Appeal a turn toward second.

[Dakota]

So, those of you who favor giving the safe signal (with no clarifying verbal from the umpire)... how do the players know wtf you are signaling for?

[shagpal]

hi tom, I'll bite first, since I'm the troublemaker for you "do nothing" camp guys.

after making sure I knew what was being appealed, I would position myself properly. I would turn to my partner, let's say you, and I would say, "Tom, I have a LIVE appeal for the batter-runner attempting to advance to second". I would indicate at the batter-runner, perhaps w/ both hands. I would then announce "my call is SAFE" and I would give the safe signal.

I'm not implying this way would fix rulebook & umpire manual flaws, but I just can't see any way outa this and not comply w/ our own books. damned if we do, damned if we don't. but doing NOTHING is a plain cop-out.

Originally Posted by Dakota

So, those of you who favor giving the safe signal (with no clarifying verbal from the umpire)... how do the players know wtf you are signaling for?

[AtlUmpSteve]

Well, despite being accused of coaching, I repeat what I opined in post #24 in this thread. One of those is still my response to the "appeal", since no appeal is possible without actually tagging the player.

An "appeal" that doesn't make clear what is being appealed can/should only be answered with a question asking what is being appealed; not a guess about the only legitimate appeal. An appeal that is improperly performed cannot be answered as an appeal; so not safe, nor out; answering the question isn't necessarily coaching, it may be the only possible response to the question posed.

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by shagpal

hi tom, I'll bite first, since I'm the troublemaker for you "do nothing" camp guys.

after making sure I knew what was being appealed, I would position myself properly. I would turn to my partner, let's say you, and I would say, "Tom, I have a LIVE appeal for the batter-runner attempting to advance to second". I would indicate at the batter-runner, perhaps w/ both hands. I would then announce "my call is SAFE" and I would give the safe signal.

I'm not implying this way would fix rulebook & umpire manual flaws, but I just can't see any way outa this and not comply w/ our own books. damned if we do, damned if we don't. but doing NOTHING is a plain cop-out.

I disagree it is a copout. It seems to me signaling "safe" does not communicate what you are trying to communicate. The problem I have with this is you are, it seems to me, denying the "appeal" - that is, signaling that there was no try for second, when in fact there was. If you signal "safe", it is pretty much impossible short of uttering the words "that is not a proper appeal" or some such to avoid telling the teams (however inadvertently and however much you know it to not be true) that the runner is not in jeopardy if she returns to 1B.

Doing nothing, OTOH, merely leaves the ball live and lets the teams decide what to do next.

[shagpal]

how is a safe or out call a denial of an appeal? or coaching? it is explicitly an acknowledgment of an appeal as defined by the umpires manual. it's expressly defined as an appeal w/in the rulebook so as not to be ignored or confused.

if an umpire refuses to answer, that is a denial, because the umpires manual expressly states what an umpire is to do, acknowledge the appeal, and rule. it gives NO other choice other than safe or out call. if safe or out calls were coaching, would safe or out be the only choices allowable responses in the umpires manual? the umpires manual provides NO provision otherwise.

now, if an umpire wants to stretch the manual's intent and DELAY, then by choice that umpire would be willfully creating/forcing a do-nothing scenario, that is gaming the manual's intention set forth. that's why doing nothing is a cop-out.

Originally Posted by Dakota

I disagree it is a copout. It seems to me signaling "safe" does not communicate what you are trying to communicate. The problem I have with this is you are, it seems to me, denying the "appeal" - that is, signaling that there was no try for second, when in fact there was. If you signal "safe", it is pretty much impossible short of uttering the words "that is not a proper appeal" or some such to avoid telling the teams (however inadvertently and however much you know it to not be true) that the runner is not in jeopardy if she returns to 1B.

Doing nothing, OTOH, merely leaves the ball live and lets the teams decide what to do next.

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by shagpal

how is a safe or out call a denial of an appeal? or coaching? it is explicitly an acknowledgment of an appeal as defined by the umpires manual. it's expressly defined as an appeal w/in the rulebook so as not to be ignored or confused.

if an umpire refuses to answer, that is a denial, because the umpires manual expressly states what an umpire is to do, acknowledge the appeal, and rule. it gives NO other choice other than safe or out call. if safe or out calls were coaching, would safe or out be the only choices allowable responses in the umpires manual? the umpires manual provides NO provision otherwise.

now, if an umpire wants to stretch the manual's intent and DELAY, then by choice that umpire would be willfully creating/forcing a do-nothing scenario, that is gaming the manual's intention set forth. that's why doing nothing is a cop-out.

Did I say anything about coaching? I'm talking about what the signal means and what it communicates to the players. Let me make this simpler: how is the signal "safe" (meaning that is not an appeal) different from the signal "safe" (meaning the runner did not try for 2B)? The umpire manual does not cover all possible situations.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by Dakota

Did I say anything about coaching? I'm talking about what the signal means and what it communicates to the players. Let me make this simpler: how is the signal "safe" (meaning that is not an appeal) different from the signal "safe" (meaning the runner did not try for 2B)? The umpire manual does not cover all possible situations.

Tom, you mean you don't give a safe signal every time a runner touches a base and is not retired so the defense knows that they are not out?

[CecilOne]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

Tom, you mean you don't give a safe signal every time a runner touches a base and is not retired so the defense knows that they are not out?

Not Tom, but if there is an attempt at a put out, yes.

[shagpal]

ah, you want to clarify the call? there is no provision for this, express or implied. you can do so if you personally prefer. you wanna call "SAFE, missed the TAG", that's your call, but the umpire's manual does not allow for it on appeals.

safe is a state of being. batter-runners are "SAFE" until properly retired. safe is infinite till an action makes it finite, a retirement of that player which would be a proper put out. appeals can be requested more than once, safe, still safe, and then still safe, safe until properly retired. as an umpire, you are give OUTS when you see it, UNLESS it is explicitly appeal play. NFHS allows for more than one appeal, but a guessing game is discouraged.

an umpire is denying nothing with a safe call on this appeal, and providing NO hints. an umpire would be simply affirming the batter-runners current state of being, that no proper retirement of that player has been presented, even if an anomaly is identified. if the umpire calls out, he/she is affirming that this appeal was properly requested AND the player was properly put out. the umpire needs all the appropriate elements of a put out, AND a proper request, not OR. both elements are needed. in the OP scenario, both elements are not properly presented, but a call IS required per the umpires manual.

a question for you might be, do you not wish to rule because an appeal was not properly requested, or the put out was not properly presented? there is a distinction. by all criteria, an appeal was properly requested, and I think that is the issue you have, but it is possible to muddle that with the properly presented put out. when you give the call, you are not affirming the anomaly you just saw and recorded. you are affirming the batter-runners present state, which is still SAFE, since "out" hasn't happened. the recorded the anomaly you identified and recorded in your mind, but didn't revealed is not what you are answering. I can sense you see it that way.

I understand you have an issue w/ the umpires manual as it is written. I am not defending the manual. I am merely adhering to what is written w/in.

Originally Posted by Dakota

Did I say anything about coaching? I'm talking about what the signal means and what it communicates to the players. Let me make this simpler: how is the signal "safe" (meaning that is not an appeal) different from the signal "safe" (meaning the runner did not try for 2B)? The umpire manual does not cover all possible situations.

[AtlUmpSteve]

There is a fallacy in your assertion; an appeal has not been properly presented. To make this particular live ball appeal, a defender with the ball must tag the runner. Until that happens, no appeal has been made, So far, we have a defender verbalizing a desire to make an appeal that hasn't been effected.

Consider this alternate play. F1 leaves first on a fly ball, and while attempting to return, F3 verbalizes "she left early" while the ball is in flight, and not possessed by F3 tagging either the base or the runner. Based on what you have stated, you believe that is an appeal that we are obligated to repond to, with the current status of "safe"??

I have no problem with the manual; I don't believe you are applying it correctly.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by shagpal

ah, you want to clarify the call? there is no provision for this, express or implied. you can do so if you personally prefer. you wanna call "SAFE, missed the TAG", that's your call, but the umpire's manual does not allow for it on appeals.

safe is a state of being. batter-runners are "SAFE" until properly retired. safe is infinite till an action makes it finite, a retirement of that player which would be a proper put out. appeals can be requested more than once, safe, still safe, and then still safe, safe until properly retired. as an umpire, you are give OUTS when you see it, UNLESS it is explicitly appeal play. NFHS allows for more than one appeal, but a guessing game is discouraged.

an umpire is denying nothing with a safe call on this appeal, and providing NO hints. an umpire would be simply affirming the batter-runners current state of being, that no proper retirement of that player has been presented, even if an anomaly is identified. if the umpire calls out, he/she is affirming that this appeal was properly requested AND the player was properly put out. the umpire needs all the appropriate elements of a put out, AND a proper request, not OR. both elements are needed. in the OP scenario, both elements are not properly presented, but a call IS required per the umpires manual.

a question for you might be, do you not wish to rule because an appeal was not properly requested, or the put out was not properly presented? there is a distinction. by all criteria, an appeal was properly requested, and I think that is the issue you have, but it is possible to muddle that with the properly presented put out. when you give the call, you are not affirming the anomaly you just saw and recorded. you are affirming the batter-runners present state, which is still SAFE, since "out" hasn't happened. the recorded the anomaly you identified and recorded in your mind, but didn't revealed is not what you are answering. I can sense you see it that way.

I understand you have an issue w/ the umpires manual as it is written. I am not defending the manual. I am merely adhering to what is written w/in.

Okay, Tom, now I know why you're cursing at us.
I agree that neither the umpire's manual or any other authority requires a response to an improperly-constituted appeal, and you are far more experienced than me, but I stll favor giving a quick safe signal.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Dakota

So, those of you who favor giving the safe signal (with no clarifying verbal from the umpire)... how do the players know wtf you are signaling for?

The guy with the ball and some others will know because they heard the request for a ruling and saw the signal in response. Some might figure it out from the context. Others might not. Matters not. All the players need to know is whether there is an out. The safe signal tells them there is not. If they're curious about what happened, they can inquire later.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by Paul L

Why are you cursing at us?

Say what?