Ask MrUmp1 your rules question.

[MrUmp1]

[quote name="rbi12" post="989653" timestamp="1301407579"]
Mr. Ump1,

When weather becomes an issue, does the umpire clear the field when he hears thunder?

Thanks.
[/quote]

Yes , the new rule is if thunder is heard clear the field. Players may not stay in dugouts and must go indoors or on the bus. 30 minute wait till no thunder or lightning. Sorry I am let answering and thanks to those who did answer but been in Exxon all day.

[MrUmp1]

[quote name="westend1" post="989656" timestamp="1301407959"]
OK.  Runners on 1st and 3rd.  Coach calls timeout and infield gets together.  They successfully do the hidden ball trick, giving the ball to the 3rd baseman.  Pitcher takes the mound(but maybe not on rubber,that is disputed among the witnesses).  Runner at 3rd is tagged out when he leads off.   If pitcher was on rubber, i assume it is a balk.   Real question is, when does play resume after a timeout?  Can the runner be tagged out before the home ump signals the pitcher that play has resumed?
[/quote]

I think GT got it all, but here is the simple version. If the pitcher is on the dirt, then it is a balk to do a hidden ball trick. In High School ball only, a balk is an immediate dead ball. College and pro it is a live ball. If you notice, most of the umpires will wait until the pitcher is on the rubber then he will point and say play to signafy that the ball is in play and runners can advance or a pickoff is live. We do our best to get this across to our members to put the ball back in play. I do it so often sometimes I am pointing to the pitcher and the ball was still live.

[Critter]

Quick question: Scenario-----you have a runner at 1st and 2nd, batter sends a ground ball to 3rd baseman, base runners advance to 2nd and 3rd. but the 3rd baseman over throws 1st sending the ball into the dugout.  If the guy from first has already 2nd should he be given just 3rd or given home?

[MrUmp1]

It is two bases from the time of the throw not when it entered dead ball territory. When the third base threw the ball the guy from 1st i am sure was not already on 2nd so that is why he would get 2nd and 3rd . Hope that clears it up for you.

[Critter]

[quote name="MrUmp1" post="990775" timestamp="1301522909"]
It is two bases from the time of the throw not when it entered dead ball territory. When the third base threw the ball the guy from 1st i am sure was not already on 2nd so that is why he would get 2nd and 3rd . Hope that clears it up for you.
[/quote]

Got it thanks.

[HSB&Rangers]

[quote name="MrUmp1" post="990775" timestamp="1301522909"]
It is two bases from the time of the throw not when it entered dead ball territory. When the third base threw the ball the guy from 1st i am sure was not already on 2nd so that is why he would get 2nd and 3rd . Hope that clears it up for you.
[/quote]

Mr. Ump, I think this is a time of pitch enforcement because it is the first throw from an
infielder.

[MrUmp1]

I will check, comes out the same because runner could not have attained 2nd before a throw. You have made me think because I know if it is from the outfield we really have to watch where runners are when he uncorks one if it is a wild throw. Infielder could make a difference. Thats one reason why I love doing this because it makes me look up rules and I learn along with everybody else.

[irish04]

Batter's foot is out of the batter's box at the time a pitch is thrown. No matter where the pitch is thrown, this should be a strike, correct?

Situation where batter's stance had his back foot behind the back line of the batter's box...umpire didn't notice it at the time, but this is just for future reference. Thanks in advance

[2throwrundown]

[quote name="irish04" post="993780" timestamp="1302099596"]
Batter's foot is out of the batter's box at the time a pitch is thrown. No matter where the pitch is thrown, this should be a strike, correct?

Situation where batter's stance had his back foot behind the back line of the batter's box...umpire didn't notice it at the time, but this is just for future reference. Thanks in advance
[/quote]

why would it be an automatic strike?  you still have to deliver the ball in the strike zone ???

[MrUmp1]

[quote name="irish04" post="993780" timestamp="1302099596"]
Batter's foot is out of the batter's box at the time a pitch is thrown. No matter where the pitch is thrown, this should be a strike, correct?

Situation where batter's stance had his back foot behind the back line of the batter's box...umpire didn't notice it at the time, but this is just for future reference. Thanks in advance
[/quote]

Yes it is a strike  Most of the time this is called because a batter thought he had time and stepped out of the box when a pitch was thrown. Now remember this also, a batters foot must be entirely out of the box. Any part of the foot on the chaulk is legal.

[2throwrundown]

[quote name="MrUmp1" post="994035" timestamp="1302130751"]
[quote author=irish04 link=topic=35113.msg993780#msg993780 date=1302099596]
Batter's foot is out of the batter's box at the time a pitch is thrown. No matter where the pitch is thrown, this should be a strike, correct?

Situation where batter's stance had his back foot behind the back line of the batter's box...umpire didn't notice it at the time, but this is just for future reference. Thanks in advance
[/quote]

Yes it is a strike  Most of the time this is called because a batter thought he had time and stepped out of the box when a pitch was thrown. Now remember this also, a batters foot must be entirely out of the box. Any part of the foot on the chaulk is legal.
[/quote]

Again, so even if the pitcher throws the ball through the opposite batters box and to the backstop its still a strike just becasue the hitter steps out?  He still has to deliver the ball in the strike zone.

[MrUmp1]

[quote name="CrashDavis" post="994152" timestamp="1302181176"]
[quote author=MrUmp1 link=topic=35113.msg994035#msg994035 date=1302130751]
[quote author=irish04 link=topic=35113.msg993780#msg993780 date=1302099596]
Batter's foot is out of the batter's box at the time a pitch is thrown. No matter where the pitch is thrown, this should be a strike, correct?

Situation where batter's stance had his back foot behind the back line of the batter's box...umpire didn't notice it at the time, but this is just for future reference. Thanks in advance
[/quote]

Yes it is a strike  Most of the time this is called because a batter thought he had time and stepped out of the box when a pitch was thrown. Now remember this also, a batters foot must be entirely out of the box. Any part of the foot on the chaulk is legal.
[/quote]

The rule is, if the batter steps out of the box while a pitch is being thrown or refuses to enter the batters box in a timely manner, a strike is called and it does not matter where the pitch is thrown. Could be over the backstop, it is a strike. So you ask why? Because if a batter is allowed to do that he could become distracting to the pitcher.

Again, so even if the pitcher throws the ball through the opposite batters box and to the backstop its still a strike just becasue the hitter steps out?  He still has to deliver the ball in the strike zone.
[/quote]

[643]

Dennis, yrs back Billy Davis called for a pitch cuz the batter would not get in the box due to coach talking to batter a second time, pitch was delivered high and called a strike, the opposing coach went in orbit, Billy told him, he (the batter) had X amount of time before he would call for another which he did, what happened was 2 coaches ejected and the batter had 2 strikes on him before entering the box. I guess the diff was the batter not getting into the box in a timely manner V/S just stepping out while swinging....

[MrUmp1]

What Billy did is really the same situation. I believe in the questions above the batter just stepped out and did not swing. Although this rule is not strictly adhered too, the pitcher is to deliver the pitch within 20 seconds of him having the ball returned to him. That also means the batter should be in the box also in that time. Quite a few years ago a rule was created that a batter is to keep one foot in the batters box between pitches with the exception if he had to move out because of a wild pitch or the batter swinging wildly at a pitch. Some of the old timers called this the Ronnie Anderson rule since it prevented the batter from leaving the plate area and walking halfway to third base in between pitches. I have seen in the last couple of years that college ball has a rule in place regarding this and there has been talk of MLB trying to speed up the game some trying to keep batters around the batters box.

[Jacket Mom]

Please explain the correct call on this situation:

Runner on 3rd, runner on first.  Batter hits line drive up the middle, directly hits field umpire.  What is correct call for runners on bags and batter?  We thought it should be dead ball single, runners advance one bag.  Umpire called dead ball, no pitch.  No runners advanced and batter went back to batter's box with no pitch on play.  Is the field umpire not part of field of play if he is within the lines?

[MrUmp1]

If the umpire is in the infield and he gets hit with the ball and it has not gone past an infielder other than the pitcher, the the batter is awarded one base and runners forced would move up one base. In your case runners 1st and 3rd, you would have ended up with bases loaded as the runner from 3rd would not have been granted a base only the runner at 1st which was forced. I know you may say the ball that was hit was going to be a clean single and the runner would have scored but the rule is written as to not let the umpire judge if that was the case or not. So you were close.

[oldwiseone]

Saw this over the weekend.  Coach tells his hitter to go up and put one foot ON the plate.  Kid does.  Pitcher throws a couple over before batter hits one into right field(while with one foot on the plate).  I thought if a player makes contact with a ball with his foot on the plate then he is out.  I questioned the umpire after the game and he said part of his foot was in the batter's box so he wasn't breaking any rules.  I thought both feet had to be within the batter's box.  What's the correct call?  Is it a strike if the kid is standing on the plate and does not swing, no matter the location?

[MrUmp1]

His foot must be completely out of the batters box to be considered out of the box. If any part of your foot is on the line you are ok. Now if your foot is in contact with the plate when you hit the ball then you are out. Why a coach would tell a kid to do that is beyond me. I would say the umpire was half right.

[oldwiseone]

It was a time limit game and he was home team, behind, had 2 outs with about a minute to go.  Was trying to start another inning.  If his foot was on the plate while a pitch was thrown, is it considered a strike?

[tlandry]

If there is a runner on 1st, who tries to steal 2nd. The S.S. runs and stands between 2nd and 1st approximately 3ft from 2nd to receive the throw from the catcher. The S.S. blocks the runner from stealing 2nd before the ball arrives. Is the S.S. allowed to obstruct the runner and does the runner need to avoid the S.S?

[MrUmp1]

[quote name="oldwiseone" post="996138" timestamp="1302582078"]
It was a time limit game and he was home team, behind, had 2 outs with about a minute to go.  Was trying to start another inning.  If his foot was on the plate while a pitch was thrown, is it considered a strike?
[/quote]

not if any part of his foot was still in the box. As an umpire I am going to make him move back just to avoid any problems.

[MrUmp1]

[quote name="tl34" post="996155" timestamp="1302589981"]
If there is a runner on 1st, who tries to steal 2nd. The S.S. runs and stands between 2nd and 1st approximately 3ft from 2nd to receive the throw from the catcher. The S.S. blocks the runner from stealing 2nd before the ball arrives. Is the S.S. allowed to obstruct the runner and does the runner need to avoid the S.S?
[/quote]

If the ball is being thrown then he is making a play on the runner which is ok. I would have to think the reason he was on the first base side of second meeans the throw was offline a few feet and was positioning himself to catch the ball. Three feet if that is what is was is not very far. the runner just need to make a legal slide straight into the bag and he is ok. He can not run over the fielder. Now if the fielder does not have the ball or it is being thrown to him, then he could be called for obstruction. Many times these are the kind of plays that you just have to be there to see it and be in position to see. If for some reason coaches are teaching their players to get in the way, then they are putting them in danger of being injured. Many times you see this more in non high school games.

[srookb1]

MrUmp1, Friday I saw a balk called on a left handed pitcher who was in the wind up. He had his left foot on the rubber with the right foot off the rubber and slightly forward.The explanation was that he had to have both feet in contact with rubber. Is that correct?

[MrUmp1]

In the windup position, both feet must be at or behind the front edge of the pitchers rubber. Both do not have to be in contact, but you can not start a windup with one foot in front of the pitchers rubber. If runners are on base it is a balk. Doesnt matter if they are lefty or righty it is the same. It is not an illegal pitch with no one on. I think this rule is mainly to prevent a right handed pitcher from being able to turn his body twords a runner on third to either see him better or make a pick off try. This makes the pitcher have his shoulders more closer to being square with the pitchers rubber.

[underarmor]

If a player is hit on the hand,what determines if it is a foul ball or a HBP