Rutland Little League Baseball and Softball: Stump the Ump

May 5, 2008

Question:

What is the mercy rule?

Answer:

Different levels of ball have different applications however for LL it is states "if after four (4) innings, three and one half innings if the home team is ahead, one team has a lead of ten (10) runs or more, the manager of the team with the least runs shall concede the victory to the opponent. This week's winners are Bradley Nindl, the Van Reets and Matt Pingitore.

April 28, 2008

Fact or Fiction:

"The pitch hit the ground before the batter hit it. The ball is dead."

Answer:

If a pitch touches the ground before entering the strike zone and is not swung at it is a "ball." If it bounces up and hits the batter, the batter is awarded first base. If it is hit, it is ruled like a normal pitch. Congrats to Stacey Willman and Chris Towns, who answered this correctly.

April 21, 2008

Fact or Fiction:

"On that throw to home the catcher was blocking the base path before he caught the ball. Hey Ump, call interference!"

Answer:

"When the defense blocks the base path without having possession of the ball or is not "in the act of fielding a ball," it is called obstruction, not interference. If a fielder is about to receive a thrown ball, and if the ball is in flight directly toward and near enough to the fielder so he must occupy his position in order to receive the ball, he may be considered "in the act of fielding a ball." There were no correct answers this week, but Kump the Ump doesn't want you to be too hard on yourself. Believing the Ump should call interference in this case is a common misconception.

April 14, 2008

Question:

Who is the only person to play in the Little League World Series, the College Baseball World Series, and the Major League Baseball World Series? a) Ed Vosberg    b) Gary Sheffield   c) Nolan Ryan

Answer:

It's Ed Vosberg. Congratulations to Bob Pingitore for answering correctly. Such a smartie! Bob's name will be entered in an end-of-season prize drawing.

March 31, 2008

Question:

The bases are loaded. The runner on first leaves before the pitch reaches the batter, however the batter reaches first safely on an infield hit and no play was made to any base by the fielder. What’s the proper call by the Ump?

Can you hear Kump the Ump heckling you from behind the plate? That's because this week there were no correct answers.

Answer:

Rule 7.13, a.k.a. the "poof" rule states, "when a pitcher is in contact with the pitcher's plate and in possession of the ball and the catcher is in the catcher's box ready to receive delivery of the ball, base runners shall not leave their bases until the ball has been delivered and has reached the batter." When a base runner leaves the base before the pitched ball has reached the batter and the batter hits the ball, the base runner or runners are permitted to continue. In this particular case, where the bases are loaded and no runners are put out, all runners advance one base except the runner advancing from third. The runner advancing from third is removed, no run is scored and no out charged.

March 17, 2008

Question:

There are runners on first and second with one out. The batter hits a lazy, easily catchable, fly ball to third base, but the ball is dropped by the third baseman. He picks up the ball and touches third. Is the runner currently on second base out?

This week, there was no stumping the Van Reet family, Ray Marrier, Brad Nindl or Connor Enberg. Congrats! Your names will be entered in an end-of-season prize drawing.

Answer:

With less than two out and runners on first and second, or bases loaded, a fly ball that can be caught with ordinary effort by an infielder should invoke the Infield Fly rule. The batter is automatically out and the runners may advance at their own risk.