Returning a runner

[mad hornet]

ASA 10u travel game and we have "Mr. Division 1 College Umpire". This guy has a lecture for the coaches every half inning and is nit-picking pitchers, calling illegal pitches, etc. Everything is "by the book" here.

Then something weird happens. We are on defense with a runner on first. Pitched ball swung on and missed tips off catcher's mitt and the runner goes to second. The opposing first base coach mistakenly thought the tipping sound he heard was a foul ball so he calls his runner back to first, which she does. This all takes place while the ball is live. However foul ball was never called. Once the ball is back in the circle, the field umpire calls time and awards the runner second base.

At this point I call time and ask the umpire why he did that when she clearly returned to first while the ball was live. His response: "there was 'confusion' on the play and when there's 'confusion' we can exercise discretion." I didn't push the argument and it didn't end up mattering because we threw her out trying to steal third.

However, this begs the question: Is there any basis in the rules for an umpire to do this? It was a new one on me but I think he was helping out the home team.

 

[Ajaywill]

ASA Rule 10 deals with umpires and their duties.

10-3-c States that the PU can rectify any situation in which a reversal of an umpires call or a delayed call places either team in jeopardy.

10-1 States that the PU has the authority to rule on anything not specifically covered in the rulebook.

Neither of these would apply to what your umpire did. There is no allowance in the rulebook for confusion....

 

[MTR]

BTW, a good college umpire wouldn't be lecturing anyone about anything not requested to do. The umpire may work college ball, but that just means the umpire works college ball.

 

[mad hornet]

BTW, a good college umpire wouldn't be lecturing anyone about anything not requested to do. The umpire may work college ball, but that just means the umpire works college ball.

He called it "Prevenatative Umpiring".

 

[MTR]

He called it "Prevenatative Umpiring".

Preventive umpiring is when you see a pitcher warming up using illegal mechanics and mentioning it to the coach.....or seeing a player acting in a manner which could be constued as illegal or unsportmantlike or something that could have been INT or OBS if taken the slightest step further. For example, while cleaning off the PP quietly mentioning to the pitcher to remember to keep the toe on the ground, or mentioning to F3 (if she is slow from moving off the base when there is no play, "make sure you give the runner the base", etc. Nothing loud or noticeable and maybe not even direct, nothing resembling coaching or that isn't in lieu of an actualy call.

If I say something like that, only the player and/or coach to which I was addressing (and may another in the immediate area) will know that something has been said.

 

[GI Tom]

Preventive umpiring is when you see a pitcher warming up using illegal mechanics and mentioning it to the coach.....or seeing a player acting in a manner which could be constued as illegal or unsportmantlike or something that could have been INT or OBS if taken the slightest step further. For example, while cleaning off the PP quietly mentioning to the pitcher to remember to keep the toe on the ground, or mentioning to F3 (if she is slow from moving off the base when there is no play, "make sure you give the runner the base", etc. Nothing loud or noticeable and maybe not even direct, nothing resembling coaching or that isn't in lieu of an actualy call.

If I say something like that, only the player and/or coach to which I was addressing (and may another in the immediate area) will know that something has been said.

Agree with MTR fully fwiw. Most of my preventative umpiring occurs between innings in a passing manner or while cleaning a base or a plate and is usually communicated in such a way that myself and the recipient are the only two who even know the conversation occurred.

 

[BretMan]

He called it "Prevenatative Umpiring".

All he "prevented" was an otherwise legal advance by the runner.