ESO Baseball Rules
Weekly Mini Clinic
With
Rick Roder
Friday, June 23, 2006
Welcome!
•
•
•
•
•
•
Questions submitted by umpires
Posted every Friday, “Online Training”
Your gut reaction: make a call
Rules mini clinic session
Ruling, sources, mechanics, helpful hints
Monthly test posted last day of month
June 23, 2006:
Stan writes, “Does a runner have to advance
when the ball has become dead and he is
awarded an advance base? Is that optional or
required? Can the umpire make runners
advance?”
The play:
It’s the last game of the season and Smith needs one stolen base to
break the all time record in a career. It’s the bottom of the 8th,
Smith’s team is winning 9-1, and he gets a base hit. On the first pitch
to the next batter, Smith is not stealing and the pitch ricochets off the
front of the plate and goes out of play over the break in the screen.
Smith is awarded second base. Everyone’s hearts drop because
they know it will be way tougher to steal third than second. However,
Smith and his manager ask the umpires if he can stay at first. After
all, they say, the rule does say he “may” advance, not that he “must”
advance.
Do you make him move up?
Your gut instinct:
(a) Smith must advance; if he refuses he is
warned that he will be ejected if he does not.
(b) He does not have to accept the one base
award.
(c) He only has to advance if the defensive team
wants him at second base versus first base.
Correct Answer
(a)
Smith must advance; if he refuses he is
warned that he will be ejected if he does not.
(Despite the fact that the rule does say the runner “may” advance):
OBR 7.05(h): “Each runner …may…advance one
base if a ball pitched to the batter…goes into a
stand or bench…”
What’s the reasoning?
Those rule enforcements that are “optional” are specifically listed
as such in the rules:
• Catcher’s interference; [OBR 6.08(c)].
• Altered baseball is pitched; [OBR 8.02(a), Penalty (b)].
The “option” means:
Manager/coach can take enforcement of the rule OR
the results of the play.
Not EVERYTHING can be optional (where does it end?)
Further reasoning:
It’s a TEAM game, not a game of individuals.
“The offensive team’s objective is to have its batter
become a runner and its runners advance.”
--[OBR 5.04]
Running bases is reverse order is a “travesty” of the
game.
--[OBR 7.01 & 7.08(i)]
A related play:
Smith gets on base. On the first pitch, he is not
attempting to steal. The pitch is wild, but stays in
play, and Smith goes to second. The pitcher gets
on rubber with the ball and during the next pitch
Smith “steals first;” he runs back to first safely.
Ruling:
Call time and declare Smith out for trying to make a
travesty of the game.
Note: if the runner had a legitimate reason to return
(failed to tag up or touch a base, etc.), or was
decoyed into returning, the rule does not apply.
Some pointers.
• Don’t let a coach, manager, or popular opinion talk
you into something, even if it sounds like a good
argument at the time. Rely on the rules, not on the
coach’s argument and “what everyone wants.”
• Preventative umpiring: if you have an inkling that a
runner is thinking about making a travesty of the
game, warn him not to do it.
Thank you for participating!
Next mini clinic will be posted
along with our monthly quiz on Friday June 30.
Please email rule questions to Rick Roder:
[email protected]