Interference

[tghorley]

OK, so we are 14u ASA nationals and a similar play happened. Runner on 2nd, ball hit to ss Runner jumps over ball ss makes error all runners safe. No call is made by umps. 3 man umpiring crew in correct position. Before next pitch, other coach makes protest. Umps conference, 1st base ump says he saw contact, calls runner out. Seems like I have read that a judgement call like this is not protestable, is this correct ?

Not that it matters, but runner says she was not with in a foot of the ss.


nationals

 

[Jr10234]

How's your team faring at nationals? I need to check the scoreboard, know a few teams there.

 

[tghorley]

2-0 in bracket play playing ok

 

[honus14]

Umps conference, 1st base ump says he saw contact, calls runner out. Seems like I have read that a judgement call like this is not protestable, is this correct ?

Not that it matters, but runner says she was not with in a foot of the ss.


nationals

Yeah, sorry, 100% judgment. Even I'm not right all the time. (Okay, I'm hardly ever right.)

 

[tghorley]

I understand judgement but is it an appealable play?

 

[honus14]

You can't protest judgment calls, that's correct. (An appeal is when you bring a particular violation of the rules to the umpire's attention, most notably a runner missing a base or a player batting out of order.)

 

[Umpire]

When a defender is fielding a batted ball, the onus is on the runner to vacate any area necessary for that defender to field the ball and to do so without complicating or confusing the play. A fielder who stops short to avoid contact with a runner who is in a direct path to the ball is protected under the interference rule. She has priority on that area of the field. It is not up to the runner to decide how much of a gap is necessary, but up to the umpire to determine whether her actions complicated the play. Obviously, the closer the three elements come together (i.e., runner, ball and fielder) the easier it is to call interference.

 

[tghorley]

Understand the rule all I am asking can you appeal the play where there was no call made except runners safe.

 

[Umpire]

As was previously said, this isn't an appeal play. Coaches need to use proper terminology. Appeal plays are defined as "appeal plays" in the rule book. Here, what you want is an umpire to go for help from another umpire. It is up to the umpire who was responsible for making the call whether to go for help.

 

[Sparky Guy]

You can't "Appeal" the call. But what you can do is ask the umpire closest to the play to please ask the other umpires if they saw anything different. Similar to a check swing call. If one of the other umpires saw something different they let the others know what he/she saw if asked. Most umpires will usually refrain from making a call that is not theirs unless asked.