Minor Quandaries

[CecilOne]

What do you think/do with these situations?

1)Pickoff play at first, outfield side tag. As BU, I called the runner safe because it looked like there was still space between the glove and leg when the foot hit the base. The fielding team coach asks me to appeal to my partner, so I do. He's sure the runner was out. I'm not convinced, but in the back of my mind is "always go with the change if your partner is sure".

2)After a caught line drive and throw back to 1st, it's a bang-bang play. The BU was in B, is way over toward 2nd, points to me as PU to make the call. I had made about 2 steps out before the catch and saw the play but I couldn't tell either, so I go with "never guess an out".

3)I notice that another umpire is completely ignoring the pitcher, who is occasionally crow-hopping. If that pitcher appears on my field later, calling it is my reaction, but calling it makes us inconsistent.

4)Bats were checked before the game by a different umpire because I was moving from another field at the last minute. I happen to pick up a bat from under my feet after the batter flied out and realized it was on the banned list. I take it over to the coach and inform him it can't be used. Do I penalize the player who used it? Possible reasons not to are she assumed it was legal after the other umpire's inspection (their 3rd game of the day) or because I didn't notice it in her hands, only on the ground.

[Edited by CecilOne on Jul 13th, 2003 at 06:17 PM]

[SC Ump]

1) The fielding team coach asks me to appeal to my partner, so I do.
If I am unsure enough to go to my partner, I will go with his or her call. If I am sure of the call I made, my response is, "Coach, there is no need to go to my partner who was way done at home plate. I was right on it and saw it perfectly."

2)...so I go with "never guess an out".
I don't like working with partners that come to me on their calls, but if they do I will never guess an out either. (And you obviously know already that your partner didn't see an out.) If the coach asks me about it I will tell the coach straight forward that I was 60 feet away but did not see an out. If the coach then asks why my partner came to me, I will tell the coach I don't know that answer, and direct him or her to my partner for an answer.

3)... but calling it makes us inconsistent.
I'd call it. Better than being consistently wrong. I'm imagining that if the other umpire was ruling "the hands are part of the bat", "tie goes to the runner" and "a ball hitting home plate is a foul", that you would not hesitate in calling it properly during your game.

4)Bats were checked before the game
That is just a percursory examination by the umpiring crew and does not relieve the teams from their responsibility to play with legal equipment. If they introduce a bat that was not checked, or if they are using illegal equipment that was not previously noticed, they are still at risk of having the penalty called against them if it is noticed.

Just my opinion.

[Dakota]

Originally posted by CecilOne
What do you think/do with these situations?

Speaking ASA...

1)Pickoff play at first, outfield side tag. As BU, I called the runner safe because it looked like there was still space between the glove and leg when the foot hit the base. The fielding team coach asks me to appeal to my partner, so I do. He's sure the runner was out. I'm not convinced, but in the back of my mind is "always go with the change if your partner is sure".

If you were sure of the call, you should not have gone to your partner. If you went to your partner out of courtesy to the coach, make sure it is a private discussion. Bottom line, if you are sure, go with your call. If you are unsure, and your partner is sure, go with his call.

2)After a caught line drive and throw back to 1st, it's a bang-bang play. The BU was in B, is way over toward 2nd, points to me as PU to make the call. I had made about 2 steps out before the catch and saw the play but I couldn't tell either, so I go with "never guess an out".

SAFE. It's all you can do. Same as if it had been your call all along.

3)I notice that another umpire is completely ignoring the pitcher, who is occasionally crow-hopping. If that pitcher appears on my field later, calling it is my reaction, but calling it makes us inconsistent.

Well, you loudly yell "She's crow hopping, Blue!" Just make sure you are in uniform when you do it for maximum effect! (JK, of course.) Call it in your game, but be prepared for the heat.

4)Bats were checked before the game by a different umpire because I was moving from another field at the last minute. I happen to pick up a bat from under my feet after the batter flied out and realized it was on the banned list. I take it over to the coach and inform him it can't be used. Do I penalize the player who used it? Possible reasons not to are she assumed it was legal after the other umpire's inspection (their 3rd game of the day) or because I didn't notice it in her hands, only on the ground

Look at the EFFECT for ASA 7-6B&C. The batter is out and disqualified, unless a pitch has been thrown to the next batter. 7-6B says "Enters the batter's box or is discovered..." The batter was discovered. The penalty is to be applied up to the point of the next pitch. You have no way of knowing if this bat was inspected an approved or if it was brough out of the bag after the inspection. And even if it carries a paint mark (like is used around here for tournament equipment checks), just because one inspection overlooked the illegal bat does not relieve the team/player from the responsibility to use only legal equipment. Inspection does not bequeath legality on illegal equipment. It just means it was not caught that time.