Rancho San Diego Little League: Umpires

Current Umpire Schedule

Click to view, dowload and print the Umpires Schedule

This is where you get answers to all your questions on the rules of BASEBALL - and get a chance to "Stump the Ump" by coming up with a scenario that beats the cold, analytical prowess of our official league umpire, Kevin Hopkins. Here are some sample questions. See if you can figure out the answer before reading the Ump's decision. Please submit you question to Kevin at hopkinsk@us.ibm.com. Questions/Answers will be posted weekly.......

Situation #1:  The runner on first base leaves before the pitcher reaches the batter.  The batter hits a deep fly ball to center field and the runner properly tags up and advances after the catch.  The umpire should call "Time" and put the runner back on first base for leaving early.  TRUE or FALSE?

Answer #1:  TRUE.  Once a runner leaves before the pitch gets to the batter he has left early and cannot correct that fact.  Rule 7.13.  Remember -- you cannot undo a Rule 7.13 violation.
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Situation #2:  Ground ball to the shortstop who comes up firing to get the speedy runner.  But in his haste, the shortstop overthrows first base and the ball goes out of play.  The umpire places the batter-runner at 3rd base.  TRUE or FALSE.

Answer #2: FALSE.  The first play by an infielder allows an umpire to award the runner two bases from his position at the time of the pitch.  In this case the batter-runner was between home and 1st allowing the umpire to place him at 2nd base.  Rule 7.05(g).
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Situation #3:  The center fielder fires the ball from center field in an attempt to get the runner trying to make it to 3rd base from 1st on the base hit.  The ball sails and ends up in the parking lot.  At the time of the throw, the lead runner was between 2nd and 3rd and the batter-runner was between home and 1st.  The runners are placed at 2nd and 3rd.  TRUE or FALSE?

Answer #3:  FALSE.  The rule requires a two base award from where the runners were at the time of the throw from an outfielder or subsequent throw from an infielder.  In this case runners were between 2nd and 3rd and home and 1st.  Score the lead runner and place the batter-runner at 2nd base.  Rule 7.08(g)
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Situation #4: A runner finds himself in a rundown between third and home.  At the last minute, the runner dives headfirst into home.  The umpire calls him safe because he got underneath the tag.  Correct call??

Answer #4:  INCORRECT.  In Majors and below, the runner should have been called out for a head first slide while advancing.  (Rule 7.08(a)(4)).  But remember, a runner can slide head first into a base previously acquired - in this case, a head first slide back into 3rd would be legal.  
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Question: How did the term "K" originate for a strikeout?

Answer:  Henry Chadwick, a sportswriter in the late 1800's developed the "K" for strikeout.  In baseball shorthand - which he is largely credited with developing - the"S" was taken for Sacrifice so Henry used "K" - the last letter in Struck.  Henry also develop a number of baseball metrics such as the batting average and the earned run average and joined the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1938.
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Situation #5: The batter squares around to bunt, and while holding the bat out over the plate the pitch comes in above the batter's head.  The umpire calls the pitch a ball.  The defensive team manager argues the pitch should be called a strike because the bat was in the strike zone.  Who is correct?

Answer #5:  The UMPIRE.  In Rule 2.00 (Definitions), says the mere holding of the bat in the strike zone is not an attempted bunt - the batter must "offer" at the pitch.  Squaring around to bunt is considered a check swing - until the batter offers at the ball.  While it is good coaching practice to have the batter pull the bat back if he does not want to attempt a bunt, it is not a requirement for a ball/strike decision.  
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Situation #6:  All appeals must be made verbally by the defense before it leaves the field of play.  TRUE or FALSE.

Answer #6: FALSE.  The defense must only show an unmistakable intent to appeal.  Rule 7.10 Note 2.  Did you realize that "doubling up" a runner on a caught fly ball is really an appeal play - an unmistakable intent to show the runner left early. 
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Situation #7:  The count is 1-2. The batter swings at the pitch, misses, but is hit on the hand by the ball. What's the call?

Answer #7:  Strike three, batter is out.  In Paragraph 2.0 (Definitions), a strike is defined as a legal pitch that meets any of a number of conditions - condition (e): "touches the batter's person as the batter strikes at the ball." Ah, but you say, the ball hit the batter in the hands - the hands are part of the bat and therefore a foul ball. Wrong answer! The hands are not considered part of the bat, that's an old myth - Rules 1.10, 6.05(f), 6.08(b) combine to show the hands are part of the person - not the bat.
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Situation #8:  In a Major Division game the pitcher may pitch from the set position; however, the pitcher is required to come o a complete stop when pitching from the stretch.  True or False?

Answer #8:  False.  Runners are not permitted to leave their base before the pitched ball gets to the batter, thus relieving the pitcher of coming to a complete (discernable) stop.  Rule 8.01(b) Note.
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Situation #9:  To make a call of obstruction there must be contact between the defensive player and the offensive player before the umpire can rule that there was obstruction on the defense.  True or False?

Answer #9:  False.  Contact is not necessary for obstruction to be called.  The rule only calls for the defense to impede the progress of a runner for obstruction to be called.  Rule 2.00 - Obstruction and Rule 7.06.

http://www.aluminumbats.com/protective/umpires_gear.htm

http://www.ump-attire.com/

http://www.honigs.com/

http://www.pluspos.com/

http://www.gerrydavis.com/

http://www.lestersupstatesports.com/

Stores with Ump Gear:
Sportland
El Cajon

Hal's Sport Shop

346 W El Norte Pkwy
Escondido, CA

(760) 746-5847

Chick’s Sporting Goods

3514 College Blvd
Oceanside, CA

(760) 945-5444

Charlie Rose Baseball & Softball

9363 Clairemont Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA

(858) 874-3877