turn left then...

[Little Jimmy]

This happened the other day. Girl hits ball to F6. F6 fumbles with the ball a few times. Runner gets to first 2-3 steps before ball. Runner runs through first, turns left, and with head down starts walking immediately to first. F3 has ball when coach says "tag her". Runner looks up to see F3 about to put a tag on her and makes a reactionary move toward second. Tag is applied.

I call time and put runner on first. Coach wants the out because she made the move to second. I say the move was just a reaction to a needless tag and that the runner was walking straight to first before being startled. No real argument although he still pleaded his case between innings. Do you think I was correct or was the move to second, even though a reaction, enough to allow for a tag out? By the way, JV level ball (if that is pertinent).

[Dakota]

IMO, correct call. The runner places herself in jeopardy when, in the umpire's judgment, she makes an attempt to 2nd. "Moving toward 2nd" (as in your case) is not necessarily an "attempt."

[whiskers_ump]

Seems correct. Could really sssstretch it and call OBS on
coach...
Same results, 1B for runner.

[mick]

Originally posted by Little Jimmy
This happened the other day. Girl hits ball to F6. F6 fumbles with the ball a few times. Runner gets to first 2-3 steps before ball. Runner runs through first, turns left, and with head down starts walking immediately to first. F3 has ball when coach says "tag her". Runner looks up to see F3 about to put a tag on her and makes a reactionary move toward second. Tag is applied.

I call time and put runner on first. Coach wants the out because she made the move to second. I say the move was just a reaction to a needless tag and that the runner was walking straight to first before being startled. No real argument although he still pleaded his case between innings. Do you think I was correct or was the move to second, even though a reaction, enough to allow for a tag out? By the way, JV level ball (if that is pertinent).

Little Jimmy,
That's a tough call.
Coach interference or offensive stupidity.
What if the pitcher or second baseman, yelled, "Tag 'er!" ? I bet she'd a been out.

Methinks, putting the B/R on base is age dependent.

mick

[mcrowder]

I don't think this is that tough a call at all.

A step toward second is not an attempt to advance to second. An attempt to avoid a tag is not an attempt to advance to second. Safe at first.

IMO, it would require something that looked like the runner thinking she was going to get tagged, and abandoning the attempt to return to first base and deciding to head toward 2nd, for this to be an out.

[mick]

Originally posted by mcrowder
I don't think this is that tough a call at all.

A step toward second is not an attempt to advance to second. An attempt to avoid a tag is not an attempt to advance to second. Safe at first.

IMO, it would require something that looked like the runner thinking she was going to get tagged, and abandoning the attempt to return to first base and deciding to head toward 2nd, for this to be an out.

"Runner looks up to see F3 about to put a tag on her and makes a reactionary move toward second." - Little Jimmy

Oh!, I didn't realize it was merely a step.
I didn't see it.
mick

[mcrowder]

Good point - maybe I read that differently than you.

LJ - can you describe the "reactionary move"?

[Del-Blue]

I think it was a good call. I'm sure I would have left her on first also

[Little Jimmy]

Reactionary move in this case was girl thinking there was no play on her, walking with head down back toward first, and looking up to see F3 one foot away reaching to tag her. Her first and only move was a shuffle step toward second done in surprise as much as anything. The whole incident took about a second. It was then that the defensive coach starts celebrating the supposed out. That's when I killed the play and put her on first.

[mick]

Originally posted by Little Jimmy
Reactionary move in this case was girl thinking there was no play on her, walking with head down back toward first, and looking up to see F3 one foot away reaching to tag her. Her first and only move was a shuffle step toward second done in surprise as much as anything. The whole incident took about a second. It was then that the defensive coach starts celebrating the supposed out. That's when I killed the play and put her on first.

Good call, Little Jimmy.

[kono]

Originally posted by mick

Good call, Little Jimmy.

Agreed - good call. From your description - even though she stepped toward 2nd - she made no attempt (even for a second) to go to second base.

-Kono

[3afan]

Originally Posted by Little Jimmy

Reactionary move in this case was girl thinking there was no play on her, walking with head down back toward first, and looking up to see F3 one foot away reaching to tag her. Her first and only move was a shuffle step toward second done in surprise as much as anything. The whole incident took about a second. It was then that the defensive coach starts celebrating the supposed out. That's when I killed the play and put her on first.

absolutely correct call

[CecilOne]

Nice to be reminded about some old friends!

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by CecilOne

Nice to be reminded about some old friends!

Yeah, really old. As in over 14 years old.