Eventually someone's going to notice the plate umpire standing off to the side with his mask off pointing into fair territory and do something about it.

Stand between the plate and the mound.

And, yes, if the players are that clueless, an oral declaration to both sides that it's still a live ball is a possibility.

Frankly, if you let the pitcher get anywhere near the mound, then you're turning an interesting / unusual situation into something approaching Calvinball.

Ugh - no. Stand in foul ground, mask off, pointing fair.

Please, anyone reading this - don't ever do that.

I'm not following this one. How would the umpire prevent any player from being wherever they want on the field? There's no way to prevent the pitcher from going to the mound/pitching circle ... especially given that he/she started there and very possibly never left.

On this play, simply get out from behind and point fair. Anyone who has worked lower levels has had this exact situation happen numerous times. SOMEONE eventually gets it. Pitchers who retrieve the ball aren't likely to pitch without the umpire back there... if the coach hasn't started yelling either "RUN!!!" or "THROW IT TO FIRST!!!" by this point, the pitcher might be the first one to figure it out. Hmmm.. why don't I see an umpire? Oh, there he is. Oh, he's pointing fair....

If, in some bizarro world TWP (which, in 21 years, I've never either seen happen or heard of happening from any of my umpires) the fielder retrieves the ball, gets back on the mound (or PC), and throws the ball again toward the catcher and the batter-runner, still with bat in hand, hits it - THEN we have interference on that BR, and can apply the proper rules.

DO NOT SAY FAIR. DO NOT STAND ON THE FIELD. DO NOT PREVENT THE PITCHER FROM GOING WHEREVER THEY WANT.

Rant off. :)

All that baseball/softball stuff said... I had a strange one several years ago in football where no one knew the ball was live. I think I posted it here when it happened.

8th grade team lined up for an extra point snaps the ball to the holder, who was not yet ready for it and was standing up. Defense, for whatever reason, didn't rush in. Holder caught it and went forward to hand it to the snapper again. Snapper was, luckily for him, more than a yard back and facing the snapper (i.e. away from the goal line). Snapper puts the ball back down. (As an aside, at this point I notice my LJ has left his position under the goal post and sprinted for the goal line on his side - his first year, I gave him huge kudos for game awareness there).

Nose tackle, for whatever reason, picks up the ball and acts like he wants to hand it to someone (an umpire, we guessed later), sees no one and drops the ball. It rolls into the endzone. Snapper retrieves it.

Both of my partners blew their whistles and signaled the PAT good. Made for a fun conversation with both coaches. Defensive coach insisted something must have been illegal and they shouldn't get the PAT. Offensive coach was upset because in this league, 8th graders get 2 points for kicking or passing a PAT, and 1 for rushing. He wanted the 2 for kicking, and was upset he lost the opportunity.

I stand by my comments but this is the FB board. I do agree that it's "never" going to happen except in some bizarro world.

If it was otherwise Federation rules, then his team got a gift, because the ball should've become dead when the D player picked it up.

This past season in a game I was coaching, both teams left a ball lying on the ground after a pass went backward 5 yds. I was trying to somehow shout to my players to get the ball while not letting the other team hear me. Wish I had a recording of myself trying to do that.

Mike, like myself, calls under NCAA rules. Nowhere in Texas will you find football played under Federation rules.

"Is this the right ball?"

Objection! Relevance, Your Honor.

I strenuously object!
:D

Oh, if you strenuously object, I shall take some time to reconsider.