OK......baseball rules experts.....

[Chef]

I have umpired for 18 years, and have never in my life seen this.

High School Baseball Game

I'm behind the plate.

Runners at 2nd and 3rd; 1 out.

Backstop is a mere 4 steps behind me.....

Pitch gets by the catcher, rolls into the on-deck circle for batting team, in which the on-deck batter (whose head is firmly entrenched in his ass) starts ****ing around with the ball......i.e. kicked it with his foot and tapped it with his bat..........

What's the call?

Give me your thoughts, and in a few minutes, I'll tell you what I called.

EDIT: Runner at 3rd was coming home, and runner at 2nd was going to 3rd.

 

[Armchair_QB]

I'm going to guess it's some sort of obstruction or interference call and the runner has to go back to third.

 

[CentralIllinoisan]

Does catcher have a legit shot at getting either runner? If so, I say interference and they go back. If not, they advance a base.

But I'd err on sending them back.

 

[Chef]

I did call interference, but I also called the runner out coming home from third.

I don't think you can have offensive interference/obstruction without a player being out.

 

[goldglovechipper]

I've never umpired before, but I'd guess player interference and possible charge an out to the team? Runners retreat back to their respected bases.

Edit: Just saw you posted your answer....I'm happy I was close.

 

[goldglovechipper]

Oh, and if I may ask a question of my own: In Minor League Baseball, if a game never gets started and is postponed...how many innings will each game last in the double header?

 

[mediaguy]

If it were lower than high school, I'd just call it a dead ball, as if the ball went into the dugout. But in a varsity high school game, kid should know not to purposefully interfere with a ball in play. I don't know that I'd go so far as to penalize with an out, but I'd make sure his team didn't benefit with any runners advancing on the play.

 

[mediaguy]

Goldglove, I think the teams have the option of playing two seven-inning games if both managers agree. I know that's how it is with NCAA games when there's a doubleheader.

 

[ArnoldBabar]

I might be making this up, but isn't the on-deck circle considered not part of the playing field? I think that scenario results in a no-play, like if the ball bounced into the stands. But maybe there is a judgment call on the on-deck batter's intent to interfere.

 

[Armchair_QB]

I might be making this up, but isn't the on-deck circle considered not part of the playing field? I think that scenario results in a no-play, like if the ball bounced into the stands. But maybe there is a judgment call on the on-deck batter's intent to interfere.

I don't think that's right. A wild pitch on a third strike tonight hit a bat laying in the on-deck circle and they didn't call it a dead ball.

 

[Chef]

I might be making this up, but isn't the on-deck circle considered not part of the playing field? I think that scenario results in a no-play, like if the ball bounced into the stands. But maybe there is a judgment call on the on-deck batter's intent to interfere.

But...let's say someone throws a ball into the stands (for example) on a throw to first........the runner advances one base. Dead ball yes, but it's one base.

 

[ArnoldBabar]

I might be making this up, but isn't the on-deck circle considered not part of the playing field? I think that scenario results in a no-play, like if the ball bounced into the stands. But maybe there is a judgment call on the on-deck batter's intent to interfere.

But...let's say someone throws a ball into the stands (for example) on a throw to first........the runner advances one base. Dead ball yes, but it's one base.

Yeah, that's true. What we need here is some kind of umpire. Know any? :D

 

[Chef]

I might be making this up, but isn't the on-deck circle considered not part of the playing field? I think that scenario results in a no-play, like if the ball bounced into the stands. But maybe there is a judgment call on the on-deck batter's intent to interfere.

But...let's say someone throws a ball into the stands (for example) on a throw to first........the runner advances one base. Dead ball yes, but it's one base.

Yeah, that's true. What we need here is some kind of umpire. Know any? :D

I tried texting one of my best friends tonight, who happens to be an umpire.

But, alas, I forgot.........the son of a ***** was umpiring the Angels-Yankees game at the new Yankee Stadium.

 

[goldglovechipper]

Goldglove, I think the teams have the option of playing two seven-inning games if both managers agree. I know that's how it is with NCAA games when there's a doubleheader.

That's exactly correct. I had never heard of it before it happened to us tonight.

 

[kingcreole]

Instead of starting a new thread, here's one I hadn't seen until Tuesday.

Home Team has bases loaded with one out. Batter hits a towering pop up on the infield, right at the first-base line. Three Visiting Team players circle under the ball, and it drops just fair.

Now, the obvious call there is infield fly, batter out, runners go at own risk. But the umps never called infield fly. Thus, the runners started going. Batter reaches first, and the catcher gets the ball and tags out runner coming home.

Umps discuss and announce inning over on a double play (infield fly, runner coming home). Is the infield fly rule automatic even if no umpire calls it?

 

[forever_town]

Interference on the part of the on-deck batter.

Runner at third is out.

As for kingcreole's question, an umpire's got to call it.

 

[Matt1735]

Chef's question: He got it exactly right. If the offense interfered, there must be an out. You would call the runner closest to home out. If the ball merely deflected off the on-deck hitter and he didn't do anything intentionally, then no interference would be called.

Goldglove's question: Each league in Minor League Baseball has its own rules, however, the general rule is that doubleheaders are both seven-inning games. There are also guidelines for when a game is suspended, that the suspended game will be completed to nine innings and the regular game would be seven.

King's question: It really depends on the location of the fielders and the fly ball. If the ball was obviously an infield fly and the umpires brainfarted, then the infield fly rule is in effect and it falls on the offense to know the situation. If there is ANY doubt that the catch can be made with ordinary effort by an infielder, then there is no infield fly and the play is treated as normal.

 

[expendable]

Goldglove, I think the teams have the option of playing two seven-inning games if both managers agree. I know that's how it is with NCAA games when there's a doubleheader.

That's exactly correct. I had never heard of it before it happened to us tonight.

Hmmm...I always thought the make-up game was seven, and the regularly-scheduled one nine.

Edit: I see Matt must have addressed what I was thinking of.

 

[Rockbottom]

My gut tells me this is the call ... Dead ball immediately, all runners stay at the base they are at/have passed, and an out is issued.

RB

 

[OnTheRiver]

Called a buddy who has umpired more high school state title games here in Indiana than anyone else I know of.

His response: "If the kid coming from third's already touched home by the time the kid starts ****ing around with the ball, then you let it stand and the run counts. If he touches the ball before the kid gets home, you send the runners back.

"You can't give a team an advantage for having a dumbass on their roster."

Also: No outs called on the play.