Are you umpire material?

By Joel
in The Sporting Arena

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Grand Master

Joel

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well i know about the pause when runners are on base, gotta stay on the rubber, cant break the ball from the glove, cant fake a pitch or throw to first.. what else is there

This is just a cut and paste of the rulebook, it's too long to type. It is very clear, though.

If there is a runner, or runners, it is a balk when

(a) The pitcher, while touching his plate, makes any motion naturally associated with his pitch and fails to make such delivery; If a left-handed or right-handed pitcher swings his free foot past the back edge of the pitcher's rubber, he is required to pitch to the batter except to throw to second base on a pick off play.

(b) The pitcher, while touching his plate, feints a throw to first base and fails to complete the throw;

© The pitcher, while touching his plate, fails to step directly toward a base before throwing to that base; Requires the pitcher, while touching his plate, to step directly toward a base before throwing to that base. If a pitcher turns or spins off of his free foot without actually stepping or if he turns his body and throws before stepping, it is a balk. A pitcher is to step directly toward a base before throwing to that base but does not require him to throw (except to first base only) because he steps. It is possible, with runners on first and third, for the pitcher to step toward third and not throw, merely to bluff the runner back to third; then seeing the runner on first start for second, turn and step toward and throw to first base. This is legal. However, if, with runners on first and third, the pitcher, while in contact with the rubber, steps toward third and then immediately and in practically the same motion "wheels" and throws to first base, it is obviously an attempt to deceive the runner at first base, and in such a move it is practically impossible to step directly toward first base before the throw to first base, and such a move shall be called a balk. Of course, if the pitcher steps off the rubber and then makes such a move, it is not a balk.

(d) The pitcher, while touching his plate, throws, or feints a throw to an unoccupied base, except for the purpose of making a play;

(e) The pitcher makes an illegal pitch; A quick pitch is an illegal pitch. Umpires will judge a quick pitch as one delivered before the batter is reasonably set in the batter's box. With runners on base the penalty is a balk; with no runners on base, it is a ball. The quick pitch is dangerous and should not be permitted.

(f) The pitcher delivers the ball to the batter while he is not facing the batter;

(g) The pitcher makes any motion naturally associated with his pitch while he is not touching the pitcher's plate;

(h) The pitcher unnecessarily delays the game;

(i) The pitcher, without having the ball, stands on or astride the pitcher's plate or while off the plate, he feints a pitch;

(j) The pitcher, after coming to a legal pitching position, removes one hand from the ball other than in an actual pitch, or in throwing to a base;

(k) The pitcher, while touching his plate, accidentally or intentionally drops the ball;

(l) The pitcher, while giving an intentional base on balls, pitches when the catcher is not in the catcher's box;

(m)The pitcher delivers the pitch from Set Position without coming to a stop. PENALTY: The ball is dead, and each runner shall advance one base without liability to be put out, unless the batter reaches first on a hit, an error, a base on balls, a hit batter, or otherwise, and all other runners advance at least one base, in which case the play proceeds without reference to the balk. APPROVED RULING: In cases where a pitcher balks and throws wild, either to a base or to home plate, a runner or runners may advance beyond the base to which he is entitled at his own risk. APPROVED RULING: A runner who misses the first base to which he is advancing and who is called out on appeal shall be considered as having advanced one base for the purpose of this rule.

Umpires should bear in mind that the purpose of the balk rule is to prevent the pitcher from deliberately deceiving the base runner. If there is doubt in the umpire's mind, the "intent" of the pitcher should govern. However, certain specifics should be borne in mind:

(a) Straddling the pitcher's rubber without the ball is to be interpreted as intent to deceive and ruled a balk.

(b) With a runner on first base the pitcher may make a complete turn, without hesitating toward first, and throw to second. This is not to be interpreted as throwing to an unoccupied base.

Grand Master

Joel

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As I recall, if a batter that bats out of turn gets on base, and the defense appeals immediately, the batter is out.

If they pitch to the next batter, then they can't appeal.

(a) Abel is called out and Baker is the proper batter; or

(b) Baker stays on second and Charles is the proper batter.

Grand Master

Chad

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There's some mistakes here. I'll start where I can.

Is it correct if the tie goes to the runner?

There ARE ties. If that happens, a tie means the runner is safe. There are three choices...before the ball gets there, after, or at the same time.

Is the batter out if he turns left and is tagged instead of turning right after overrunning first base?

YES. He is out. No ifs ands or buts about it. Doesn't matter if the umpire believes there was intent to move on, if he makes ANY move toward second and tagged, he's out. Get this...the runner doesn't even have to take steps to second...if he even feints a move toward second to confuse the defense, he can be called out.

If a runner is on base and is hit by a fair ball, is he out?

No he is not out. If he is hit by a fair ball while running the bases, he is out. If he is hit by a ball while in foul territory, he is not out. But if the runner is on a base and hit by a ball, he is NOT out.

What is the penalty if a ball is handles by a fielder but he uses a piece of equipment besides his glove or hand?

Well I know this isn't a penalty in MLB, highschool ball, and little league. It could be in other leagues.

You guys need to realize, the rules differ whether you are playing/umping little league, high school, college, and pros. These rules Silly has stated and I have stated may be correct in one league, but incorrect in another. So on a couple, we could both be right. This from a combined 15 years of umping between myself (10) and the roomate (5)

Grand Master

Joel

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You need to read the rules, every point you made is wrong.

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/official...es/foreword.jsp

There's some mistakes here.  I'll start where I can.

Is it correct if the tie goes to the runner?

There ARE ties.  If that happens, a tie means the runner is safe.  There are three choices...before the ball gets there, after, or at the same time.

No, there are no ties. Even if you think there are, it's what the umpire thinks that matters. Even if he thinks it's a tie, the runner must BEAT the play, not "tie" it. So he's out.

Is the batter out if he turns left and is tagged instead of turning right after overrunning first base?

YES.  He is out.  No ifs ands or buts about it.  Doesn't matter if the umpire believes there was intent to move on, if he makes ANY move toward second and tagged, he's out.  Get this...the runner doesn't even have to take steps to second...if he even feints a move toward second to confuse the defense, he can be called out.

Turning left is not making a move to second. Many people think this and it is false. If he runs past first, stops and turns left he is NOT out. Maybe I wan't clear about that he wasn't rounding the base, but was coming back after successfully reaching first base.

If a runner is on base and is hit by a fair ball, is he out?

No he is not out.  If he is hit by a fair ball while running the bases, he is out.  If he is hit by a ball while in foul territory, he is not out.  But if the runner is on a base and hit by a ball, he is NOT out.

Wrong. Quote from MLB:

The runner is out if he is touched by a fair ball in fair territory before the ball has touched or passed an infielder. The ball is dead and no runner may score, nor runners advance, except runners forced to advance. EXCEPTION: If a runner is touching his base when touched by an Infield Fly, he is not out, although the batter is out; If two runners are touched by the same fair ball, only the first one is out because the ball is instantly dead. If runner is touched by an Infield Fly when he is not touching his base, both runner and batter are out.
What is the penalty if a ball is handles by a fielder but he uses a piece of equipment besides his glove or hand?

Well I know this isn't a penalty in MLB, highschool ball, and little league.  It could be in other leagues.

Except that it IS a penalty, but a little known one. I'm talking about MLB rules here, not Little League.

Grand Master

Chad

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You said you had umpired for a few years, so I naturally assumed high school or little league. We aren't talking about MLB rules. Like I said, MLB rules differ from college, high school, or little league. What I quoted was high school and little league rules, which is what I umped. The rules I stated are correct for those respective levels. You may have umped little league or high school, but you learned the mlb rules from whomever you umped with. ALL of the rules you quoted are wrong in the two levels I umped.

edit: Sorry not little league, the league just under that. The name differs in every town...ours was the Babe Ruth league.

Grand Master

Chad

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Uh...I've never heard of multiple rules for different levels of baseball.? With the exception of aluminum bats, the rules are the same.

Oh they differ quite a bit in some places. Most are the same, but there are differences. Every sport has different rules at different levels. The governing body of that league determines the rules, and it doesn't affect the other levels.. High school college and pro basketball have differing rules, as does football.

Grand Master

Chad

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An addendum to my last post....since I've been out of umping for almost 5 years, it's entirely possible they have made some changes to the rulebooks since then. I don't care to stay up to date.

Boog...yeah I have too. And every level there have been some slight differences. Even amongst different leagues at the same level there are tweaks to the rules. And to top it off, different refs/umps interpret the same rules differently. Then there are those that don't have a clue. IE...in basketball, the hand, when touching the ball IS part of the ball. So if your hand gets slapped while touching the ball, there's no foul. Of course if you hit it after a shot or pass, it's a foul. Many refs don't follow this rule and will call a foul if you hit the hand while touching the ball. Just one rule I wish some would figure out

Grand Master

Joel

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The only differences I'm aware of in Little League or softball are usually when the runner can leave the base.

Little League = can't leave until the ball crosses the plate in the younger years, they can't lead off the base until much later

softball = depends on the league. Fast pitch let people leave the bag when the ball leaves the pitchers hand, others let them lead when the ball crosses the plate, etc. So many different league rules.

For every example I gave in earlier posts, I was always referring to the official rules, such as what MLB uses.

Grand Master

....

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The only differences I'm aware of in Little League or softball are usually when the runner can leave the base.

Little League = can't leave until the ball crosses the plate in the younger years, they can't lead off the base until much later

softball = depends on the league. Fast pitch let people leave the bag when the ball leaves the pitchers hand, others let them lead when the ball crosses the plate, etc. So many different league rules.

For every example I gave in earlier posts, I was always referring to the official rules, such as what MLB uses.

This is true. Fastpitch, you can leave when the pitcher releases, slow pitch, no lead-offs whatsoever.

Grand Master

threetonesun

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The only differences I'm aware of in Little League or softball are usually when the runner can leave the base.

Little League = can't leave until the ball crosses the plate in the younger years, they can't lead off the base until much later

softball = depends on the league. Fast pitch let people leave the bag when the ball leaves the pitchers hand, others let them lead when the ball crosses the plate, etc. So many different league rules.

For every example I gave in earlier posts, I was always referring to the official rules, such as what MLB uses.

I don't remember there being an infield fly rule when I played little league.

*EDIT* I know there's one no, but I thought it was recently added to the LL rules.

Grand Master

Joel

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Same lineup.

Batting lineup:

  • Abel
  • Baker
  • Charles
  • Daniel
  • Edward
  • Frank
  • George
  • Hooker
  • Irwin

Abel walks. Baker walks. Charles forces Baker. Edward bats in Daniel's turn. While Edward is at bat, Abel scores and Charles goes to second on a wild pitch. Edward grounds out, sending Charles to third. What is the ruling if the defensive team appeals (a) immediately or (b) after a pitch to Daniel?

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