You make the call

[chapmaja]

Here are three plays from today's JV game, NFHS rules.

Play 1: Pitch gets by the catcher and the runner on 3rd comes home. The runner does not slide, but just continues to run towards home. The throw from the catcher to the pitcher covering home hits the runner before she touches the plate? She did not do anything to intentionally contact the throw such as reach up and swat at the ball or jump in front of the throw. What's the call?

Play 2: 1 out R1 on first, B2 batting. Strike three is dropped and gets behind the catcher. R1 takes off for second base. The catcher picks up the ball and throws back to the pitcher in the circle. The plate umpire clearly and loudly called strike three, batters out. R1 for some reason stops short of second base, pauses, then realizes she needs to continue. This pause happens after the ball is in the circle in possession of the pitcher. What's the call?

Play 3: Runner at third, 2 outs. The runner jumps up and switches feet touching the base in such a manner that momentarily there is no contact with the base by either foot. (Pitcher has the ball in the circle) She has never moved forward towards home plate. Player 40 is the batter in the box when this happens (this is important in play 5). What's the call?

Play 4: Similar to play 3, this time runner is on first base. The runner jumps up as the pitcher is on the pitchers plate, but moves 3 feet off first base towards second base in the process of switching the "lead" foot.

Play 5: From play 3, #40 was at bat when the inning ended at 3rd base. Batter #18 comes up to bat and the count is 1-1 when the offensive coach calls for time and says she is switching batters to #40 who should be the batter because she was up when the call was made (play #3). What should happen?


There were all plays from tonight's JV DH. Play 1 was when I was on the bases, plays 2-5 were with me on the plate.

[chapmaja]

My opinion of these plays is as follows.

Originally Posted by chapmaja

Here are three plays from today's JV game, NFHS rules.

Play 1: Pitch gets by the catcher and the runner on 3rd comes home. The runner does not slide, but just continues to run towards home. The throw from the catcher to the pitcher covering home hits the runner before she touches the plate? She did not do anything to intentionally contact the throw such as reach up and swat at the ball or jump in front of the throw. What's the call?

I have nothing if I am the plate umpire. This was not interference, but simply a throw that hit a runner who was running where she was allowed to run.



Play 2: 1 out R1 on first, B2 batting. Strike three is dropped and gets behind the catcher. R1 takes off for second base. The catcher picks up the ball and throws back to the pitcher in the circle. The plate umpire clearly and loudly called strike three, batters out. R1 for some reason stops short of second base, pauses, then realizes she needs to continue. This pause happens after the ball is in the circle in possession of the pitcher. What's the call?

I again have nothing on this. She took off with the ball not in the circle, momentarily paused while the ball was in the circle then continued to second base.

Play 3: Runner at third, 2 outs. The runner jumps up and switches feet touching the base in such a manner that momentarily there is no contact with the base by either foot. (Pitcher has the ball in the circle) She has never moved forward towards home plate. Player 40 is the batter in the box when this happens (this is important in play 5). What's the call?


I have nothing on this play. The runner did not leave the base early, she just lost contact momentarily above the base.


Play 4: Similar to play 3, this time runner is on first base. The runner jumps up as the pitcher is on the pitchers plate, but moves 3 feet off first base towards second base in the process of switching the "lead" foot.

I have an out on this for leaving the base early. I ended up making this call from the plate because the base umpire did not call it despite the fact she was a good three feet off the base which was clearly visible from where he was standing. This should not have been my call to make, but when the visiting team coach is arguing about consistency in the calls, she will get what she asked for. Why he did not call this I have no idea.

Play 5: From play 3, #40 was at bat when the inning ended at 3rd base. Batter #18 comes up to bat and the count is 1-1 when the offensive coach calls for time and says she is switching batters to #40 who should be the batter because she was up when the call was made (play #3). What should happen?

I know have the correct batter, #40, up with a 1-1 count. Despite what the defensive coach said, I have no out on this play because no play had occurred.


There were all plays from tonight's JV DH. Play 1 was when I was on the bases, plays 2-5 were with me on the plate.

One final thing. After play #3, we get ready to start the next half inning and I look up and see my BU standing just inside the foul line at 3rd base. I tried quietly pointing him to get back into position, but he wasn't paying attention to me. The first play was a ground out, with a fairly close play at 1st, which he called from by 3rd base. It took him halfway through the second batter to realize he was out of position. I think he started the half inning in the E position.

[AtlUmpSteve]

I suggest you read the words that are actually rule 8-6-18 without paraphrasing what you believe the rule intends.

[chapmaja]

Originally Posted by AtlUmpSteve

I suggest you read the words that are actually rule 8-6-18 without paraphrasing what you believe the rule intends.

And which play would this be in reference to? I am assuming you are talking about play 1, because what I find online has to do with a RETIRED runner. In play one, there was not a retired runner. As stated in the OP, the throw hit her "before she touches the plate", thus she is not a retired runner, but a runner attempting to come home on a passed ball.

[chapmaja]

Originally Posted by chapmaja

And which play would this be in reference to? I am assuming you are talking about play 1, because what I find online has to do with a RETIRED runner. In play one, there was not a retired runner. As stated in the OP, the throw hit her "before she touches the plate", thus she is not a retired runner, but a runner attempting to come home on a passed ball.

Never mind, found the 13 book and saw they reorganized the rules since the 2010 book I saw online.

Ok, technically the little hopstep would be grounds to declare the runner out, HOWEVER, this is where the technical and the practical rules applications require officiating. Was she gaining an advantage by her action of losing contact with the base for a split second while she adjusted her feet? No.

How often does this happen at all levels of softball? I'm sure its a lot more than it gets call.

The biggest complaint with a call like this is consistency. This is both between umpires and from the same umpire.

As stated above, the same umpire had a clear view of the runner 3 feet off the base and I had to call the out from behind the plate because he he did not call it. (he even told the coach "yes she was off" after I made the call).

Also, this rule is one of the worst for inconsistency among umpires. I personally will not call a player momentarily losing contact because she is switching her foot position, yet other umpires will. This is because some umpires rule to the letter of the rule, while others rule to the intent of the rule. I don't think the intent of the rule is to call a runner out when she loses momentary contact with the base without making any movement to advance her position on the base.

[RKBUmp]

Obviously different rule set, but still a case play covering a very similar situation and explanation for the call and why it should be called. When umpires start determining "intent" of the rule and if an advantage was gained or not it becomes their own personal interpretation of the rules. When that happens rather than calling the game per the published rules, it becomes literally thousands of different rule sets based on each umpires own personal interpretations of intent and gaining an advantage.

Look-Back Rule
Runner on first base following a single. The pitcher has possession of the ball in the circle when:
1) with only a single foot on the base, the runner lifts it off the base to clean off the bottom of her cleats, thus breaking contact with the base. She does not attempt to advance so because there is no advantage gained, should the umpire ignore the violation?
2) the runner walks off the base to groom the dirt area which she churned up as she ran out her single. She does not attempt to advance so should the umpire ignore the violation?

Ruling
1) No, the runner should be called out unless she asked for and was granted time by the umpire.
2) As in the earlier situation, the runner should be called out unless she asked for and was granted time by the umpire.
In both these cases, the umpire should enforce the rule without assigning intent of the runner or whether or not an advantage is gained. It is much cleaner to call all aspects of the game based on the objective actions that are displayed rather than to assign value or intent and then decide if the action warrants a penalty. For some, that might seem “nitpicky” but it does provide predictable, consistent application of the rules without having to judge intent OR whether or not a “real” advantage is gained. That said, it is good preventative umpiring to anticipate these possible actions. For example, if the area around the base is churned up at the conclusion of play, the umpire can signal “time” in anticipation of the player’s desire to smooth the ground. If the player then simply walks off the base without requesting time, you have no violation as play is already suspended. Bottom line, however, is that players are responsible for adhering to the playing rules and the rules committee does not favor the slippery slope of ignoring rule violations when there’s no intent to violate the rules or conversely only penalizing players when they intentionally violate the rules.

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by chapmaja

Here are three plays from today's JV game, NFHS rules.

Play 1: Pitch gets by the catcher and the runner on 3rd comes home. The runner does not slide, but just continues to run towards home. The throw from the catcher to the pitcher covering home hits the runner before she touches the plate? She did not do anything to intentionally contact the throw such as reach up and swat at the ball or jump in front of the throw. What's the call?

Does the title of the rule book have a "D" in it?

Originally Posted by chapmaja

Play 2: 1 out R1 on first, B2 batting. Strike three is dropped and gets behind the catcher. R1 takes off for second base. The catcher picks up the ball and throws back to the pitcher in the circle. The plate umpire clearly and loudly called strike three, batters out. R1 for some reason stops short of second base, pauses, then realizes she needs to continue. This pause happens after the ball is in the circle in possession of the pitcher. What's the call?

Nothing. The runner is allowed one stop, but then must proceed / retreat immediately.

Originally Posted by chapmaja

Play 3: Runner at third, 2 outs. The runner jumps up and switches feet touching the base in such a manner that momentarily there is no contact with the base by either foot. (Pitcher has the ball in the circle) She has never moved forward towards home plate. Player 40 is the batter in the box when this happens (this is important in play 5). What's the call?

Your phraseology here is interesting... "jumps up"... this sound like something more than just switching feet. Was it?

Originally Posted by chapmaja

Play 4: Similar to play 3, this time runner is on first base. The runner jumps up as the pitcher is on the pitchers plate, but moves 3 feet off first base towards second base in the process of switching the "lead" foot.

Same question as above, but since she clearly did leave the base, she's out (regardless of how you come down on the "fails to keep contact" v "leaves the base" wording of the two rules).

Originally Posted by chapmaja

Play 5: From play 3, #40 was at bat when the inning ended at 3rd base. Batter #18 comes up to bat and the count is 1-1 when the offensive coach calls for time and says she is switching batters to #40 who should be the batter because she was up when the call was made (play #3). What should happen?

You got it. #40 continues the at bat & assumes the count.

The wording difference between Fed rules 8-6-18 and 8-7-3 is puzzling. You would think the infraction would be the same and hence would be described the same. But, since it is different, youngump's method of distinction is not unreasonable (although I'm not sure if I can endorse it exactly).

8-7 is describing the situation where the pitcher has control of the ball in the circle. 8-6-18's only clear indication of when it applies is before the pitch is released. How much before? Again, I can see how youngump comes to the conclusion that 8-6-18 is only in force once the pitcher has begun her pitching motion. Before the pitch? Runners? Don't leave while the pitcher has possession. After the pitch has started? Runners? Keep contact until the ball is released.

Rather than fret over this, a much simpler approach is to simply not use these rules as a "gotcha" rule. Which brings me back to my question after Play 3. If the runner is playing games and "jumping up" to supposedly switch feet, then, OK, runner, I'll play... OUT.