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Falling Onto the Fielder...and Not Getting Up
Situation: I'm flying solo on a 10U rec game. R1 on first. Batter bunts down the first base line. F3 comes in and fields the ball, then throws to F4 covering first. The throw takes F4 into the BR's path. She makes the catch to retire the BR, and then there's a crash between the BR and F4. F4 goes down and the BR lands on top of her.
F4 makes absolutely no effort to get up, despite the fact that R1, now on second base, takes off for third. She lies there crying while the retired BR stays on her. The collision was very minor from my perspective, so I don't call Time. R1 makes it to third, and there is still no effort on F4's part to try to get up. The defensive team's coaches are yelling for Time from the first base dugout. I still don't call Time because it doesn't appear to me that the results of the crash are serious enough to warrant it. The retired BR finally gets up off F4, and F4 continues to lie there whimpering. The third base coach sends R1 home, and she scores easily. I finally call Time when R1 scores, and allow the coaches onto the field to check on F4. They start complaining that I should have killed play to check on the seriousness of their player's injury (she was fine). They also complained that the retired BR prevented F4 from making any plays on R1, and I should either rule R1 out or send her back to second base. I countered that I didn't see F4 make any kind of attempt to get up and make a play on R1, and that the retired BR intentionally held F4 down. Come to find out later that F4 had some kind of brittle bone affliction, and that's why the coaches wanted to check on her right away. They also told me she is very prone to emotional breakdowns when she gets hurt in any way. Yes, I felt like the Big Bad Umpire with no compassion. So, should I have penalized the retired BR for interference? Again, I didn't see that she did anything other than just lie there after the crash. Yeah, she probably could have gotten up a lot sooner, but because I didn't see F4 do anything but lie there, I didn't think there was any violation.
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"Let's face it. Umpiring is not an easy or happy way to make a living. In the abuse they suffer, and the pay they get for it, you see an imbalance that can only be explained by their need to stay close to a game they can't resist." -- Bob Uecker |
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You're a big meanie.
Seriously, how could you possibly know she has some affliction? Prone to emotional breakdowns, when injured, aren't we all.
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"I'll take you home" says Geoff Tate Last edited by Chess Ref; Mon Jul 23, 2012 at 08:35am. Reason: spellcheck |
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It's 10U rec. If the wind blows someone might cry.
I'm don't have a problem with you keeping it live or calling time. You were there and you made the decision you thought was right for your situation. Don't let the coaches give you second thoughts - I'm sure the offensive coach wanted the ball to remain live.
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Mark NFHS, NCAA, NAFA "If the rule you followed brought you to this, of what use was the rule?" Anton Chigurh - "No Country for Old Men" |
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The Interference definition in ASA requires the fielder to "[attempt] to execute a play." Since F4 wasn't making any attempt whatsoever to get up, I didn't feel a call of Interference was appropriate. Perhaps there's another ASA rule that penalizes a retired runner for doing what the BR did in my game. But I can't think of one.
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"Let's face it. Umpiring is not an easy or happy way to make a living. In the abuse they suffer, and the pay they get for it, you see an imbalance that can only be explained by their need to stay close to a game they can't resist." -- Bob Uecker |
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The bat issue in softball is as much about liability, insurance and litigation as it is about competition, inflated egos and softball. |
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The rule would be interference if F3 attempted to get up and the BR continued to lay on top of her. What the BR do, you didn't ever say if the BR made an immediate or delayed attempt to get off of F3. That would make the difference if I would rule interference or to let the play continue as you did.
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Would any of you treat this differently with older players?
I would not, but can't imagine the "no effort" by the fielder scenario.
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Officiating takes more than OJT. It's not our jobs to invent rulings to fit our personal idea of what should and should not be. |
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Again there was never an attempt by F4 to make a play. It didn't happen while the retired BR was on her, and it didn't happen after she finally got off her. She stayed on the ground until all play ended, I finally called Time, and the coaches came onto the field.
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"Let's face it. Umpiring is not an easy or happy way to make a living. In the abuse they suffer, and the pay they get for it, you see an imbalance that can only be explained by their need to stay close to a game they can't resist." -- Bob Uecker |
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However, that is not what was described in the OP. If F4 is making absolutely no effort to get up and/or make a play, you have no rule basis to stop play and keep the runner at second base. The only exception would be if you thought a player had a serious injury.
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It's what you learn after you think you know it all that's important! |
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One thing to consider
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Remember what may seem to you to be nothing major as far as contact may be more severe to her. In this scenario I am giving the benefit of the doubt to F4.
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Gwinnett Umpires Association Multicounty Softball Association Multicounty Basketball Officials Association Last edited by rwest; Mon Jul 23, 2012 at 04:10pm. |
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Bottom line it is the umpire on the field evaluating the situation and making his call. I have no problem with the decision made on the field. |
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Unfortunately, in the first couple of years of this I experienced LOADS of coaches and parents start screaming and hollering the moment Lil' Susie said ouch. OTOH, I've also experienced players telling their coaches and parents to shut up and sit down when this started. Like I said, I'm hesitating and waiting until I see something which gives me cause to be concerned.
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The bat issue in softball is as much about liability, insurance and litigation as it is about competition, inflated egos and softball. |
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If F3 never attempted to get up either with the BR on top or not, I completely agree with Manny A's ruling on the field. If F3 is so easily "injured", maybe she be the DP and play the outfield. Just saying, LOL.
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I don't disagree
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All I am saying is take the age of the kids into account. Would you call time if this same thing happened in a pee-wee game or T-Ball?
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Gwinnett Umpires Association Multicounty Softball Association Multicounty Basketball Officials Association |
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