Runner on third with one out. Batter bunts the ball a few feet in front of the plate. The runner on third runs home, the home plate umpire for some reason steps into the foul line on the third base line and blocks the path of the runner. The runner has to literally run around the home plate umpire to get to the plate. This prevents the runner from sliding and the runner is tagged out. As a coach, what would you do?
Strange Play
- Thread starter daveb
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- Mar 31, 2013
- 58
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Uh....told him to find another place to stand next time and asked him to overturn his own call and seek assistance from the other blue if one was on the field.
Umpires are part of the field. No he should not have been there but there is nothing to overturn. There are only 2 instances addressed in the rule book where the umpire can interfere in a play. One is an umpire being hit by a batted ball before it passes an infielder, and the second is if the plate umpire interferes with the catchers attempt to throw the ball.
- Feb 16, 2012
- 165
- 0
Tell my girls to treat him like a catcher and slide into him next time...he will learn.
Someone asked about something similar this weekend. On a deflected pitch (catcher blocked it, but ball deflected a foot or so), the umpire moved and happened to kick the ball, which required the catcher to chase it, allowing a runner to advance to 3rd in one instance, home in another. Had the umpire not made contact with the ball, the catcher would have just picked it up and no one would have gone anywhere. Neither coach said anything. Is there any remedy when the umpire kicks the ball or is it just tough luck?
There was a play this weekend where the umpire was not in a good position. Hard hit ball had the 3rd baseman juggle the ball and made a bad throw to first. Runner advances all the way to third where another near overthrow was made. Problem was plate ump ran up the 3rd baseline to make the call and was about 2ft from the bag just outside the baseline for some reason. The girl would have had a hard time making the turn had there been another overthrow at third.
I'm sure that what you really meant to type was, "Had the pitcher and catcher done their jobs, the ball wouldn't have been rattlling around on the ground where it could be accidently kicked, and no one would have gone anywhere".
Or maybe not. It's always more fun to blame the umpire!
Bad positioning for a plate umpire to make a call at third base. First off, within two feet of the base is way too close. Secondly, umpire should be inside the diamond (on fair ground) to call a play at third. This is the "by the book" positioning that is designed to keep the umpire out of the way.
It was strange to see. When he started up the baseline the first thought was that he was running to do something other than make a call. Just didn't register correctly.
Would have been interesting to see the reaction of the third base coach standing there if the girl rounded third and smacked into the plate ump.
