Ask The Ump?

[Yappi]

"Ask The Ump?" is a great thread in the baseball forum. I'm going to start this thread in the softball forum in hopes that a softball umpire (or umpires) can help us out.

 

[Yappi]

My first one, while watching a game recently, a pitcher was on the pitcher plate ready to start their pitch. She stepped back and lost her balance. She regained her balance, stepped back again and delivered the pitch. Is this legal?

She did not leave the pitching plate during either of the step backs. It was just a disrupted pitching motion with two step backs.

 

[reggieDunlop]

Situation: Runner on first, one out. Batter hits a pop-up beyond first base. While the ball was in the air, the runner on first contacted the firstbaseman while returning to first base. The secondbaseman then makes an easy catch. Ruling?

 

[Yappi]

Situation: Runner on first, one out. Batter hits a pop-up beyond first base. While the ball was in the air, the runner on first contacted the firstbaseman while returning to first base. The secondbaseman then makes an easy catch. Ruling?

Not an ump but I would have to see the play. It would have to be interference or obstruction. I'm guessing it would be obstruction on the first baseman but there would be no award of a base because the runner was returning.

 

[Neo440]

Situation: Runner on first, one out. Batter hits a pop-up beyond first base. While the ball was in the air, the runner on first contacted the firstbaseman while returning to first base. The secondbaseman then makes an easy catch. Ruling?

In NFHS Softball, only one fielder is 'protected' by interference - that's the fielder making the initial play on a fair batted ball. In this case, that appears to be the second baseman.

Therefore, the batter-runner is out on the catch. We've got obstruction by the first baseman. Runner on first stays at first as it's the base she would've likely been at had it not been for the obstruction.

 

[reggieDunlop]

In NFHS Softball, only one fielder is 'protected' by interference - that's the fielder making the initial play on a fair batted ball. In this case, that appears to be the second baseman.

Therefore, the batter-runner is out on the catch. We've got obstruction by the first baseman. Runner on first stays at first as it's the base she would've likely been at had it not been for the obstruction.

The umpires called it interference on the runner, calling her out. Then the batter was awarded first base. The umpire explained it that the ball was dead due to the interference and it was equivalent to the runner getting hit by the batted ball, so the catch was irrelevant.

In the MLB last year, there were two plays where a runner near second base was called out for interference. Both of those plays were infield fly's and thus became double plays.

 

[Eric Stratton]

Had this yesterday:
2 outs, bottom of the 7th inning with a runner on 2nd base.
Ground ball hit to the 3rd base side of the pitcher, she bobbles it and underhands it to 3rd. The advancing runner slides and is then called out by the base umpire, who was positioned in the hole behind the shortstop.
The coach appeals while the other team has already lined up for the postgame handshake.
Then, the base umpire (who called the runner out on the tag) says to the plate umpire that he didn't see the play clearly but called her out.
The plate umpire believes he saw the play as the 3rd baseman missing the tag in time and then calls the runner safe. Play resumed and did not affect the outcome.
Have you ever heard of an umpire making a call and then saying they actually didn't see it?

 

[Neo440]

The umpires called it interference on the runner, calling her out. Then the batter was awarded first base. The umpire explained it that the ball was dead due to the interference and it was equivalent to the runner getting hit by the batted ball, so the catch was irrelevant.

In the MLB last year, there were two plays where a runner near second base was called out for interference. Both of those plays were infield fly's and thus became double plays.

We can't apply OBR to NFHS Softball, there are too many differences.


NFHS Softball 8-8-3:
SECTION 8 RUNNER IS NOT OUT
ART 3. . . More than one fielder attempts to field a batted ball and the runner comes into contact with the one who in the judgment of the umpire, could not have made an out

This would be a judgement call by the umpire. Only one fielder can be protected from interference, not both.


Edited to add: The IFF rule doesn't apply here as there's only a runner on first base. But in the cases you described, the IFF was an automatic out for the batter, and a potential interference call on the base runner as the ball is still live.

 

[reggieDunlop]

We can't apply OBR to NFHS Softball, there are too many differences.


NFHS Softball 8-8-3:
SECTION 8 RUNNER IS NOT OUT
ART 3. . . More than one fielder attempts to field a batted ball and the runner comes into contact with the one who in the judgment of the umpire, could not have made an out

This would be a judgement call by the umpire. Only one fielder can be protected from interference, not both.


Edited to add: The IFF rule doesn't apply here as there's only a runner on first base. But in the cases you described, the IFF was an automatic out for the batter, and a potential interference call on the base runner as the ball is still live.

Thanks...