Put Out Stealing or Advance on Walk

[VA Chris]

Interesting call at a middle school game here yesterday.

Runners on 1B & 2B. Batter has a 3 & 2 count.

On the pitch runner on 2B takes off for 3rd. My DD is the catcher, fires to 3rd and HU calls runner out on the tag. Opposing coach and stands go crazy yelling that it was a walk (pitch was ball 4).

My understanding is that the walk takes precedence over the steal. In other words the runner being entitled to 3rd after the pitch negates the steal. HU reversed his call and awarded the 2B runner 3rd on the walk. Of course our side began grumbling and complaining. I'm fairly certain that HU did the right thing in reversing his call.

Knowledgeable DFP rules sages please discuss.....

 

[tcannizzo]

Not much to discuss. Possible that BU lost track of the count and then corrected the situation.
As for people going crazy? There are better ways of handling that.

 

[CoogansBluff]

My understanding is that the walk takes precedence over the steal. In other words the runner being entitled to 3rd after the pitch negates the steal. HU reversed his call and awarded the 2B runner 3rd on the walk. Of course our side began grumbling and complaining. I'm fairly certain that HU did the right thing in reversing his call.

You are correct. Runner is entitled to third base.

As soon as it's ball four, there is no steal attempt. The runner is merely taking her next base. So I wouldn't describe ball four as 'taking precedence' over the steal, since technically there was no steal. But that's all semantics. Also, if the runner had overslid third and been tagged, that's an out.

 

[MT 73]

This really is a no brainer.
Once the base umpire realized that it was a walk--and we all get brain freezes at times--it's just a, "Whoops--my bad' situation" which is easily fixed.
Ball 4--runners advance.

 

[VA Chris]

Just to be clear, the HU was alone at the game. He made the initial out call and then reversed his call to correct for the walk.

I was fairly certain I had this one right (along with HU) but something about the 2B runner leaving prior to the pitch being deemed a ball created a little doubt.

For what its worth, it was a great game. We lost but it was 1-1 for most of the game and both teams really showed what 13 y/o players can do.

 

[Momo'sDad]

Just to be clear, the HU was alone at the game. He made the initial out call and then reversed his call to correct for the walk.

I was fairly certain I had this one right (along with HU) but something about the 2B runner leaving prior to the pitch being deemed a ball created a little doubt.

This can be a tough call when there's only 1 ump, but if the ump saw the runner leave before the pitch, then that' s a different call. It's an immediate dead ball, the runner is out, and the pitch doesn't count.

 

[VA Chris]

This can be a tough call when there's only 1 ump, but if the ump saw the runner leave before the pitch, then that' s a different call. It's an immediate dead ball, the runner is out, and the pitch doesn't count.

Oh boy- Let me clarify my clarification,

The runner made what would have been a legal steal attempt. Runner on 2B remained on base until the ball was out of the pitcher's hand. She began to advance while the ball was in motion to home plate but prior to the HU making the call of Ball 4.

Sorry for any confusion, glad that the people on this site catch the details! Really helps to ensure the calls are being discussed clearly.

 

[Carsonsig]

I see this all the time too... parents always scream about it... SHE STOLE BEFORE THE WALK!!!! I always say hey, if she had just been leading off, but not stealing, she is still off the bag with the pitch release... could 3b have tagged her on the walk? they say no... I say so whats the difference...?

 

[Cowdogz]

If it had been a 3-2 count and 2 out, it would be standard to send the runners. They don't get to be thrown out when the pitch winds up being ball 4.

 

[Umpireernie]

It's ball four. Runners are forced to advance. How can the runner be out for stealing?

Get this on uncaught third strike with 1B occupied less than two out a lot. "But it wasn't occupied she was stealing 2nd, blue!" Ugh!