What's the ruling?

[flash277]

A girl hits a ball deep in the gap, she's rounding first going to second, a ball from another field lands in the infield and rolls into foul territory. What's the call?

 

[The Man In Blue]

Officially? I am not aware of any rule that covers this. I think the closest you can come in a rule book is “detached equipment” which is nothing unless the game ball touches it. Once the ball does touch detached equipment, the rules delineate the consequences depending on if the equipment belongs to the offense or the defense ... so Blue is going to have to do some skillful adjudication.

I’m not killing play unless there is risk of an injury occurring.

Unofficially? It’s like the bonus ball in pinball ... play them both!

 

[Comp]

As long as it doesn't get involved in the play, play on.

 

[inumpire]

Play on unless it is coming in to play.......have had it happen before and not a word was said.
Now if it would be rolling through the infield as a throw was coming in the infield, that could be a completely different issue.

 

[The Man In Blue]

Play on unless it is coming in to play.......have had it happen before and not a word was said.
Now if it would be rolling through the infield as a throw was coming in the infield, that could be a completely different issue.

How?

 

[testandor]

The Man In Blue
I’m not killing play unless there is risk of an injury occurring.

Comp
As long as it doesn't get involved in the play, play on.


Yup. What they said!

 

[inumpire]

How?

I guess maybe I should have went in to more detail. If the foul ball come in to the infield as a throw was coming in and there was possibility of it coming into the same area as the thrown ball was, you could possibly have some confusion, depending on the level of play.

 

[YOCOACH]

I guess maybe I should have went in to more detail. If the foul ball come in to the infield as a throw was coming in and there was possibility of it coming into the same area as the thrown ball was, you could possibly have some confusion, depending on the level of play.

Maybe I'm not understanding the scenario but if 1) the girl is rounding already and off towards 2nd and 2) the ball lands in the field of play but then rolls out of it and 3) there's no risk of injury, may and might should have no bearing on the ruling. I'm not an umpire but as a coach the word protest comes to mind if play were to be stopped and my BR not awarded 2nd.

 

[inumpire]

That is correct you don’t understand.
But I don’t understand what you would be prostesting?

 

[The Man In Blue]

@inumpire and @YOCOACH — you guys are talking about two different scenarios. YOCOACH is following the original scenario (game ball in the gap in the outfield, foreign ball on the infield) while inumpire has a new situation (game ball coming in for a play, foreign ball in the area of the play).

YOCOACH, you are being generous if you are happy with just second base!

To inumpire’s situation though ... you have the game ball coming in on a play and the foreign ball rolling into the infield ... you are saying you are killing it. And then ... what? What are you awarding? Odds are your award is either robbing the runner of a base or the defense of an out when neither is at fault.

I understand if there is a player safety issue/concern ... but player confusion isn‘t our problem.