New Rule On This?

[U of M Sam]

WOW!
I would call an out in the force play described in the OP.
If an out on the described force play was not called, then how could a "routine" force play at 1st (or any base) be called?
Sounds to me like the Rules Committee needs to better understand the situation.
I wonder if there are any current or ex-umpires on the Committe.
Sam

[AtlUmpSteve]

Sam, I think you missed the point of Mike's post. There is no such "Rules Committee" in ASA which generates rulings. Only the ASA Director of Umpires or the National Umpire Staff can make such interpretations.

Bottom line, whomever this "UIC from Keller" is pulled the entire topic and alleged ruling out of his a$$. No such official ruling exists.

[greymule]

That same play was question #24 on the 2006 ASA test.

The answer was that yes, tagging 1B with an empty glove with the ball in the other hand is indeed a "force play."

Incidentally, since ASA has clarified that the "force" is reinstated when the BR retreats toward home plate, I can't think of any difference whatsoever between the out 1B and a force play at another base. If that is true, then ASA (unlike, in particular, OBR) can legitimately call the out at 1B a force play.

[TexBlue]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

What "rules committee"?

This may be some local yahoos, but it certainly wasn't the ASA "rules committee". The ASA Rules Committee is a group of voting council members, commissioners, player reps and an member of the NUS alike, assigned to such a committee for the National Convention. There sole responsibility is to discuss, approve, disapprove or defer to another committee a previously proposed rule and provide that recommendation to the council for consideration.

Only the NUS and/or Dir. of Umpires office can provide interpretations due to a miswording of a rule or a circumstance involving a rule that was not anticipated by the author(s) of a rule.

THAT was what I was hoping to hear. I couldn't believe the ruling changed and no one had talked about this at all. I have been really slow in getting my Case Book this year, so I couldn't research it myself.

Originally Posted by AtlUmpSteve

Sam, I think you missed the point of Mike's post. There is no such "Rules Committee" in ASA which generates rulings. Only the ASA Director of Umpires or the National Umpire Staff can make such interpretations.

Bottom line, whomever this "UIC from Keller" is pulled the entire topic and alleged ruling out of his a$$. No such official ruling exists.

I do believe you are right. This guy is supposed to be pretty sharp and schedules for several different parks.