Play of the Day

[MD Longhorn]

For argument's sake, lets say the umpire judges that the runner could have avoided the ball, and just failed to do so. With the ball still airborne, and catchable by F6, and two runners off their bases - what's your call (ASA / FED)

[Rich Ives]

If the call is anything but "play the bounce" then SB rules are idiotic.

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

If the call is anything but "play the bounce" then SB rules are idiotic.

Yeah, too bad we don't have sensible rules, such as the manager has officially entered specifically the left handed pitcher warming in the bull pen when he raises his left arm while walking to the mound. Like that.

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by Dakota

Yeah, too bad we don't have sensible rules, such as the manager has officially entered specifically the left handed pitcher warming in the bull pen when he raises his left arm while walking to the mound. Like that.

And let's not forget the FED baseball balk rule, where a game-winning home run gets nullified if the pitcher balked during his delivery. Or have they finally come to their senses and changed that?

[CecilOne]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

For argument's sake, lets say the umpire judges that the runner could have avoided the ball, and just failed to do so. With the ball still airborne, and catchable by F6, and two runners off their bases - what's your call (ASA / FED)

There is a world of difference between "just failed to do so" and deliberately/actively allowed/caused contact. Which are you asking?

[Manny A]

The key phrase in FED rule 8-8-6 and ASA 8-8F is that the runner "could not avoid contact with the ball."

To me, a ball batted hard enough that the pitcher deflects it toward F6 and it remains catchable before it hits R1 going from second to third is one that I could easily judge R1 could not avoid. It wasn't as if the ball was just bouncing toward F6 and R1 looked at it as she/he headed toward the base.