First time in 16 years...
 

… I've ever made this call. Please let me know if you consider it ticky-tack BS (as the OC did). R1 on 3B, tagging up on a fly ball. Positioned behind the bag, and as she's timing the catch she rocks back & comes completely off the bag (4-5 inches, no more). "OUT!"

This is PONY, covered under 9.8.w (looked it up after the game). I'm guessing there's an ASA equivalent, intended to prevent a running start.

Again, never saw it happen before, prob because I don't think I ever had a girl set up behind the bag before...

asa 8.7.v

Sounds good to me!

8-20 in nfhs

8-6-20 ;)

Ticky-tack? Yes, possibly. The correct call? Also, yes.

IMO: The game revolves around "ticky-tack" calls of a few inches, whether on the plate or the bases. To borrow one of Andy's phrases, don't go looking to pick boogers, but we have to enforce the rules. Taking a position off the base and behind it on a fly-ball tag-up is an out.

If you dont want to get called for stuff, dont make it obvious. Thats one of the things that is quite obvious.

One of the amusing side-complaints I heard was, "How did he possibly see that?"

Well, for one thing, my attention was on that foot, for the tag-up.

All I needed was a DC (who knew the rule) take me to task for not calling it. Not gonna leave myself open to that.

I agree with being ready to make the call - However, in ASA is it an umpire call?

I only do NSA and it must be appealed (like leaving early.)

no appeal, runner is out.

Yes... calling players out when they are out is an umpire call. :)

FWIW, I made the out call as soon as she lifted her foot back... the ball was still coming down.

Just for giggles, please check the NSA rule book (I don't have one, don't do that association); is it defined as one of the designated "appeals" in the rule book, does it say that in this specific rule (rather than being added as an additional appeal); or were you simply told to treat it that way?

I only ask, not to doubt you (I don't know you); it seems like a stupid cause to create a major rules adjustment to the defined "appeals".

Honestly (not that it mattered), but if you did that, I believe you were premature. Things could have happened after that instant that would render the offense no longer an offense. (Most significantly, the runner not going home)

Or, being back on the base before the catch/touch???

thought about that... seems to me the violation happens when she breaks contact:

In the extreme, say she backs up 3 steps as the ball's coming down, and times it to be stepping on the back the instant the ball is first touched, running at full speed. Absurd of course, but it is the whole point of the rule.
You'd be calling her out 3 steps back, right?

In my case, she was only 4-5 inches back, but that's when the violation occurred.

And I'm wrong... I didn't call her out when she lifted her foot. I decided to call her out when she lifted her foot. I was too busy being astounded that I'm about to call this obscure ruling for the 1st time in my career :eek:

I hope I wouldn't have called it if she didn't take off... we'll never know:)

BTW, does the rule allow for that caveat?

I pulled the book out and looked at the rule...the wording of the rule does bring up some questions, so for the sake of discussion.....

What if the fly ball is not caught? Is this still a violation? The rule seems to suggest that it would be.

What if the runner takes the running start, hits the base after the fly ball is first touched, but only advances a few steps trying to draw a bad throw? Is this still a violation?

I say yes to both. The fly ball part is really irrelevant, any behind a base running start in any running sitch is this rule.

NSA has wed this to the rule requiring a runner to tag up prior to advancing on a caught fly ball and the effect requires an appeal

Not a question, rule is specific that it applies on "any fly ball".

And yes. As noted above, the effect is out when this occurs on any fly ball