Bad Ball

[Justme561]

I had something come up last night in a high school game. I've never had this issue come up before. I'll admit right from the start that I made a mistake so you don't have to say it. What I want to know is what I should have done about it, if anything.

HS ball around here is played with a particular brand of baseballs. During one of my many requests for game balls (I ran out numerous times because the home team was slow to replace foul balls) the Home coach threw a ball to his F1 that I did not inspect (the mistake I was talking about). I do not know exactly when this ball was thrown in (no one else did either). The ball turned out to be a different brand of ball. The Visiting coach discovered the ball between innings. He came to me (I had the plate obviously) and showed it to me, gave me a little crap, and then asked me what I was going to do about it.

I told him that I had made a mistake not to inspect the ball prior to it being used. I told him that I didn't know when the ball first entered play (he didn't either) but since we were going to be starting a new inning I thought that each team had probably played with the 'bad' ball but I had no way of knowing for sure. I conferenced with my partner and asked him what he would have done... He had no clue either! I took it out of the game and informed the Home coach that all baseballs had to come through me from then on....

So my question is...... "How should I have handled this situation?"

PS: Visiting team won in the 8th inning.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Justme561

I had something come up last night in a high school game. I've never had this issue come up before. I'll admit right from the start that I made a mistake so you don't have to say it. What I want to know is what I should have done about it, if anything.

HS ball around here is played with a particular brand of baseballs. During one of my many requests for game balls (I ran out numerous times because the home team was slow to replace foul balls) the Home coach threw a ball to his F1 that I did not inspect (the mistake I was talking about). I do not know exactly when this ball was thrown in (no one else did either). The ball turned out to be a different brand of ball. The Visiting coach discovered the ball between innings. He came to me (I had the plate obviously) and showed it to me, gave me a little crap, and then asked me what I was going to do about it.

I told him that I had made a mistake not to inspect the ball prior to it being used. I told him that I didn't know when the ball first entered play (he didn't either) but since we were going to be starting a new inning I thought that each team had probably played with the 'bad' ball but I had no way of knowing for sure. I conferenced with my partner and asked him what he would have done... He had no clue either! I took it out of the game and informed the Home coach that all baseballs had to come through me from then on....

So my question is...... "How should I have handled this situation?"

PS: Visiting team won in the 8th inning.

I wouldn't have even considered that a mistake. Balls come in from the dugouts all the time around here at every level from LL to college. I would've just thrown it out and certainly wouldn't have taken any crap for it (by not taking it, I mean I would've said, "I threw it out. Let's play" and walked away).

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by Justme561

I took it out of the game and informed the Home coach that all baseballs had to come through me from then on....

This is what I would have done - and what I believe should be done.

This is not the first time a ball has gotten into a game without going through the plate umpire. Don't worry about it. When you discovered an incorrect ball in the game, you toss it. Don't worry about who has played with it and who had not. (And as GT said, don't take any crap for it either).

[Steven Tyler]

Do you umpire in New York state? I know they have a baseball with their own special FED approved marking on it.

[Justme561]

Originally Posted by Steven Tyler

Do you umpire in New York state? I know they have a baseball with their own special FED approved marking on it.

No, I'm in AZ

Thanks for the responses guys.

[Rich Ives]

Steven

The NYSPHSAA handbook says:

"GAME BALLS - NFHS authenticating mark is not required on game balls for
competition."

No other comments anbout it.

[BestUmp]

You are empowered as an arbiter to give the offending coach a respectful but thorough scolding keeping in mind that he, too, could have made a mistake.

[Steven Tyler]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

Steven

The NYSPHSAA handbook says:

"GAME BALLS - NFHS authenticating mark is not required on game balls for
competition."

No other comments anbout it.

I believe a protest was upheld a couple of years back because the game balls weren't legal in New York State FED. I don't know all the details. I have seen baseballs in catalogs that are stamped with a NY FED insignia.

[thumpferee]

Originally Posted by BestUmp

You are empowered as an arbiter to give the offending coach a respectful but thorough scolding keeping in mind that he, too, could have made a mistake.

Good one!

[ozzy6900]

Incorrect baseball in play:

• Is the ball round?
• Is the ball covered by a 2 piece hide?
• Is the ball stitched?
• Is the ball labeled higher than T-ball?

Providing that the ball is not:

• Soaking wet
• Shaped like an egg
• Torn up
• Heavily scuffed
• Used as a snack by the starving ShortStop

Then tell the coach to refer himself to the structure in the dugout that allows him to reside in a non standing position and continue the game.

[treydawgmt]

I agree. Here, at least, at the Freshman/Sophomore level at least, the coach of whichever side throws a ball to whichever's side pitcher all the time. The coach was either standing down the 1st/3rd line and had one tossed to him from dead ball territoriality that went out of play, defensive coaches often pick up balls from backstop that get away, who knows how they get it, and I've never inspected them at that point.

Most likely someone just grabbed the wrong ball out of the wrong bucket. Like Ozzie said, it's still a baseball, right?! Probably no competitive advantage what so ever.

What stops the defensive from having 2nd baseman from bringing illegal ball out of dugout with him, stopping to "chat" with pitcher, helps him get rubber wrong, "drops" his "practice ball", and then goes to the base with the real one to warm up, and pitcher uses illegal ball. Do you expect yourself to inspect the ball after every pitch/inning change? I'd doubt it, so don't beat yourself up here is my thought.

[BestUmp]

treydawgmt, you are proposing the very essence of Human Brotherhood which is often found in our game of baseball. Fair play!

However, as an official, we must alweays be cognizant that evil lurks within coaches. Drugs, alcohol, spit tobacco...all of these and more can turn the gladdest, kindest soul into a bad ball inserting monster.

[MrUmpire]

Originally Posted by Steven Tyler

Do you umpire in New York state? I know they have a baseball with their own special FED approved marking on it.

It is not required by our state association.