gov135

... what do you do?
Below are several not-so-common baseball scenarios. You give the correct ruling.

NOTE: This is just for fun. If you get them all wrong this doesn't mean you know one more or less thing than anyone else. As you'll see, these are somewhat arcane.

Updated with answers - see below

I'll post the answers in a few days.

1. A baserunner on first steals second successfully, but in getting to his feet, he lifts his foot from the bag - for just a second. The shortstop quickly tags him. You are the umpire. What's you're call?
The umpire should call the runner out, though the play is likely to cause some arguements

2. You are the official scorer. A runner is on first with two outs. The batter hits a hard ground ball to right. After taking off at the sound of the bat, the runner on first rounds second and heads toward third. The right fielder gets to the ball, and throws it to third. The throw is "right on the money", but it hits the sliding runner and bounces down the left field line! The runner gets up and proceeds home. How do you score the play?
The score is a hard-luck error on the right fielder. But if he wasn't assessed an error, the pitcher would be charged with an earned run.

3. Curt Schilling is pitching, and Victor Martinez is the baserunner on third. Schilling is standing on the rubber, getting his sign from the catcher, when Martinez prematurely breaks to the plate. Schilling, who had not yet started his windup, breaks directly to Martinez and tags him before he reaches the plate. You are the umpire. Is the runner out?
When the pitcher leaves the mound without backing off the rubber, it is a balk. The runner is awarded home plate.

4. You are the umpire. Yes, this actually happened in 1987. You are the home plate umpire. A sinkerball pitcher is on the mound, with runners on first and second. The pitch is delivered, and the ball is in the dirt - the ball bounces once, and ends up in the ball bag atached to your hip! The catcher and pitcher have no idea where the ball is. What do you do? What is your call?
If a ball lodges in a catcher's equipment or umpire's equipment it is ruled a dead ball. Please note the runners are awarded a base.

5. You are the umpire. A pitcher on the mound, known for being a quick worker, is working against a batter that takes his sweet time in the batter's box getting ready to hit. The batter stretches his bat, digs in his feet, and is just looking up when a pitch comes hurling across the plate! What is your call?
Rule 2.00, 8.01d. sates the batter should be allowed a reasonable time to assume his stance. The umpire should hold up his hand, signaling to the pitcher not to deliver. If the pitcher makes an illegal pitch with runners on base, it is to be called a ball. If there are no runners on base, the illegal pitch is a balk.

6. You are the umpire. There is a runner on first, with one out. The batter hits an easy line drive right at the third baseman, who proceeds to drop the ball. The third baseman picks it up, fires it to the second baseman, who pivots and throws to the first baseman for the inning ending double-play. What, if anything, is your call?
The rules protect the baserunner in this situation - Rule 6.05. The batter is out, the ball is dead, and the runners may not advance.

32, 15, 14, 10, 98, 96

Shpoop

1. Safe
2. Run scored, error to right fielder
3. No, the runner is safe
4. Interference, pitch again
5. strike
6. inning over, no error

lemme just say that i know jack about baseball, so you baseball buffs are probably laughing at me

thebeat

1. Out
2. Run Scored, Error Right Fielder
3. Out
4. Interference call, re-pitch
5. Strike
6. Inning Over

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random

BonesCPA

1. He would be called out on this play since a time out was not called by the umpire.
2. The hitter would get a single, but no credit for the RBI since it would be an error on the outfielder, even though it was a perfect throw.
3. He would be out, no balk would be called.
4. Runners advance one base with the ball leaving the playing surface.
5. As long as the batter is in the batters box, the pitch counts.
6. Since it was a line drive, the infield fly rule would not be in play, therefore both runners are out.

__________________
Back into hibernation.

Lefty04

1. Unless he asked for a time out, he's out.
2. I'll go with throwing error, no RBI, no earned run.
3. I think if he breaks directly from the rubber without "stepping off" it would be a balk.
4. Sound like getting stuck in the ivy at Wrigley. I give the runners one base.
5. Unless he asked for a time out, the pitch counts.
6. With only one on, there's no infield fly rule. (It's the batter's job to get to first base.) Double play.

djtestudo

Out.

Error.

Yes, because he can step off the rubber until he starts his windup.

Same as if the ball bounced OOP: runners advance one base.

Strike, if it's in the strike zone. The batter was in the box, and I'm assuming time was not called.

Double play.

__________________
"Final thought: I just rented Michael Moore's Bowling for Columbine. Frankly, it was the worst sports movie I've ever seen."
--Peter Schmuck, The (Baltimore) Sun

shipofshame

Wow, awesome thread. I love this!

Out. Time was never called, therefore he is out.

Single. E-9. No RBI. Earned run.

No. A balk is called and the runner is safe at home. Once on the rubber, the pitcher must come to a full-stop set before any motion towards home plate.

EDIT - The wording is funny on this one. Is he in the stretch or in the wind-up position? Has he already come to his set?

Man, I have no idea. But if a ball hits an umpire in the field in front of the fielders, it is deemed interference and the batter is out. Behind the fielders and it is a base hit.
Since the home-plate umpire is behind the catcher, I'll assume that the runners are allowed to advance one base each.

Where was the location of the pitch? Steeeee-rike!

Double-play. The infield fly rule is only in place on pop-fly. Line drives are in play.
However, if for some reason one of my colleagues called "Infield Fly!" while the ball was in the air, then only the batter is out and the runner returns to first base.

boom29

1. The runner is out unless he called time.

2. Single, error on the left fielder, no RBI.

3. Balk.

4. It is a ball/strike depending on whether the batter swung. Dead ball.

5. Ball/strike.

6. Double-play, I don't think the infield fly rule comes into effect on a line-drive.

Jimellow

1. If the baserunner didn't call time, and he was off the bag at the time of being tagged, I'd call him out.

2. Single, with the RBI resulting from a passed ball. The runner at 1st would go to 2nd.

3. Yea, Martinez is out for being an idiot.

4. I'd think dead ball. Pitch it again. Ball or strike? Maybe a ball, but probably just re-pitch and don't count it.

5. The call is ball or strike. If the guy is in the batter's box and set then the game is on. That's why they have the ability to call time. This guy didn't, the pitch counts.

6. I guess it depends how easy the line drive was. If it's easy enough to incur infield fly rule, I'd rule that. Otherwise, it's a double play if he's quick enough (which I doubt).

goppers

1. Manny did this last year. went to grab his helmet which fell off during his slide.... grrr he was called out.

2. what everyone else has said. run scores as an unearned run.

3. I think this is an out. if he didn't start his windup, then he doesnt' have to step off the back of the rubber to avoid a balk. I think.

4. I'm not really sure on this. I'd give them one bag as if the ball went into the dugout or something.

5. i assume the umpire sort of decides the speed of these things. if he is in position and time hasn't been called than the pitch counts.

6. i agree that it's a question of the infield fly rule. If that isn't called, then it's a double play.

kutulu

1. Out, unless he had called time.

2. Safe.

3. Out

4. Wild pitch. Runners are allowed to take second and third.

5. It depends on whether or not the pitcher had been given the go ahead from the ump. I saw an incident in Min where a batter showed up the ump by walking around. The ump pointed at the pitcher so the pitcher threw the ball. Strike three!

If he had the ok, it counts. Otherwise it doesn't

6. It's a 5-5-4-3 double play.

jobu

1. out

2. single, e-9 and no earned run

3. out

4. dead ball out of play with runners advancing one base

5. pitch counts, but a smart umpire won't let that happen a lot

6. double play end of inning. also the infield fly has no bearing on this play becasue there is only a runner on first. you need first and second or bases loaded with less than two outs for this to be in effect

infield fly rule

is that a typo or did you mean that? if so why becasue i think it should just be 5-4-3 DP

kutulu

Sometimes when a player drops a ball or it bounces off of him they will count him twice. Basically he gets two assists for the play since he "assisted" himself. It's more of a scorer's discretion on how to score it though. I could be totally wrong though but I swear I remember a color commentator calling a play like that once.

yoyoyobro

1. out
2. run scores and an erro on the rightfielder
3. A balk on Shilling. He was on the rubber when he ran towards home would have had to step off before runing towards the plate.
4. Pitch counts and then time is called for the ball being called dead due to interference. A guess is a one base advance to both runners.
5. Pitch counts.
6. Double play. A line drive would fit the criteria for the infield fly rule.