Fake Tag = Ejection

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

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

[David B]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

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

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

[kylejt]

Originally Posted by David B

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.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

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

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.

[SanDiegoSteve]

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.

[kylejt]

Forcing a player to slide by way of a fake tag, when there's no need to, would be unsportsmanlike in my book. How an umpire wants to deal with UC in dependant on each individual situation. (i.e. it's a judgement call). It can range from a "Hey, knock it off", to an EJ.

You won't find "warn and eject" in any rule book.

Good infielders can hold up runners by way of a fake catch and throw, as the ball goes by them. You see it all the time. If that forces a player to slow up, or even hit the deck, that's fine. What isn't fine is putting a glove down at the base, knowiingly, without the ball. Players at the upper levels get one in the ribs for doing this, and a word from the catcher. In a game played by kids, the umpires need to deal with it.

Maybe in the orginal situation, that player had been previously warned about doing this, and went ahead and did it again. The EJ report should reveal that, if there is one. I agree that if that report stated the sole reason the player was ejected was for the fake tag, that wouldn't fly. But, if it stated he was run for UC, there's no way to back out of that one.

[Welpe]

Originally Posted by kylejt

You won't find "warn and eject" in any rule
.

Fed.

In LL I'm treating a fake tag as simple obstruction minus a RIM citation I'm not aware of. In Pony I'm deeming it legal.

[MrUmpire]

Originally Posted by kylejt

Forcing a player to slide by way of a fake tag, when there's no need to, would be unsportsmanlike in my book.

It would more advisable to use a rule book.

[CT1]

Originally Posted by kylejt

Forcing a player to slide by way of a fake tag, when there's no need to, would be unsportsmanlike in my book. How an umpire wants to deal with UC in dependant on each individual situation. (i.e. it's a judgement call). It can range from a "Hey, knock it off", to an EJ.

The original post concerned a play in Michigan, using NFHS rules.

According to NFHS 3-3-1b (Penalty): "At the end of playing action, the umpire shall issue a warning to the coach of the team involved and the next offender on that team shall be ejected."

Plain enough for you?

[DG]

Originally Posted by kylejt

I agree that if that report stated the sole reason the player was ejected was for the fake tag, that wouldn't fly. But, if it stated he was run for UC, there's no way to back out of that one.

The umpire should define what any UC ejection was for on the ejection report and not just list the reason as UC, which of course hides the fact that he tossed for fake tag on first offense.

[blueump]

More interesting information:

Apparently the ejecting official never filed a report.

Despite that, according to the MHSAA handbook there are no appeals of any ejections (even with misapplication of rules), no protests are allowed (even with misapplication of rules), and the player is still suspended for the remainder of the game - plus any other games that day as well as the next scheduled playing date (even if the official never files a report). The student ended up serving a total of 4 2/3 games suspension because the next playing date was a Saturday tournament...and the official never even filed a report!

[SAump]

Originally Posted by blueump

More interesting information:

Apparently the ejecting official never filed a report.

Despite that, according to the MHSAA handbook there are no appeals of any ejections (even with misapplication of rules), no protests are allowed (even with misapplication of rules), and the player is still suspended for the remainder of the game - plus any other games that day as well as the next scheduled playing date (even if the official never files a report). The student ended up serving a total of 4 2/3 games suspension because the next playing date was a Saturday tournament...and the official never even filed a report!

No one broke their leg as a result of another fake tag during one of those games.

[HokieUmp]

Originally Posted by blueump

More interesting information:

Apparently the ejecting official never filed a report.

Despite that, according to the MHSAA handbook there are no appeals of any ejections (even with misapplication of rules), no protests are allowed (even with misapplication of rules), and the player is still suspended for the remainder of the game - plus any other games that day as well as the next scheduled playing date (even if the official never files a report). The student ended up serving a total of 4 2/3 games suspension because the next playing date was a Saturday tournament...and the official never even filed a report!

Well, maybe instead of expending so much energy on the legitimacy of the original EJ, you should be pursuing the idiotic post-EJ suspension rules that don't allow for multi-game tournament days. I've seen plenty of outrage expended over whether it's an EJ or not, yet no one's really commented on the stupidity of the rest of it.

Even if the EJ was something we all agree on, do we all think what turned out to be an automatic 4-game suspension is warranted? Unless he was swinging a bat around like he was Highlander, I'd suspect the answer is 'no.'