Restricted to dugout?

[Tim C]

We teach in Oregon MC is dictated by one of two actions:

1) Is the player trying to dislodge the ball from the fielder,
2) Is the player trying to injure the fielder?

All other activities that include contact are just "baseball."

Works pretty well in our state.

Regards,

[Kevin Finnerty]

Malicious is the wrong word for what it actually is most of the time.

[johnnyg08]

Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty

Malicious is the wrong word for what it actually is most of the time.

But it sounds so "bad" doesn't it?

[Tim C]

There are two deciding factors as to intent of malicious contact:

1) Was the player trying to dislodge the ball or,

2) Was the player trying to injure the other player?

Outside of those two determiners we rule that it is just baseball (sometimes just bad baseball).

T

[Robert E. Harrison]

Catcher has ball in front of plate. Catcher gets the daylights knocked out of him because the runners foot/cleat gets caught and prevents him from sliding so he centers the catcher and puts him on his butt. No intent and no slide.

[MrUmpire]

Originally Posted by Robert E. Harrison

Catcher has ball in front of plate. Catcher gets the daylights knocked out of him because the runners foot/cleat gets caught and prevents him from sliding so he centers the catcher and puts him on his butt. No intent and no slide.

Did he attempt to slide? If so, it still needs to be a legal slide, no? I didn't read the word "intentional" in the book, but I could be wrong. I'll check when I get home.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by Robert E. Harrison

Catcher has ball in front of plate. Catcher gets the daylights knocked out of him because the runners foot/cleat gets caught and prevents him from sliding so he centers the catcher and puts him on his butt. No intent and no slide.

As described, I'd probably have nothing except a "tag out."

An earlier post from you indicated that there was (by definition) something illegal. If so, then call interference, and return the other runners.

[jicecone]

Originally Posted by Robert E. Harrison

Catcher has ball in front of plate. Catcher gets the daylights knocked out of him because the runners foot/cleat gets caught and prevents him from sliding so he centers the catcher and puts him on his butt. No intent and no slide.

So the runner accidently gets his cleat caught and in the middle of the accident decides that he will wipe out the catcher.

Well answer the questions and make a decision just like every other umpire has to.

"1) Was the player trying to dislodge the ball or,

2) Was the player trying to injure the other player?"

[DG]

You have to be the judge. If it looks like he tripped on his feet and plowed the catcher for it then don't eject for MC. If he looks like he plowed the catcher with intent to injure then eject.

I don't see how anyone could call what Pete Rose did to Ray Fosse anything but malicious. That is as good a textbook example as you will ever see.

Back to subject of post. In NC we eject for 6 things, as prescribed by the state. Fighting, taunting, obscene gestures, disrespectfully addressing an umpire, profanity directed at an official or opponent, and biting (recently added, geez..). All other things that call for ejections in the rule book will be restrictions to the dugout for players and coaches. You could get restricted and then ejected, if while in the dugout commit one of the 6 things that will get you ejected. If a player is ejected for one of the 6 things it is not our responsibility any longer, he must leave the dugout and stands area. There is generally an administrator at the game, AD or assistant, principal or assistant, and/or a police officer or sheriff's deputy. There are severe penalties for ejections (suspensions, fines for coaches, etc.), not so much for restrictions. There is no such thing as ejected player who can't leave because he will be unattended.

I have had restrictions before but never ejected for one of the 6 things, never head to. I have only been in one game where one occured, my partner ejected the coach for profanity directed at an official. Game ended in forfeit because the ejected coach had no assistant. Get on the bus Gus...

[pastordoug]

So you do not eject for MC???? Does your state not allow protest or is that SC?

[Robert E. Harrison]

How would you rule on the runner coming to home and his cleats dig into the hard dirt around the plate area as him starts his slide and he bowls over the catcher. The catcher of course has the ball and is waiting to apply the tag.

[jicecone]

Originally Posted by Robert E. Harrison

How would you rule on the runner coming to home and his cleats dig into the hard dirt around the plate area as him starts his slide and he bowls over the catcher. The catcher of course has the ball and is waiting to apply the tag.

Not quite sure what your saying here. If he is sliding then it must be a legal slide. Are you saying that his cleats dig in so hard that his body pops up and bowls over the catcher? Like stuck in the mud? I have never ever seen ANYTHING like that. But for discussion lets just say it happened.

Did the runner use and/or extend his arms when contact was made? Was it just a clumsy collision between two players? The umpire has to make those decisions and rule accordingly. Just because two players collide, it does not mean that the contact was malicious or intentional. When two people try occupy a less than 2-SF area anywhere, at the same time, let alone on a playing field, contact almost always happens.

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by jicecone

Not quite sure what your saying here. If he is sliding then it must be a legal slide. Are you saying that his cleats dig in so hard that his body pops up and bowls over the catcher? Like stuck in the mud? I have never ever seen ANYTHING like that. But for discussion lets just say it happened.

.

You've never seen a spike catch and the runner fall forward? Must be a young guy. (Stuff like that doesn't happen much with molded cleats).

[Robert E. Harrison]

There is no intent on this play. The ground around home plate is hard as concrete due to tarps and no soaking water. The runner's metal spikes dug in and he was catapulted through the catcher. The catcher is put on his butt due to the collision. I have had it maybe 5 times in my career.
In no way can this be construed as a legal slide.

[dash_riprock]

I'm confused.