Ask MrUmp1 your rules question.

[hawkeye07]

Not a rules question, but just a question.  Can you please update photos on arbiter umpire site so coaches can put names with faces of umpires?

[HSB&Rangers]

That usually something that the individual umpire has to do.

It is a very simple process, but for the technically challenged umpire it might be difficult.

[MrUmp1]

We had new pictures taken at a couple of our meetings to update pics but I am sure some did not make those meetings. I will ask bout it though. 

[MrUmp1]

[quote name="HSB&Rangers" post="1385859" timestamp="1363380019"]
That usually something that the individual umpire has to do.

It is a very simple process, but for the technically challenged umpire it might be difficult.
[/quote]

There, I went and changed mine so I can be taken off the technically challenged list but please do not take me off the eye sight challenged list.

[KABrother]

Batter lays down a bunt...as he drops the bat it makes 2nd contact with the ball...umpire rules that since the path of the ball wasn't affected (which it was and I'm not sure how it technically wouldn't have been) the play continues.  Is this the correct call?...have never heard the part of the path of the ball being affected

[Ty Cobb]

SCENARIO/QUESTION 1:

The batter swings the bat and hits the catchers glove.  Interference is called and the batter is awarded 1st base.  What is the official ruling for the batter?  Is this an official at bat?  Does it go down as a reach-on-error? 



SCENARIO/QUESTION 2:

Top of 7th, tie ball game, visitors have runners on 1st and 3rd.  The starting pitcher is pulled with 2 outs.  The relief pitcher comes into the game, throws 2 pitches to the batter, then picks the runner off of 3rd to end the inning.  The home team then scores a run in the bottom of the 7th to win the game.  Which pitcher gets the win?


SCENARIO/QUESTION 3:

Bottom of 7th, home team is down by 1, runner on 2nd.  The visiting team uses the hidden-ball pickoff play to get the last out of the game.  The district rules state that "HIDDEN BALL PLAYS" will not be allowed.  What happens?

[Peppermint Patty]

[quote name="Ty Cobb" post="1386643" timestamp="1363708761"]
SCENARIO/QUESTION 1:

The batter swings the bat and hits the catchers glove.  Interference is called and the batter is awarded 1st base.  What is the official ruling for the batter?  Is this an official at bat?  Does it go down as a reach-on-error? 



SCENARIO/QUESTION 2:

Top of 7th, tie ball game, visitors have runners on 1st and 3rd.  The starting pitcher is pulled with 2 outs.  The relief pitcher comes into the game, throws 2 pitches to the batter, then picks the runner off of 3rd to end the inning.  The home team then scores a run in the bottom of the 7th to win the game.  Which pitcher gets the win?


SCENARIO/QUESTION 3:

Bottom of 7th, home team is down by 1, runner on 2nd.  The visiting team uses the hidden-ball pickoff play to get the last out of the game.  The district rules state that "HIDDEN BALL PLAYS" will not be allowed.  What happens?
[/quote]

#1

E2, or error by the catcher, is the proper scoring notation for Catcher’s interference. Unlike other plays where a batter reaches base on an error, the plate appearance is not counted as an official at-bat. For determining earned runs, batters reaching base via catcher’s interference are not considered the responsibility of the pitcher. Therefore, a batter-runner reaching base via catcher’s interference and subsequently scoring would not count as an earned run. Unlike other fielding errors, the out made by the batter cannot be assumed for earned run scoring purposes.

#2
Pitcher #2 would be the "pitcher of record" and therfore the winning pitcher.

#3
Do not have an educated opinion on that one.

[Coach85]

For the thid scenerio I blieve it is treated as a balk and the runner would advance to third.

[Ty Cobb]

Thanks for replying GCMPats2 and Coach85.  On scenario #2, I thought the pitcher had to face a batter to be able to get the win.  Thanks for clearing that up. 
In regards to the 3rd scenario, whose has to make the call on the hidden ball play?  I think it's safe to assume that the umpires will not know each and every rule for every district that they call games in.  Heck, I bet most coaches do not know all of their district rules.  Does the coach have to bring this to the umpires attention?  Do they have to have proof of the rule with them?  What is the proper procedure for this scenario?

[Peppermint Patty]

[quote name="Ty Cobb" post="1386684" timestamp="1363717684"]
Thanks for replying GCMPats2 and Coach85.  On scenario #2, I thought the pitcher had to face a batter to be able to get the win.  Thanks for clearing that up. 
In regards to the 3rd scenario, whose has to make the call on the hidden ball play?  I think it's safe to assume that the umpires will not know each and every rule for every district that they call games in.  Heck, I bet most coaches do not know all of their district rules.  Does the coach have to bring this to the umpires attention?  Do they have to have proof of the rule with them?  What is the proper procedure for this scenario?
[/quote]

Once he enters the game as the "pitcher of record" he is not required to throw a single pitch to be credited with the win.

I would be suprised if many districts have Game Play rules that are different from the UIL. If they are, all schools in the district approved those rules and should have knowledge of them. I am sure they inform the umpires before the season starts.

[Ty Cobb]

Thanks for the information.  I appreciate it.

[Coach85]

All districts playing rules or the same per UIL because when they go to the playoffs if each district had it's own set of playing rules the umpire's would have to be put in an insane asylum trying to keep up with what district has this rule and which one has that rule. Now as far as dead areas and obstructions each differ at each field but that is determined how the field is set up.

[MrUmp1]

[quote name="Ty Cobb" post="1386643" timestamp="1363708761"]
SCENARIO/QUESTION 1:

The batter swings the bat and hits the catchers glove.  Interference is called and the batter is awarded 1st base.  What is the official ruling for the batter?  Is this an official at bat?  Does it go down as a reach-on-error? 



SCENARIO/QUESTION 2:

Top of 7th, tie ball game, visitors have runners on 1st and 3rd.  The starting pitcher is pulled with 2 outs.  The relief pitcher comes into the game, throws 2 pitches to the batter, then picks the runner off of 3rd to end the inning.  The home team then scores a run in the bottom of the 7th to win the game.  Which pitcher gets the win?


SCENARIO/QUESTION 3:

Bottom of 7th, home team is down by 1, runner on 2nd.  The visiting team uses the hidden-ball pickoff play to get the last out of the game.  The district rules state that "HIDDEN BALL PLAYS" will not be allowed.  What happens?
[/quote]

First two we do not get involved in how plays are scored in the book so check with a real baseball statistician, as far as the hidden ball trick, the rule is that if the pitcher is on the dirt of the mound when a hidden ball trick is used, it is a balk. I have never heard of a district making a rule of no hidden ball tricks, but i do know that baseball and UIL rules can not be superseded by local umpire chapters or districts. 

[Ty Cobb]

[quote name="MrUmp1" post="1387031" timestamp="1363782018"]
[quote author=Ty Cobb link=topic=35113.msg1386643#msg1386643 date=1363708761]
SCENARIO/QUESTION 1:

The batter swings the bat and hits the catchers glove.  Interference is called and the batter is awarded 1st base.  What is the official ruling for the batter?  Is this an official at bat?  Does it go down as a reach-on-error? 



SCENARIO/QUESTION 2:

Top of 7th, tie ball game, visitors have runners on 1st and 3rd.  The starting pitcher is pulled with 2 outs.  The relief pitcher comes into the game, throws 2 pitches to the batter, then picks the runner off of 3rd to end the inning.  The home team then scores a run in the bottom of the 7th to win the game.  Which pitcher gets the win?


SCENARIO/QUESTION 3:

Bottom of 7th, home team is down by 1, runner on 2nd.  The visiting team uses the hidden-ball pickoff play to get the last out of the game.  The district rules state that "HIDDEN BALL PLAYS" will not be allowed.  What happens?
[/quote]

First two we do not get involved in how plays are scored in the book so check with a real baseball statistician, as far as the hidden ball trick, the rule is that if the pitcher is on the dirt of the mound when a hidden ball trick is used, it is a balk. I have never heard of a district making a rule of no hidden ball tricks, but i do know that baseball and UIL rules can not be superseded by local umpire chapters or districts.
[/quote]


District 21-3A has a rule that states, "No hidden ball" plays will be allowed. 
Does that mean the play in scenario 3 should have been ruled a balk?  Or is it a legal play?

[MrUmp1]

As an Umpire, we go by Federation Rules and any exception provided by the UIL. Could you imagine the confusion if we had to know any special district rule also, what a cluster. That is why there have been times about suspended games we as umpires can only stop the game then let the district committee rule if the game should be restarted, resumed or is final.

[Ty Cobb]

[quote name="MrUmp1" post="1387104" timestamp="1363794910"]
As an Umpire, we go by Federation Rules and any exception provided by the UIL. Could you imagine the confusion if we had to know any special district rule also, what a cluster. That is why there have been times about suspended games we as umpires can only stop the game then let the district committee rule if the game should be restarted, resumed or is final.
[/quote]


I agree with you 100%.  There is no way an umpire can be asked or expected to know every district rule form every district that they call games in.  That's why I have this question.  What is the proper ruling and what is the proper procedure?  Does the coach have to bring this to the attention of the umpire?  Does the game end under a protest?  Can the game be restarted and finished at a later time?

[MrUmp1]

There is no protest in Texas HS Baseball per UIL. The second thing, a district can not change a federation baseball rule. Federation Baseball clearly states that a pitcher can not be on the dirt area of the mound and a fielder hold the ball for the purpose of tagging out a runner in a hidden ball trick. That has for the most part eliminated the play. A district can not create a rule that says no hidden ball tricks and expect it to be upheld by the UIL. They can do other things but they cannot supercede a rule with one of their own. Hope this helps.

[KABrother]

Batter lays down a bunt...as he drops the bat it makes 2nd contact with the ball...umpire rules that since the path of the ball wasn't affected (which it was and I'm not sure how it technically wouldn't have been) the play continues.  Is this the correct call?...have never heard the part of the path of the ball being affected

[MrUmp1]

If the bat is lying on the ground it becomes part of the playing field and you play it as is. If the ball hits the bat a second time before it hits the ground then it is a foul ball. You would not allow a batter/runner to throw a bat at the ball or kick the bat to project the ball away from a fielder which would be interference.

[TASO Ump]

[quote name="hawkeye07" post="1385798" timestamp="1363369181"]
Not a rules question, but just a question.  Can you please update photos on arbiter umpire site so coaches can put names with faces of umpires?
[/quote] Umpires pictures are on the TASO web site [url=http://www.tasobeaumont.org]www.tasobeaumont.org[/url]  under Members. Not all Umpires have had their picture taking and been posted but it is in the works.

[CommonSense]

Question about DH for high school:

Joe is DHing for Bill, Joe bats twice and then Mark bats for Joe, Mark gets on but Bill is put in the game to run for Mark- killing  the DH. My question- can Joe renter the game (he was the starting DH) and go in the field?

[MrUmp1]

Yes but only in the same batting order which in your example is for Bill and since Bill has re entered the game Bill would now be out of the game. When a team uses a DH they have 10 starters which all can re enter the game once in the same spot in the batting lineup they were in originally. Also when a DH comes in to play a position if he has never been out of the game, killing the DH, this does not count as a re enter since he has never left the game.

[CommonSense]

Thanks MrUmp1.

[bulldog16]

[quote name="MrUmp1" post="1388268" timestamp="1364060632"]
Yes but only in the same batting order which in your example is for Bill and since Bill has re entered the game Bill would now be out of the game. When a team uses a DH they have 10 starters which all can re enter the game once in the same spot in the batting lineup they were in originally. Also when a DH comes in to play a position if he has never been out of the game, killing the DH, this does not count as a re enter since he has never left the game.
[/quote]
He,he, he, he!!!!!! I remember someone doing this in a big game one time and the opposing coach had no clue it was legal!!!! Classic!

[hitman009]

can a starting player (fielder not batting/being DH for) be a  runner for the Catcher or Pitcher?  What happens if the player is pulled?  can he run then?