play brought up at FP camp

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by ronald

Dang, Mike, give the other guys a chance to play.

If you don't do what Mike says, then you will have to...

Actually, I have no problem with Ted's take except the calling a player out thing.

And let me pull a word out that we haven't heard here in a while. I have no problem with a trick play. Contrary to many umpires' (and duped coaches' beliefs, there is no rule against "trickery".

If a coach has a trick play and it does not involve a violation of a rule, I say go for it as long as s/he knows that I will not protect his/her team if it backfires.

Example, I once played for a coach who would occasionally have us run off the field with just two outs with the hope the opposition would just believe the inning was over and move on. When I began umpiring, I didn't stop the play when I saw it for two reasons: Shame on the other team for not taking care of business and that is one less I with which I have to deal.

Of course, such a play eventually catches up to you. One time, the team had a runner on 2B and the opposing coach knew there were only two outs. The sly old fox started to talk to his runner, but stayed in the box so the runner would continue walking toward 3B. Once he got within range that only the coach could hear, he told him to touch 3B and run home. The player did and the other coach went crazy, because I wouldn't tell the runner to go back because there were only 2 outs! I may have only been 16, but I just smiled at the coach and shook my head saying, I don't think so, coach.