Dead Ball

If this is high school game then the coaches should not have been there to start with. That is a POE this year to stop that practice. However once it happened I would kill the ball and do what I thought as fair and equatable. In this case I would probably score the run but keep the other runner at first. I'm assuming the coaches were offensive coaches. If defensive coaches, I would score the run and put the R1 on third. I always tell coaches if they are going to be out there then make sure they don't get in the play or they won't like my ruling.
Edited for many typing errors.

Totally agree with MT

Thanks and that is what I thought it should have been dead ball. I was in the third base box and it was my runner going back into third. The ball went over third basemans head and I turned to see where it went because we don't have a lot of room there. When I turned and saw it all four of their coaches were outside and three were on buckets. It hit one of the coaches in the back of the leg.

I said "dead ball - go ahead and score". Not sure if my guy would have been awarded home but I thought it was something being stressed this year. Because I said dead ball the third baseman stopped going after the ball - I didn't say it to get that reaction from him.

After the inning was over I asked the plate ump if it was a dead ball or not and he said it wasn't as long as they were trying to get out of the way. I didn't think it was right.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael S. Taylor:
That is a POE this year to stop that practice. However once it happened I would kill the ball and do what I thought as fair and equatable.

That's interesting. I can understand your desire to kill the ball, but isn't it contrary to the rules?

5-1-1 The ball is immediately dead.... when a pitch or thrown ball.... g2. is intentionally touched by a non-participating squad member;

In the OP, the ball isn't intentionally touched.

I think the correct course of action is to require coaches and buckets to stay in the dugout. However, "once it happened", the ball should be live.

By being there it can be considered intentional by indifference. That may not be exactly a Fed ruling and it isn't covered in summer leagues specifically but I have always explained it that way and never had a problem enforcing it. As we both stated, in Fed they shouldn't be there, if they are they are purposely disregarding the rules. I will be as punitive as possible. It goes back to the adage of punish stupidity whenever possible.

quote:

Originally posted by 3FingeredGlove:
That's interesting. I can understand your desire to kill the ball, but isn't it contrary to the rules?

5-1-1 The ball is immediately dead.... when a pitch or thrown ball.... g2. is intentionally touched by a non-participating squad member;

In the OP, the ball isn't intentionally touched.

I think the correct course of action is to require coaches and buckets to stay in the dugout. However, "once it happened", the ball should be live.

If a coach is where he shouldn't be and touches a ball, that's intentional. He is intentionally violating a rule and will pay the consequences should his intentional action result in interference.

Proper enforcement, at times, may even include an out being called.

quote:

Originally posted by Jimmy03:
Proper enforcement, at times, may even include an out being called.

No sir! Proper enforcement is for the umpire to demand that all coaches and equipment be in the dugout before he puts the ball into play. Failure to comply might result in ejection, but not an out.

That's what the rules call for. It's a point of emphasis for FED this year.

Of course I understand that many umpires prefer to handle the situation differently, and it may even be a more practical way, considering that for years coaches have been accustomed to sitting on buckets outside the dugout.

quote:

Originally posted by 3FingeredGlove:

quote:

Originally posted by Jimmy03:
Proper enforcement, at times, may even include an out being called.

No sir! Proper enforcement is for the umpire to demand that all coaches and equipment be in the dugout before he puts the ball into play. Failure to comply might result in ejection, but not an out.

That's what the rules call for. It's a point of emphasis for FED this year.

Of course I understand that many umpires prefer to handle the situation differently, and it may even be a more practical way, considering that for years coaches have been accustomed to sitting on buckets outside the dugout.

I referred to proper enforcement of interference, not of violating the POE. Read the rules regarding intereference and you will see that my post is accurate.

Thanks guys for the help - similar situation happened last night.

Last night in opening round of district tournament we had a runner on first and pitcher tries to pick him off. As the ball shoots by the firstbaseman it almost hits a camera guy for a newspaper. He does a cute little dance to keep it from hitting him. No harm no foul on this play but what if it did hit him - still be the same enforcement?

I asked the ump at third base if it would be dead ball and runner gets the number of bases he felt he would get and he said no it would be treated as ball going out of play and give runner one base.

If they are going to have a media person on the field, they need tto make a DB area for him. Anyhing that goes in or through that area is dead and award just like it went over the fence.

That should have been caught at pre-game, if not sooner. No lined dead ball area, no fotog on the field.

I guess you can say it's my fault we didn't have a dead ball area since it's at our field for the district tournament. I had no idea there would be media at the game so I didn't mark a specific area for them.

We really don't need one at our field because beside our dugout and about 10 feet past first base we have a low fence you can stand on a block and see the field really well. It's all behind the fence and the other side has it as well.

Do I tell the camera guy or do I notify the ump and then he tells him? We got the championship game Thursday night and would like to know.

Thanks guys

You can tell the media guy that he either needs to stay behind the fence or mark him a spot and tell he needs to stay in it. I haven't checked the book but I believe you can mark it, pre-game it but it isn't dead unless it being used.