you make the call

[MikeStrybel]

I once saw a pitcher, in the stretch, rotate the ball haphazardly on his side. It was cold and he lost control of the ball, essentially dropping it since he wasn't pitching or throwing it. Because he had been cocking his wrist so much while spinning the ball in his hand, it travelled close enough to first that the fielder picked it up before rolling any further. It may have crossed the line but I'll never know.

My answer simply was in response to a post asking why a such a dropped ball wouldn't be a balk, nothing more. It undoubtedly wouldn't be a rule in these three sets if it hadn't happened.

Ever have a runner not be able to complete his trip around the bases? I have never witnessed such a crazy play but there is a rule for it and the play happened! OBR 5.10,: If an accident to a runner is such as to prevent him from proceeding to a base to which he is entitled, as on a home run hit out of the playing field, or an award of one or more bases, a substitute runner shall be permitted to complete the play.

The Red Sox Blue played the Blue Jays on September 14, 2005. Gabe Kapler was R1 when Tony Graffanino hit a home run. Kapler ruptured his achillies tendon while rounding second and collapsed. Graffanino stayed 10 feet or so behind Kapler knowing that if he passed him the home run would not count, R1 would be out and Graffanino would have to stay on second. Five minutes passed and Terry Francona invoked rule 5.10 to put in a substitute runner, Alejandro Machado, for Kapler. The home run was completed and Boston scored two runs on one of the wierdest plays in baseball. Yes, we have some crazy rules.