wtf?

In most youth and amateur adult baseball leagues that are OBR based, fake tags are not allowed and considered unsportsmanlike conduct.

In LL it's just obstruction, not UC and not an ejection.

I'll check on a few others where I can reach the rules.

Searched on fake, tag, fake tag

Dixie - no prohibition for fake tag

USSSA - no prohibition for fake tag

PONY - no prohibition for fake tag

They are in some places simply sent in to create a paper trail to make sure that ejected parties comply with any suspension requirements, and that they have the documentation to back up said suspension if ever challenged in court. Ie #23 ejected from contest in a state where there is an automatic one game suspension. If an official does not file a special report the state association doesnt have a leg to stand on in enforcing said suspension, and if they did #23 parents takes the state to court and say prove my little johnny was ejected no report no proof.

Before we all go off the deep end here. First not one of us has seen the MichiganHSAA Officials Report that was filed so none of us know what the Game Official reported. Second, yes a Fake Tag is Obstruction per NFHS Rules, but since none of us saw the play maybe there is more to the story than we know. Maybe the Fielder committed some other Unsportsmanlike act while applying the Fake Tag.

MTD, Sr.

Unsportsmanlike conduct is a judgement call. Always has been. Sure, we have certain things we toss for without hesitation, but many of those aren't in any book, either.

I'm not saying a fake tag is an automatic EJ, far from it. More like a warn and eject, in most cases. But it's on the table, depending on the situation.

If, in the OP's sitation, the umpire said that fake tags are an automatic ejection, that's certainly grounds to revisit the EJ. If not, it's a judgement call, and I can't see it being reviewable.

I prefer the Puros Indios Especial Pyramid #1 Maduro.

But this was should not something a player should be ejected over.

If I know that a state has a three game suspension following an ejection, then I'm going to as a good official make certain that the player earned the ejection.

I'm not going to eject over something that is frivolous or suspect in the rules.

Malicious contact, or other offenses, they will get an ejection every time. I think a read a story last week where a player was ejected over a necklace.

Then he gets suspended three games? That should not happen.

Now for fighting and other offenses, that's a whole different story.

Thanks
David

I think its Dixie Boys and Majors that puts this in the back of the book as an unsportsmanlike conduct situation, but NOT an ejection. You tell them to knock it off and move on.

Thanks
David

Perhaps Dixie has a different option for UC.

Look, I get this probably just in need of a warning, "don't do that again", etc. But we don't know what led up to it to the EJ. Maybe it was third time in the game he did it.

Interesting enough, my state does not allow or recognize protests either.

The MHSAA is way too busy to worry about whether ejections are rule-based.

After all, they have to check up on their tournament selections to make sure patches are properly worn, shoes are shined and uniform shirts are blue. Rules knowledge and good judgment are nice, but nowhere near as important as compliance with appearance requirements.

In LL and FED a fake tag is, by rule, obstruction. You need something more than the fake tag to elevate it to UC.

Notice I said "adult" in my post. Did you check out NABA? Or SDABL, the San Diego NABA league? Or MSBL? Fake tags are dangerous, cause people to injure themselves, and adult ballplayers have to go to work on Monday. Kids heal much quicker.

From SDABL rules:

DEFENSE PLAYER GUIDELINES (To Avoid Violating the No Collision Rule):

• Whether right at the base or home, or if you are up the line from any base or home---stay out of the runner’s way if you do not have possession of the ball or if you are not (obviously) about to receive it. If you are in the way, you will be guilty of Obstruction if there is contact with the runner or if the runner has to go around you to avoid a collision.

• If any Defensive Player, while not in possession of the ball or not about to receive it, purposely puts himself in the way of any runner at the last moment for the purpose of not only stopping the runner’s progress, but also in the “hopes” of having the umpire “blame” the runner for any stand-up collision that occurs, will be cited for violation of the No Collision Rule. The Defensive Player will be immediately ejected and may be subject to suspension upon investigation.