If I am the calling umpire in this play and none of my partners speak up, I will not only ding myself for missing the play in the first place, I will ding them as well when I fill out the evaluations.
Realize this is a very unusual play, and those are the ones we usually screw up. If a word from a partner corrects the situation quickly and according to the rules, let's hear it! No need to wait for someone to say "Protest" and THEN do the leg work. If nobody speaks up we all look like we don't know what we're doing.
There is no way any rule interp on this play would end with the outs and runners he ended up with - which makes me damn sure it wasn't adjudicated properly.
So, I agree. We disagree. :rolleyes:

JJ

I don't use it often. I've used it on close no batter interference. I have used it on plays where people might think there is something and there's "nothing" it lets people see that I saw "it" and I have nothing.

Yes, our state had the weird play in the section finals. I would work with any of those umpires tomorrow w/o hesitation.

And, that would be judgment and I don't know what I would have called in real time if it did hit him. Mainly, b/c that wasn't part of it and I have this enough times. Have to wait for real time if it happens to me.

You should ding yourself if you approach another umpire without being asked. Rules 9.02 (b) and (c) say it. Especially (b) specifically identifying the manager to appeal the play in question. If he doesn't, umpires don't either. Each have their own area to take care of. Your partner deserves more respect for handling his own situations than you seem to be willing to give him.

He may have missed that rule. But, you will have missed both of these rules. 2 screw ups on one play is not good at all. That makes a bad crew all around.

GA is right on here.

MLB Rule 9.02
(b) If there is reasonable doubt that any umpire’s decision may be in conflict with the rules, the manager may appeal the decision and ask that a correct ruling be made. Such appeal shall be made only to the umpire who made the protested decision. (c) If a decision is appealed, the umpire making the decision may ask another umpire for information before making a final decision. No umpire shall criticize, seek to reverse or interfere with another umpire’s decision unless asked to do so by the umpire making it. If the umpires consult after a play and change a call that had been made, then they have the authority to take all steps that they may deem necessary, in their discretion, to eliminate the results and consequences of the earlier call that they are reversing, including placing runners where they think those runners would have been after the play, had the ultimate call been made as the initial call, disregarding interference or obstruction that may have occurred on the play; failures of runners to tag up based upon the initial call on the field; runners passing other runners or missing bases; etc., all in the discretion of the umpires. No player, manager or coach shall be permitted to argue the exercise of the umpires’ disscretion in

It wasn't overkill of mechanics.

(Why does this board chop the original quote in a thread?)

Well, what was it them? The safe/out confused the the clueless batter, or did some some other umpire overstep his bounds, and changed the call because of the confusion that was created. Anyway, there was no reason for a no catch signal on the swinging strike. It was plain as day that the ball hit the dirt first. Thus the merry-go-round spins round and round.

I've always been under the impression that if you don't call interference, there wasn't interference. I just don't see the need to re-invent the wheel. Also on a side note, I've seen some post a quote from Bill Klem that states, "It ain't nothing until I call it." Think Ed Armbrister/Carlton Fisk in the 1975 World Series, but if Fisk doesn't rush his throw, he's would have have an easy double play.

I have never seen this mechanic at any level I've coached, played or watched. The only place I've heard this mentioned are on these boards. Just the way that I prefer to do things. If you want to use it, more power to ya.

BTW-I never mentioned anything who you should or shouldn't work with. That's your business, not mine.