But does that not apply anytime an active runner or batter-runner is tagged with the ball?

Not when you're Robinson Cano. ;)

mike, you seem to be missing the point why paul might want to give the safe call. it may be far more simple and straightforward to do nothing and to prepare in advance that doing nothing will draw questions by coaches later. but how do you reconcile the discrepancy between rulebook and umpires manual? do you simply disregard the manual? I realize you being a UIC with experience, will insist that there is no discrepancy so any concerns can be simply dismissed, but it might not be so simple.

let's say during live play, this player asks the wrong umpire (plate) for an appeal (yeah, it happens). the umpires manual states, that umpire should point to the responsible umpire, call the umpires name, and indicate that the defense "wishes to make an appeal". given your desire to do nothing, I see a possible fiasco in the making. plate, simply redirecting the request as the manual says, would point to the responsible umpire (base), and base umpire in the do nothing camp would freeze, do nothing and say nothing. we can't stop players on the field from making requests, good or bad, and bad requests do happen. the umpires manual explicitly addresses the "wish" to make requests. it addresses the intention and desire to make an appeal, not the validity of an appeal. it makes no distinction between a good or bad request, and makes no provision to ignore a bad request. since it merely addresses the "wish" to make a request, not the completeness of a request, we can infer that it's instructing umpires NOT to do nothing, that you gotta do something, and it tells us what umpires would do. it does not assume a team should or should not know how an appeal can be made, nor assume higher level of players and coaches should know better. the umpires manual seems to address all levels of play, and all possibilities which a good manual would do.

now, for arguments sake, lets say the base umpire calls safe, which you detest. that call to me does far less less damage than a frozen umpire, and looks far more professional. it puts a clamp on further confusion and guessing that the rulebook discourages. later, when a coach questions that umpire on the call, the explanation can simply be, the batter-runner remains safe until the proper retirement is applied.

if umpires are in synch (assuming 2 or 3 man crew), doing nothing looks sharp, but applying the umpires manual which should not be ignored, it won't happen that way. the disconnect between the rulebook and umpires manual is there in our face begging for clarification. the responsible umpire, frozen and doing nothing, will appear either inept, or arrogant, or both. it's not just players and coaches. fans that know even less about the rules will see a frozen, poker faced umpire.

I apologize in advance for being the troublemaker in challenging the simplicity and elegance of doing nothing. as the senior UIC arguing for the do nothing camp, your comments are requested.

Is he out yet?

No.

Is he out yet?

No.

Is he out yet?

NO!

Remember, some of you have to deal with AA players.

So I'm not a senior UIC, but maybe if I restate your scenario in a little variation it'll help you see why this makes no sense. Here's what seems to me to be a very similar situation.

R1 on 3rd. Flyball and she clearly leaves early. Inexplicably, F8 throws to F4 who tags second while yelling to the BU that R1 left early.
Most everybody here wants the BU to just ignore that and do nothing as they didn't meet the threshhold for making an appeal.
You want the BU to point to the home plate umpire, and call out, "they're appealing R1 leaving early." Then you want the PU to signal safe.

If a player executes an appeal and it's not my call, I'll engage my partner. If a player does not execute an appeal but thinks he has and it's not my call, I'm certainly not going to make the situation more confusing by acknowledging it.

However, if my partner were to do so, then I'm not sure what the best thing to do is because I agree that it's just going to confuse people if my partner actively engages me and I try and ignore him. I can ignore nothing on the field but that's a little different than another umpire. My best guess is that in this situation a direct verbal response to my partner along the lines of:
We have no appeal.
is the only way that makes sense. But I'm not the fellow who knows the tough ones and the veteran folks may have a better approach on that.
________
Park Royal 3 Condominium Prathumnak

I am merely throwing a book out. but yes, the best qualified umpire to answer the question would be the UIC. mike (irish) is adamant on the do nothing approach.

Good way to put it, Youngump; I guess SRW has taught you a few tricks.

Shagpal, let me expand. You refer to the NFHS Umpire Manual, but have never quoted it. I don't believe it says that umpires must rule anytime a player requests it; my copy says "If the appeal is requested", nothing about wishing or wanting to appeal.

Let's be clear, an appeal is a defined term; included in that definition (Rule 2-1 Art 3) is "Methods by which an appeal may be made". If one of those methods is followed on a situation defined as a possible appeal, then we are certainly required to "make the safe or out call"; that is when it has been requested. We are directed to point to the responsible umpire and point out an appeal has been because the players aren't expected to know our mechanics; not because we rule "safe or out" on anything they ask at anytime.

If someone asks in an appeal situation but has not met the requirements of how an appeal is to be made, then that person is not making an appeal. She may be wanting to make an appeal, but she hasn't; and we cannot tell the player what to do. So, there is no discrepancy in the umpire manual, as nothing has been presented properly for any umpire to "make the safe or out call". Look further at the definition of an appeal; the umpire simply cannot rule unless appealed, and the methods to make that appeal are requirements, not suggestions. Granted the rule does not go further to say "EFFECT: If not made by one of the required methods, this is not an appeal", but wouldn't you think that should undersood already? Remember, we use defined terms by the definitions, not by any common usage. To be an appeal, requirements must be meet; if not met, then, not an appeal.

So, what's an umpire to do? In the strictest of games, you can do nothing. You should not rule when no play or appeal has been made, and you certainly cannot coach them how to make a proper appeal that must be answered. Since you can say "missed tag" or "pulled the foot" without it being coaching, I submit you can say "that's not an appeal" to indicate why you cannot rule.

The player asking without effecting an appeal has no more legal standing than asking you after she swings at a pitch if it would have been a strike. If you want to answer, go ahead; if you want to ignore, you can. Most times, it is best to tell them what they expect to hear, so you can move on.

I don't quote the manual in whole, because everyone has one, or should, and it all is the same.

the thread has already established that the OP appeal is improperly made. that's not at issue. the do nothing camp has dismissed this appeal because it does not meet the criteria of the appeal, so a reiteration is moot, and not my question.

my question, directed to mike, is why the sanctioning body would have a manual contain language that would suggest umpires not responsible for the appeal be in the position to predetermine for the responsible umpire what is or is not a good appeal given different sets of eyes in game situations. as it reads, it says their responsibility is to redirect, not to predecide, and let the responsible umpire make his/her call. it's the last paragraph in the umpires manual regarding appeals on p13.

steve, I appreciate your clarification, but I believe mike can address and justify this himself, as he should without help, as I am purposefully asking.

If you want to have a private conversation with Mike, try a PM. If you post publicly, well, it's public.

He catches on fast. :)

unnecessary. a private reply is not the purpose.

one thing I do want to answer to you directly. you didn't mention anything about coaching, so I apologize for the reference. the thread has gotten muddled, so my reply lumped you into replies that referred to the appearance of coaching.

Shagpal, I would not want to give a safe signal; I was trying to explain why I would be tempted to do so. AtlUmpSteve has it exactly right: a purported appeal is not necessarily an appeal, and if it is not, then the umpire manual does not require a response. I like his suggestion of saying "That is not an appeal" without a signal in lower-skilled games (say mediocre high school JV and lower).

If you have specific language in the umpire manual to back up your position that a response is required, I'd love to see it. Otherwise, citing the entire manual doesn't work; I looked and did not find pertinent language other than what Steve quoted. I did find "Umpires must guard against rendering decisions prematurely." (Section 1-Other Prerequisites-2)

yes, I understand the position already laid out. the validity for doing nothing has already been established, but not the awkwardness and confusion doing nothing can cause, hence your temptation and my contention. nothing works for me for in a host of situations, but not for the panacea being hailed for this situation.

there is only one section in the umpires manual regarding appeals. it's on page 12 to 13, totaling 3 simple paragraphs. the last paragraph taken in whole and entirety does not reconcile w/ doing nothing. the key word that I find alarming being "wishes". wishes conveys desire & intention, whereas the do nothing camp is arguing validity.

I appreciate your engaging and candid response, but I am expecting for mikes (irishmafia) response, since he was most adamant.

How does this compare with the confusion caused by appearing to deny an appeal by signaling safe, when what you are really trying to convey is "that is not a proper appeal"?

Yes, I have been converted. Recognizing that no signal is best because "safe" is misleading, the downside seems to be the fielder now being distracted by our lack of response and the ensuing screaming, yelling, and arguing. I have never thought those kind of downsides justified not calling something correctly.

The question is then, what game management technique(s) to use to get everyone back to playing? What are your suggestions?