NFHS Rules Reminders

[CecilOne]

Here are some NFHS rules items that have come up at my games or I that have heard about already this season.

1) A coach said "another umpire" told them the DP is defense and the FLEX is offense.

2) No one seems to know their State and Conference decisions on ITB and mercy rules.

3) The DP/FLEX have to be declared before the game, but the Courtesy Runner does not.

4) For purposes of a batter hit by a batted ball being fair or foul, the batter is out of the box when one foot touches the ground outside the box even if the other foot is still in the box.

5) A pulled foot call on an apparent third out can be made even if the defense has left the field; unlike defense appeals of missed bases, etc. It is not an appeal, just a call.

6) Something that needed clarification last year, in the book this year:
In a batting out of order situation, when the proper batter is declared out, the improper batter is not out, even if "put out" on the play.

7) A foul tip is a live ball, treated like any other swinging strike.

8) A thrown ball accidentally hitting a coach who is outside the coaching box is "blocked" and dead, subject to the two-base award. By NFHS rule 5-1-1-g, this applies as long as you consider the coach "nonparticipating team personnel" and not "offensive equipment". Rule 3-6-5 does exclude a coach in the coaching box, also as long as it is accidental.
OR, does 8-7-17 apply to an overthrow.

Let's discuss and clarify any of these you don’t understand or disagree with.


[Edited by CecilOne on Apr 3rd, 2004 at 02:09 PM]

[Smiley]

I disagree with #8. Casebook play 5.1.1 Situation G has a thrown ball hitting a photographer who is outside the designated media area remaining alive. I have to believe that a thrown ball accidentally hitting a coach who is outside the coaching box remains alive as well.

[CecilOne]

Originally posted by Smiley
I disagree with #8. Casebook play 5.1.1 Situation G has a thrown ball hitting a photographer who is outside the designated media area remaining alive. I have to believe that a thrown ball accidentally hitting a coach who is outside the coaching box remains alive as well.

Sit. E and F seem more pertinent, as a photographer is more like a spectator than part of the game. Sit. F actually confuses by adding "intentionally", but references 5-5-1-g-2.

I guess there are three possibilities:
1) intentional - an out for interference
2) accidental in the coaching box - in play, see 3-5-6 reference above
3) accidental outside the coaching box - the question is which rule applies:
5-1-1-g-2 - dead ball
8-6-15 - runner out if being played on,
but if not no one obviously played on and runners return to last base when ball was blocked
8-6-17 - runner out

My original comment applied 5-1-1-g-2, as I don't consider the coach "equipment", as in 8-6-15. But 8-6-17 says "coach ... interfere's with the defensive team's opportunity to make a play on another runner". Neither have cases.

The play I visualized was a BR going to 1st, and the throw goes past F3 and hits the base coach even though the coach moved out of the box and tried to avoid it.

[Smiley]

The definition of blocked ball includes being touched by a person not engaged in the game. The coach is engaged in the game, therefore, this cannot be a blocked ball. I think the intent of of 5-1-1g is to exclude the coach, since there is no definition of participating or non-participating. I submit that the coach is participating.

[CecilOne]

WMB started a separate topic on this in the NFHS forum and is checking with NFHS for an interpretation.

[WestMichBlue]

Re: Coach hit by thrown ball.

1. Blocked ball should not be part of discussion. As others have noted, coach is active participant in game and not subject to blocked ball rule.

2. 8.6.17 "A coach . . . . interferes with the defensive team’s opportunity to make a play on another runner. Penalty: Ball is dead and runner closest to home plate at the time of interference is called out.” This rule should be interpreted as a physical interference against a defender, not being hit by a thrown ball. This same rule in ASA 8.7.O adds the sentence "A batted or thrown ball that unintentionally hits a base coach is not considered interference." This is not clear in NFHS.

3.5.5 was re-written this year (was 3.2.3 last year) to read "If a thrown live ball accidentally touches a base coach in the coach’s box, . . . . , the ball is live and in play." That suggests that if the coach is hit when outside the coach's box we have interference and the rule points to 8.6.17 for a penalty. (Actually points to 8.6.16, but that is also a mistake.)

So the fielder makes a bad throw and nails the coach outside the coach's box and we reward the defense with the runner closest to home called out. Obviously that cannot be, so I e-mailed this issue this morning to Randy Allen, Assoc Dir M.H.S.A.A. who is also a member of the NFHS SB Rules committee. His response:

"The interpretation stays the same…The 2004 language which added the coaches box was a mistake. We’ll correct in the June meeting of the NF committee. The ball remains live when a ball accidentally touches a base coach in foul territory, in or out of the box. You are also correct about the reference to 8.6.16, it should be 8.6.17"

The bold sentence is basically the 2003 rule (3.2.3)which we will go back to using. This rule then negates using 8.6.17 to claim interference when the coach is hit by a thrown ball.

WMB

[CecilOne]

Sorry everyone. Thought I was reading correctly, but this clatification negates the blocked ball idea.