Yes, I meant dropped 2nd strike...

ASA 8-7P allows a batter to run on the D3K even if already out. How about on a dropped strike 2? Runner is not retired, so 8-7P doesn't apply.

Situation: 12U game. One fairly good team. One "1st year" team and all that implies. 2nd inning. Good team up to bat. R1 on 1st. 2 outs. Count is 2-1. Batter swings at a low pitch, which hits the dirt. 1st base coach yells, "RUN, RUN". I yell "THAT'S STRIKE TWO." Meanwhile, R1 advances to 2nd. Confused catcher throws to 1st. I put the batter back at the plate, but leave the runner on 2nd. (This play is not my question - just a setup - although comments welcome.)

4th inning, same game. Same batter up to bat. R1 on 3rd. R2 on 2nd. 2 outs. Count is 1-1. Same thing - low pitch, swing, ball in dirt, coach yells "RUN, RUN". Batter runs. I yell "THAT'S STRIKE TWO." Ball overthrown to 1st. Lots of coaches & fans yelling "instructions" to runners and to totally confused defense. After trying one more time to call the batter back, I give up and let the play continue. After several overthrows, batter ends up on 3rd and R1 and R2 have both crossed home. I declare DEAD BALL, batter out for interference, declare the dead ball took effect as soon as the coach yelled "RUN", and pulled the two scores off the book. Inning over, except for a lecture to the coach along these lines, "Coach, that is the second time you've done that this game. You are responsible for knowing the count and properly instructing your runners. That is interference, the batter is out and no runs score."

What do you think?

Tom,

It sounds like a good call to me and if anyone questions it, I would just refer them to rule 7.6.O

SamC

Speaking ASA

Sam,

While I have no problem with Tom's ruling, 7.6.0 doesn't support it. Actually, I don't think you have a rule to warrant an out, but you certainly can return the runners and the batter and then go after the coach. Ejection is a definite possibility here.

Thanks,

what about
 

Good thing there is rule 10-1.
Are we all assuming it is better to let the defense get any outs that might occur, rather than calling "DEAD BALL" as soon as the play starts or as soon as there is chaos?
What if the defense gets one runner out during this, can you still say "the dead ball took effect as soon as the coach yelled "RUN"", which would cancel the out?

Mike,

Ok, I will admit that my use of 7.6.O is stretching the rule a little, but my point is this: Since it was only strike 2, the batter was still just a batter so by stepping out of the box she "hindered" the catcher's throw by confusing (both terms that apply to interferenc) her into thinking that she needed to throw to 1st. The exception stated for the D3K rule doesn't apply here since that only applies to BRs not to batters. That's the way i was thinking anyway.

SamC

That's what was bothering me about my call - did I have legal basis for the out. I was relying on the definition of interference, and 10-1 for this specific situation not being covered in the rules. The offensive coach actually thanked me for the call an inning later - thought it was a proper way out of the chaos they had created - plus, they were in no danger of losing the game.

The batter kept running (per coach's instructions) and kept drawing throws plus coach's ignoring of my attempt to stop the goings-on plus the second time in the game, pushed me into a broad application of the interference definition.

The batter kept running (per coach's instructions) and kept drawing throws plus coach's ignoring of my attempt to stop the goings-on plus the second time in the game, pushed me into a broad application of the interference definition. [/B][/QUOTE]

Doesn't the rule mention something about attempting to confuse the defense??? The runner may be exempt, but I don't think the coach is.

What's the saying?? "Fool me once, shame on me...."

-Kono