Mercy Rule
 

When the Mercy Rule is worded "a differential of X runs ANYTIME after 5 innings", if the visiting team goes ahead by X runs in the 6th or 7th, does the home team get their at bat? I say no, since 5.1, 5.2, 6.1, 6.2 are all AFTER 5 innings. If it said "a differential of X runs after 5 or mote completed innings", the home team would bat if they were trailing.

I can't imagine that a league director would not give the home team a chance, but it's remotely possible. I would not call a game after the top of the 5th, 6th or 7th if the visitors were ahead by X number of runs.

ASA 5.9.B, home team must have there turn at bat.

Since when do rules matter to you? You just call it how you feel.

I think that this is where we need to use a little common sense. How fair would it be for a visiting team, who may have been behind by one run going into the sixth inning, to have a really top of the sixth where they scored enough runs to meet the need of the "runs ahead rule" and not give the home team a chance to answer? Not very fair. So yes, of course the home team gets their chance to bat in that inning.

Makes perfect sense. Thanks, all. Some leagues do override this rule though.

Well, it's the same philosophy as the drop dead time limit. It's not in the interest of being fair, it's in the interest of time management and "forcing" teams to not goof around.

Must no be a Texan, HUH?

:D

Quote:
Originally Posted by 7in60
When the Mercy Rule is worded "a differential of X runs ANYTIME after 5 innings", if the visiting team goes ahead by X runs in the 6th or 7th, does the home team get their at bat? I say no, since 5.1, 5.2, 6.1, 6.2 are all AFTER 5 innings. If it said "a differential of X runs after 5 or mote completed innings", the home team would bat if they were trailing.


If the rule is worded like that, it is a tournament rule, not an ASA rule so the ASA book is not the answer.
If the rule is worded like that, it is a tournament rule, and someone better get the TD to straighten it out.
Worked a tourn this week with "no new" and "drop dead", endless arguments about the final score, umpires smart enough to ignore it.

Speaking of goofy local rules, we used to see time limits written like this:

"Time limit is 1:15 with no new inning after 1:10. Once an inning starts it will be completed."

Never did figure out what the 1:15 was for.

But the corker was a tournament earlier this year:

"Time limit is 1:10 with no new inning after 1:20."

Huh? Ok, but there is no new inning after 3 hours, either... ;) Sometimes you wonder what people are actually thinking.

IF, not what. :rolleyes: