It's right in the rule book, Blue . . . - Page 3

#31 (**permalink**) Thu Sep 02, 2004, 11:45am

Rule book scholars who chug too much brew at the same time! At least we blues know how much brew to sip while becoming rule book scholars!

FUBLUE · #32 (**permalink**) Mon Sep 06, 2004, 09:59pm

Youth 14U "OPEN" invitational...

R1 on 1B, steal of second base. Through pulls fielder towards first about two steps. When fielder (F6) catches ball, runner is about 3 feet from her. Small collision as runner tries to avoid being tagged. F6 falls backwards, but holds onto the ball. She hesitates about 2 seconds and hops up and runs to dugout. As soon as I finish my out call I turn and guess who's there? F6's coach, wanting me to eject R1 for "running her over."

Long story short, he told me that ASA states runners must slide and that any contact is automatic ejecting.

I explain to him the rules and that only I and my partner (No UIC in this tourney) get to decide what warrants ejection, and he says he'll just have his girls run over their fielders. My response: That's fine coach, but now that I know any contact by your runner is intended to be malicious, I'll eject the runner AND both you coaches, so the game would then be over."

He then said he would sue me for everything I have (both dollars) because I don't know the rule.

Again...MORON!

greymule · #33 (**permalink**) Tue Sep 07, 2004, 08:33am

runners must slide

Number 1, 2, and 3 on the list of "It's right in the rule book, Blue!"

Guy threatens to sue. Why not? With our current tort system, you never know. Maybe the guy will include you as well as McDonald's in his claim that it's not his fault he's a fathead.

[Edited by greymule on Sep 7th, 2004 at 09:36 AM]

mcrowder · #34 (**permalink**) Tue Sep 07, 2004, 12:49pm

I may win this. Working BU, with one of those overzealous, "Speak-to-me-and-I'll-eject-you" types at the plate. High popup in adult slow-pitch. As the ball's about to be caught, the entire stands suddenly yells. Fielder drops the ball.

PU ruled the batter out on fan interference.

I kid you not.

greymule · #35 (**permalink**) Tue Sep 07, 2004, 01:24pm

PU ruled the batter out on fan interference.

I wonder whether this guy recognizes fan obstruction too.

ChrisSportsFan · #36 (**permalink**) Tue Sep 07, 2004, 02:50pm

I play a fair amount of slow pitch myself and I was wondering..... how many fans were there?

Andy · #37 (**permalink**) Wed Sep 08, 2004, 12:03am

Quote:

Originally posted by DownTownTonyBrown
If we're gonna talk about stuff besides "it's in the rule book," I've got my favorite...

High school fast pitch, one of the first games of the season... I'm behind the plate

The typical, coach complains about strike zone by saying "Call them both ways, Blue."

My response, "Well, if you can wait until we get to the bottom of the first inning, I'll do that."

Coach kind of hung his head and looked the other way. Batter cracked up. Catcher was laughing. Fans were snickering.... Play Ball!

Gotta love it!

A buddy of mine, who works PAC-10 softball, has a similar story from a game he was doing at Arizona....

Beginning of the game, he settles in behind the plate and calls for the first pitch. Pitch is just off the outside corner, my buddy calls "ball".

From high in the stands comes a loud voice....

C'MON BLUE!...BE CONSISTANT!

greymule · #38 (**permalink**) Sun Sep 19, 2004, 02:14pm

Add this one from Friday night's coed league:

Soft liner down the LF line about 8 feet foul. F7 runs across the line for it but drops the ball. I call foul, though the play was so obvious that with higher-level teams I might not have said anything at all.

Then I hear an agitated voice from the dugout: "But Blue, he made a play for it! He touched it!"

ChrisSportsFan · #39 (**permalink**) Mon Sep 20, 2004, 08:46am

I find it interesting that if they can't throw a guy out at home on a fly ball, then he mustu left early.

#40 (**permalink**) Mon Sep 20, 2004, 12:37pm

Here's my entry:

Working a SP game. Batter hits a long drive to the fence. He's also a speedster. As he runs to third base, he cuts his turn short, thus missing the bag on his way home. Defense appeals (catcher was on the line, and saw him miss third base). I call runner out. Coach comes running out of the dugout, along with the runner, and run towards me. (Thought I was working a MLB game when I saw this). Coach yells at me about was I sure he missed the base. Tell him, "yes sir, I am." His response to me: "But blue, what reason would he have for missing the bag when he's the fastest runner out here??"

Hmmmmm.......Interesting question?

Serg

Bagman62 · #41 (**permalink**) Mon Sep 20, 2004, 10:16pm

Serg,
In all my years of calling all levels and ages of softball I find 1 of 4 runners miss the middle base when advancing 2 or more bases. The men's SP will usually cut the bag short and stab with the right food hitting a mound of dirt 3" to 6" off the base and it feels like the base.

With my reputation in one league I had teams assign a player just to watch bases when I worked as BU this saved outs and got cheap outs. The "fastest runner" does it because they want to remain the fastest runner.

mach3 · #42 (**permalink**) Tue Sep 21, 2004, 02:34am

Here comes mine:
FP Tournament, State Teams playing each other.
Infield fly is called, but droped, runners advance.
Coach yelss something to the pitcher, who steps of, walks to 2B and wants to appeal the runner left too soon, but just sais "Appeal!". Puzzeled face, since R1 (from 2B) is on 3B and R2 is now on 2B.
Coach comes out and explains: "She did not retouch! We want to appeal that!"
"But Coach, the Ball was not caught!"
"Yes, I know, but she can't leave the base before the ball hit the ground, you called Infieled fly!"
Still puzzeled. "That woulb be for a catch, but is was no catch!"
"It's in the book. Maybe you can find some other Umpire that will explain the rule to you again!"

Raoul

greymule · #43 (**permalink**) Tue Sep 21, 2004, 08:04am

"But blue, what reason would he have for missing the bag when he's the fastest runner out here??"

I heard basically the same thing a few years back. "He's our fastest runner! Why would he leave early?"

I also remember this one when I called an out as F6 intentionally dropped a line drive: "But Blue, he's not a good enough fielder to drop it on purpose!" (Actually, they might have been right about that one, but it looked intentional.)

I have also heard that same odd interpretation of the IFR, that the runners have to wait for the ball to come down even if nobody catches it. I've also heard another variation: that even when the ball is caught, the runners are free to leave the moment IFR is called. As if calling IFR constitutes the fielder catching the ball.

SF · #44 (**permalink**) Wed Sep 22, 2004, 10:30pm

In a game I had tonight, 5th inning, pitcher throws the exact same pitch I had called a ball about a dozen times.

Coach: "You've called that a ball everytime! When are you going to start calling that a strike? C'mon Ump, be consistent!"

All the players start cracking up and the coach can't figure out why. Catcher says to me "Seems like coaches dont think before they start talking." Couldn't help but thinking how true it is.

FUBLUE · #45 (**permalink**) Sun Sep 26, 2004, 09:22am

Reading the "Perfect Game" thread made me remember a comment a coach made a few years ago in a 16U tourney. Pitcher was very good, and dominating his team. She also wore the ugliest pair of sunglasses ever to be found (White plastic frames with pink flowers on them). I think she might have stole them from a clown.

Coach comes unglued after about the eighth strikeout against his team. He comes time screaming, "she can't wear those glasses, they are distracting my batters. Make her take them off!"

My reply: Coach, there's no rule in the book about bad taste or fashion sense. Would you be questioning the glasses if you were ahead in the game.

Hs reply: No. (and he walks away)