Alrighty Calling All Rule Book Buffs

[catsbackr]

Gerry,

 

It sounds to me like you got good judgement calls in each and every situation you described. Remember, these are judgement calls made by the umpire.

 

NFHS rules change yearly. The umpires call by the rules that are in place. If you don't like a rule, don't blame it on the umpire, blame it on the NFHS.

 

The obstruction call that went against your team was one of the Points of Emphasis in the 2008 Rules. The fielder has to have possession of the ball before denying access to a base. You judged that your catcher did allow access, the umpire disagreed. His judgement counts, yours does not.

 

If you want your judgement to count, put on the uniform. Every association is always looking for good umpires.

[riverdaleman]

also remember if the catcher does not posses the ball he cannot cause the runner to change his route if he does then he is safe if he has the ball then he has to give himself up if he is getting the bal he must be out of the way or not impede the runner it is this way at every base you cannot block any part of the bag in high school with out the ball it used to be you had to give him at least half but now it is the entire bag until you get the ball

[davidlimbaugh]

Every warning sign is written because somebody did something and now they have to be told not to /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" />

 

And rules are in place to try to make sure the kids play another day. We are talking high school baseball here, not game 6 of the NLCS.

 

GB - a lot of rules are in place in high school that are different than the folks see when watching their beloved Braves (not on WTBS anymore - don't get me started...) - the one I hear the most is the second-visit-in-the-same-inning yellers! "Hey - the pitcher has to come out now!!!!" - no, he doesn't

 

But I have seen some umpires who like to call the double-play-interference play more than others. Umpires are like players and coaches. Each have their tendencies and ways of doing things.

[ksgovols]

I would agree that it's a judgement call emphasized by some umpires more than others. It's the baserunners job to break up the double play within the rules. Hard slides within 3 ft. of the bag with cleats below the knee are completely legal. Stopping at the brick wall without a pop up or a base if you're 3 ft away from it is a pretty tough thing to do if you think about it. If that's the rule, they might as well take the 3 ft. out of it. It's an impossibility.

 

The obstruction call at the plate happens a lot. Waiting on the throw and recieving the throw are two different things. Still it's a judgement call on a bang bang play.

[riverdaleman]

I would agree that it's a judgement call emphasized by some umpires more than others. It's the baserunners job to break up the double play within the rules. Hard slides within 3 ft. of the bag with cleats below the knee are completely legal. Stopping at the brick wall without a pop up or a base if you're 3 ft away from it is a pretty tough thing to do if you think about it. If that's the rule, they might as well take the 3 ft. out of it. It's an impossibility.

 

The obstruction call at the plate happens a lot. Waiting on the throw and recieving the throw are two different things. Still it's a judgement call on a bang bang play.

 

there is no 3 ft rule it is straight into the bag the 3 foot rule is if he is avoiding a tag not going inot second

[bbump]

there is no 3 ft rule it is straight into the bag the 3 foot rule is if he is avoiding a tag not going inot second

 

 

 

 

 

The force play slide rule has been in the books for over ten years now. It is a safety rule and it is in the next level that the kids will play. I just got back from umpiring a three game college series and the words break up a double play was not uttered one time. Why? if they try an illegal slide they will get nailed for a double play. One problem is that the kids play summer ball for hobby coaches, in leagues that use the pro rule book and they cant let the break up the double play thing go when their kids are playing in a different venue under different rules, This rule is not going away it will be altered some as it was on the NCAA level this year which would have made the play that you described at the beginning of the post probably legal. The days of thats not baseball are gone this rule is like the DH rule it is here to stay learn to live with it.

[rulesman09]

also remember if the catcher does not posses the ball he cannot cause the runner to change his route if he does then he is safe if he has the ball then he has to give himself up if he is getting the bal he must be out of the way or not impede the runner it is this way at every base you cannot block any part of the bag in high school with out the ball it used to be you had to give him at least half but now it is the entire bag until you get the ball

 

 

Riverdaleman,

 

Just had a question on your interpretation of blocking any part of the bag in H.S. The way that I interpret it now is that as long as the fielder gives access to some part of the base(whether that part of the base is one that the runner likes or not) then he is not in violation of the obstruction rule. Can you comment?

[riverdaleman]

Riverdaleman,

 

Just had a question on your interpretation of blocking any part of the bag in H.S. The way that I interpret it now is that as long as the fielder gives access to some part of the base(whether that part of the base is one that the runner likes or not) then he is not in violation of the obstruction rule. Can you comment?

 

in HIGH SCHOOL about 2 years ago the emphasised the rule that the runner must have access to the ENTIRE bag unless the feilder has the ball no part of the bag could be blocked without the ball

the rule you state is a pro rule and in high school it is different

[rulesman09]

in HIGH SCHOOL about 2 years ago the emphasised the rule that the runner must have access to the ENTIRE bag unless the feilder has the ball no part of the bag could be blocked without the ball

the rule you state is a pro rule and in high school it is different

 

 

the reason that i ask is because in the definition of obstruction all it mentions is that the fielder without possession of the ball denies access to the base the runner is attempting to achieve. It doesn't mention anything about a part of the bag. Thoughts?

[riverdaleman]

the reason that i ask is because in the definition of obstruction all it mentions is that the fielder without possession of the ball denies access to the base the runner is attempting to achieve. It doesn't mention anything about a part of the bag. Thoughts?

 

if you are denying any part of the bag it is denying access arent you ?...

[rulesman09]

if you are denying any part of the bag it is denying access arent you ?...

 

not the way that i look at it. Just because you are denying access to half the bag the runner still has access to the other so half of the bag.

[riverdaleman]

not the way that i look at it. Just because you are denying access to half the bag the runner still has access to the other so half of the bag.

 

im just telling you what they told us at camp 2 or 3 years ago