Baseball season is about to ramp up here soon, so I thought I would get the ball rolling. Few situational things I would like to hear back on as I will be doing NCAA games for the first time this year, and a friend of mine who is doing the same, were spitballing some situations over dinner and didn't agree on a few: (Please note, if any rulings would be different in NCAA than NFHS, please clarify that as well)
1) Runner on 1st, ground ball hit to second baseman, gets away from him into the outfield. Batter-runner sees the play right in front of him so thinks he is going to go for 2B, rounds the base and sees R1 had slid into and stopped at 2nd, so batter-runner skids to a stop, going back to first, and is obstructed by F3 who is just standing there watching the play.
Q: Is batter-runner only protected back into 1st, or does he get awarded 2nd base for the obstruction, pushing R1 to third?
F-U-Q (follow up question): Does the ruling change if there is no R1...meaning bases empty, runner rounds 1st for 2nd, changes mind, gets obstructed while scampering back to the bag by F3.
F-F-U-Q: Does the ruling change on either of these if a play is being made on batter-runner? Backthrow to 1st and he is obstructed? (other than it is an immediate dead ball instead of delayed)
2) ***This is not a rules question, it is a responsibilities question(s)***
--- NCAA rulebook says the HPU must "mud" the balls prior to games beginning. My first game of NCAA career is a plate game, so I will be responsible for that. Any tips? I have never done it, never seen it done. I don't know what to buy, how much gloss to take off the ball, what to use to do it (hands? rag?)
--- What is your advice for running a plate meeting? I have done HS, summer ball, etc. If you read what the manual says should be covered, you would think it would take 30 minutes to run the meeting. Introductions, lineup cards, ground rules, legal equipment verification...anything else? I suppose I am gearing more towards NCAA here as again, I have never run a plate meeting in NCAA. I have done some Fall ball inter-squad games this Fall, but because it was "casual", it was pretty quick. No ground rules needed as both teams were from that team, coaches know their kids and lineups, etc.
3) 2-man game....runner on 1st. Ground ball to the infield, any situation where you read there is no chance a play is being made on the runner going to 2nd base, the play will be going to 1st (maybe F4 kicks the ball to his left, towards 1B)
Q: Should HPU head towards 3rd in case R1 advances towards 3B?
I ask this because the CCA manual says yes, no umpire I have talked to agrees, but then in clinics and camps we hear our evaluations will be based on strict application of the CCA manual. At camp in michigan, we were told that if an NCAA umpire can't make a call at 1st and get into position for a play at 3rd, they shouldn't be doing NCAA games. HPU should stay home and help with pulled foot and swipe tag. (If a play at 2nd is possible, you work up towards mound to help with force-play-slide-rule, so asking specifically about a play that won't go to 2nd)
I have more but will stop for now.
Thank you