Ground rule double?

[Paul L]

Home coach's "You gotta know the ground rule, Blue!" comment was in a frustrated tone of voice, not accusatory, so I didn't take it personally, despite the second person singular pronoun. I just raised my eyebrows, she paused for two beats as if listening to what she had just said and realizing her responsiblity, and nothing further was said, ever.

I bet she will mention it in all her future pregames on that field. And on similar fields, I will make clear that foul ball territory past the truncated fence is DBT and any fair ball hit into it will result in a two base award from TOP.

[IamMatt]

What would be the appropriate ruling in this case (ASA 12-U): Playing at a facility with back-to-back fields with no fences between and games going on at both fields. Batter smacks the hell out of the ball and it goes past the outfield all the way into the other field. Fielder in the other field notices it and picks it up and throws it back into an outfielder from the original field who was chasing after it. BR was already home by the time the ball was relayed in to the pitcher.

Home run? Ground Rule Double? Something else?

[sargee7]

Originally Posted by IamMatt

What would be the appropriate ruling in this case (ASA 12-U): Playing at a facility with back-to-back fields with no fences between and games going on at both fields. Batter smacks the hell out of the ball and it goes past the outfield all the way into the other field. Fielder in the other field notices it and picks it up and throws it back into an outfielder from the original field who was chasing after it. BR was already home by the time the ball was relayed in to the pitcher.

Home run? Ground Rule Double? Something else?

Depends on how it got there. If it was a ground ball, and if discuessed during the pregame that there was an "invisible barrier" that separated the fields, then a "ground rule 2"" If it went in the air and IF it was discussed during the pregame that "any ball they went beyond a certain distance in the air would be considered a HR", otherwise a "ground rule 2".

[CecilOne]

Also, specify that any ball touched by anyone on the other field is dead when touched. Runner positioning is just as if it went under a fence at that moment.

[Dakota]

I disagree with your last sentence, Cecil.

OK, since no ground rules were discussed before the game, and since there is no physical boundary (line, fence, other barrier such as tree line, etc.) to the field, then what would you have called had there NOT been a game going on on the other field and no one other than a player had picked up the ball?

"Inside the park" HR, right?

This is spectator interference, where the spectator has entered the "field of play". Dead ball, and runners placed according to umpire judgement. Since she was already home, run scores. ASA 8-5-L.

In the "coulda, shoulda, oughta" category, the PU, seeing this layout, should have gotten the ground rules established before the game.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by IamMatt

What would be the appropriate ruling in this case (ASA 12-U): Playing at a facility with back-to-back fields with no fences between and games going on at both fields. Batter smacks the hell out of the ball and it goes past the outfield all the way into the other field. Fielder in the other field notices it and picks it up and throws it back into an outfielder from the original field who was chasing after it. BR was already home by the time the ball was relayed in to the pitcher.

Home run? Ground Rule Double? Something else?

It is more or less a blocked ball and the umpire may award runners the bases the runner would have reached safely had the ball not been touched.

There is not going to be a specific rule as in Championship Play, fields are to be enclosed.

If you need a reference, it would be 8.5.L which only notes the DEAD BALL under effect. Check RS under INTERFERENCE for the effect of SPECTATOR INTERFERENCE.

[IamMatt]

That's why you guys get paid the big bucks (LOL). Most of us "laymen" can figure out the 80% of the game that is covered by the simplest and most commonly-known 20% of the rules and is pretty self-evident when it happens.

It's when that wierd 20% of stuff like this happens that requires the expertise of the guy in blue. Thanks.