Game Management Opinion
 

Please consider this play:

Play: With R1 on 1B, B2 has a 2-1 count. The next pitch is a ball and B2, thinking it is ball 4 heads to 1B and R1 advances to 2B. The plate umpire states that was only ball 3, so B2 comes back to bat with a 3-1 count. What happens to R1?
Ruling: In this play the offensive and defense have the responsibility to know the count. When R1 advanced to 2B the ball remains live as if they were stealing. B2 would be returned to bat and R1 would remain on 2B.

What do you think of the following comment versus allowing the play?

However this is a great preventative umpire situation. When the plate umpire sees B2 start to 1B, call time and now nothing can happen and we will have less of a problem than if we had allowed the play to continue.

I'm in the camp that is not calling time out on this scenario.

Yes, it is up to the defense to know the count. My method is to announce the count when we get to either 3 balls or 2 strikes while signalling at the same time. Or, whenever there has been a stoppage in play for some reason. However, I also give the count to the batter and catcher in lower volume fairly regularly.

It is also up to the offense to know the count as well. If I think a team is trying to utilize this as a strategic play and see it more than once in a game, I will speak to the head coach.

I don't think I have seen this happening more than a handful of times in games I've called. And of those, more likely an uncaught 2nd strike. And I believe it was always because the batter lost track of the count.

I'm assuming this is USA Softball guidance. If that's the case, it might work in 10U rec, or maybe Co-Ed Beer League ball. But that dog don't hunt in the vast majority of programs involving elite players. You call Time then, you'll have MORE of a problem than if we had allowed the play to continue.

Preventive umpiring in this situation would be a loud "THREE BALLS, ONE STRIKE!" the moment B2 takes off. No different than a loud "BATTER'S OUT!" when he/she takes off for first base on an uncaught third strike with less than two outs and first base occupied.

And it goes directly against the rule book that says time should never be called with runners off base and playing action going on except in cases of medical emergency.

As I have already said on this subject, just how do you explain to the defensive coach whos team was heads up and threw down for the out that you called time and are returning the runner back to first? Both teams are responsible for knowing the game situation and playing appropriately, not the umpires job to bail out either team because they weren't paying attention.

This is not a new play or ruling. Been this way for decades.

Co-ed Beer League could have stealing, but not D3K. Still, someone advancing to first on ball 3, the runner(s) are still at risk for a pick-off play correct? None of the slow pitch games I work allow stealing.

As long as the pitch did not hit in front of or the plate, or the batter, it is a live ball