in Portland, I saw a PU and 1BU talk for a good 30 seconds about a swipe tag before the BU changed his call from safe to out. Could have been solved with a simple "Do you have a tag?" yes or no question, but that's LL...

This year, 3BU calls a runner safe on a banger at third. Defensive manager comes out, has a brief, calm word w/3BU, end of story, right? Well, DM must have convinced the 3BU to get all four infield umpires together. What made him decide to get with 3 other umpires who were all farther away from the play than he was I don't know, other than the DM asked and the BU wanted to keep him happy.

The LL umpire's willingness to have a board meeting on every somewhat controversial play is something I wish would change.

[DG]

Originally Posted by jwwashburn

So, after a walk, if the catcher fires the ball back to the pitcher, the BR has to go to first and stay? Is there something in there about there having to be a batter in the box or, just the pitcher and catcher must be ready?

I can imagine some interesting walks with a runner on third situations...

In regular season play maybe, but in WS play the defense should know what to do..