Need some rule clarification

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by lbsnowryder

Last night we were playing 1 ball 1 strike do to time constraints. The lights didn't come on in time and the game needed to be suspended.

Bottom of the 3rd, 1 out, runners on 2nd and 3rd. The ball is hit infield fly and missed, the runner on 2nd runs to 3rd where he is tagged out. As soon as the tag is made the ump calls "Dead Ball" letting the runner return to 2nd and the batter take 1st. Leaving us with bases loaded and 1 out.

Anybody have input?

Did the umpire happen to extend his left arm at any time?

[lbsnowryder]

Not that anyone saw! Even in the event of a delayed call wouldn't the batter be out in that position.

[NCASAUmp]

Originally Posted by lbsnowryder

Not that anyone saw! Even in the event of a delayed call wouldn't the batter be out in that position.

Did the runner from second base get blocked by the defense? Did he have to run around someone?

And to answer your second question, no. Why would he be? There's no infield fly with runners only on 2nd and 3rd.

[lbsnowryder]

No the runner wasn't blocked, he was tagged while both players were standing on 3rd.

I do understand the Infield Fly rule I'm just trying to get a grasp on Blue's call. I had a discussion with him on the Dead Ball rule and during that discussion 2 players were ejected and I never got a solid answer from him on the call.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by lbsnowryder

No the runner wasn't blocked, he was tagged while both players were standing on 3rd.

I do understand the Infield Fly rule I'm just trying to get a grasp on Blue's call. I had a discussion with him on the Dead Ball rule and during that discussion 2 players were ejected and I never got a solid answer from him on the call.

Okay, but why did you think the BR should have been declared out?

[lbsnowryder]

I guess that's my backwards way of fair thinking. My opinion is that the runner on 2nd who was tagged should have been out and I'm unsure how a dead ball would be called in that situation.

[Welpe]

Originally Posted by lbsnowryder

I guess that's my backwards way of fair thinking. My opinion is that the runner on 2nd who was tagged should have been out and I'm unsure how a dead ball would be called in that situation.

OK....but he wasn't and I think the only thing we can think here is that the umpire ruled obstruction (or kicked the crap out of the call, which is certainly possible).

All of that being said....why, for any reason, would the batter be out in this situation? I'm completely failing to understand that comment.

[steveshane67]

Originally Posted by lbsnowryder

No the runner wasn't blocked, he was tagged while both players were standing on 3rd.

I do understand the Infield Fly rule I'm just trying to get a grasp on Blue's call. I had a discussion with him on the Dead Ball rule and during that discussion 2 players were ejected and I never got a solid answer from him on the call.

I dont understand this part. Calmly ask the ump why he called dead ball and returned the runner to 2nd? (Im guessing the ppl that got thrown out didnt ask so nicely) I think you said it was a rec ball league, if so, why would the umpire not give an explanation? Is his life that depraved of authority that his only highlight in life is being able to order people around in softball?? I can see an ump at a high level (ie pro ball) basically give the cold shoulder to a manager he doesnt like, but in rec ball the goal should be to get the call right and explain the calls to both teams if needed.

[NCASAUmp]

Originally Posted by steveshane67

I dont understand this part. Calmly ask the ump why he called dead ball and returned the runner to 2nd? (Im guessing the ppl that got thrown out didnt ask so nicely) I think you said it was a rec ball league, if so, why would the umpire not give an explanation? Is his life that depraved of authority that his only highlight in life is being able to order people around in softball?? I can see an ump at a high level (ie pro ball) basically give the cold shoulder to a manager he doesnt like, but in rec ball the goal should be to get the call right and explain the calls to both teams if needed.

True, but I must admit that there are times when even I get tired of explaining every f'ing call I make on the field.

"No, runner, when you missed second and advanced beyond third, you were supposed to touch third on the way back to second."

"No, runner, there are no wormholes on the field of which I am aware. Stop trying to take shortcuts."

"No, third, you can't do a fake tag on a runner."

"No, runner, you can't kick third in the nuts as retaliation."

[tcblue13]

My guess is that blue thought that the bases were loaded and mistakenly called infield fly. He probably thought that his errant call gave some kind of advantage to the D so he killed the play and placed the runners giving BR first and returning R2 to 2B (TOP).

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by lbsnowryder

Not that anyone saw! Even in the event of a delayed call wouldn't the batter be out in that position.

Why? The ball wasn't caught. It is not an infield fly situation. The only reasonable explanation, assuming the umpire knew what he was doing, is an obstruction call saving the runner off of 2B.