Rung Bell - Can't UnRing

[whiskers_ump]

However, you make the call.

Situtation: Championship game - 18U. Score 0 - 0 bottom of 2nd inning.


R1 on 2nd, one out. Batter has 2 - 0 count. Pitch comes in, batter "checks swing"
R1 is attempting to advance to 3rd, you as plate hear what you thought was ball
contacting the bat, come up with foul ball. Ball rolling towards 3rd in foul
ground. Out of the corner of your eye, you see the catcher shaking her
hand and now crying. At this point you realize that the ball has not hit the
bat, nor bat the catcher, but the ball hit the catcher on the bare hand and what
you actually have is a uncaught pitch rolling towards 3rd.

How would you handle this situation?

I know I erred, but here is how I handled the play.

After player was attened to, naturally coaches now want an explanation of the play.
Since there are two coaches involved, I call my partner in to conference. I admit
to both coaches that I missed called the play. Tell offensive coach that I
cannot and will not change the foul ball call since all action stopped. Inform
him that his runner must return to 2nd, and since I did call the pitch a foul
ball, his batter's count is not 2-1. I also noted to the coach, that in my
opinion the batter on the check went far enough that I would have said "she
went" had not I already thought that bat/ball contact had been made.
Nothing to tell the defensive coach except, asks if she needs a sub or
is catcher able to continue. Catcher stayed in game.

Coach accepted my explanation with very little disagreement. His big
agrument was the strike part, but lived with it. The batter ended up walking,
but team did not score. His team lost the game in the bottom of the sixth 4-3.

Actually got more "good game blue", by both teams, than I have gotten in games
where nothing happened.

In your opinions, how else could this have been handled, and was the way it was
handled, appropriate?

Thanks




[Edited by whiskers_ump on Nov 7th, 2004 at 11:10 PM]

[jstark23]

Glen Glen Glen can you not keep yourself out of trouble!!!!!!!!!! but there really wasn't anyway to handle it you called it dead its dead... btw how are the ribs

[whiskers_ump]

John,

I did not realize that they hurt as bad as they did until I had my first
plate game. Did also forget on bases once and make a sell out that I
wish had been just a plain on out call. But all in all I got though
the tournament OK. Working for Mike G next week, then back to
Beaumont for AFA Qualifier.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Let me preface this by stating that I do not believe the manner in which you handled this was wrong.

However, since you inquired about alternatives......

I don't think you would have had a problem selling R1 staying on 3rd base as you description sounds that it was obvious the catcher would not have had an opportunity to put the runner out at 3rd.

The only thing that I would have done differently was discuss the situtation with your partner privately before going ahead with the coaches. On of the questions would have been his opinion of a swing.

REMEMBER, I'm not suggesting that this should have been the call, just a possible alternative way of handling the weird situtation you had.

[SC Ump]

I seem to remember in Referee magazine a few years back, an article on how the different organizations have different rulings on a ball mistakenly called foul. Sorry I don't remember which is which, but some had rules and/or policies that stated:

1. once called foul, it's a dead ball and runners cannot advance.
2. if called foul accidently, but reversed before anyone reacts negatively, then it stays live (as in, "Foul! FAIR FAIR FAIR!"
3. if called fould accidently, and players react negatively, then the umpire can place the players where he thinks they would have ended up.

I seem to remember 2 & 3 as being NFHS, but I wouldn't put money on it.

[whiskers_ump]

Dan,

thanks for input, but personally I would not want to try any of those
listed reasonings. Especially #2.

JMHO