Rules question of the day

A

I think "D".  Key here is "Ball hits the Bat".  

If the Bat is dropped or thrown onto the Ball, then "A".

Yesterday's answer   D … Rule Book 5-1-1b; 5-1-1f; 8-4-1d

Today's Question

With R2 on second base and one out, the pitcher throws a wild pitch that strikes the backstop and rebounds back towards home plate. F2, who has taken off his mask, catches the ball with the mask as it comes toward him. R2 does not advance. The Umpire should:

a.   Award R2 third base.

b.    Award R2 home

c. Make no call as F2 did not throw his mask at the ball

A. I would think using the mask would fall under the same rule as using your hat to catch the ball. 

A. Award 3rd base.

Yesterdays answer    B.      Rule Book 8-3-3-1c     You knew touching a live ball with  detached equipment awards bases.  2 bases if it is a foul ball   3 bases if it is fair or likely to be fair.

Today's question....

The pitcher, with his pivot foot parallel to and in contact with the pitcher’s plate, does not come to a complete stop and delivers a pitch. There is no one on base and the batter hits a home run. The umpire should:

a. Allow the offensive coach to choose the result of the play or the penalty.

b. The home run counts since there was no one on base; it was not an illegal pitch.

c.    Declare an immediate dead ball when the pitcher threw the pitch

B. But I've been wrong on the other two, so it is probably C.

For yesterday's question:

Rule 5.06 3 E from the MLB rulebook.  

(3) Each runner, other than the batter, may without liability to be put out, advance one base when:

(E) A fielder deliberately touches a pitched ball with
his cap, mask or any part of his uniform detached
from its proper place on his person. The ball is in
play, and the award is made from the position of
the runner at the time the ball was touched.

I need to get in the right rule book....

MLB / NCAA /NFHS differ in some aspects.   The questions and answers are strictly from NFHS.

Last Answer … C.  Rule Book 6-1-3 penalty  …. NFHS  Illegal pitch is immediate dead ball.   MLB - I believe is delayed.

With the bases loaded and one out, B1 swings and misses at a pitch in the dirt that is strike three. He then runs towards first base. The catcher gets the ball and throws wildly past first base in an attempt to retire B1. Two runs score and R1 goes to third and B1 to second. The umpire should:

a. Call B1 out for interference and return all runners

b.    Call B1 out on strike 3 and allow the advancement of the baserunners.

c. Call a dead ball as soon as B1 runs toward first base.

NewUmpire posted:

Last Answer … C.  Rule Book 6-1-3 penalty  …. NFHS  Illegal pitch is immediate dead ball.   MLB - I believe is delayed.

With the bases loaded and one out, B1 swings and misses at a pitch in the dirt that is strike three. He then runs towards first base. The catcher gets the ball and throws wildly past first base in an attempt to retire B1. Two runs score and R1 goes to third and B1 to second. The umpire should:

a. Call B1 out for interference and return all runners

b.    Call B1 out on strike 3 and allow the advancement of the baserunners.

c. Call a dead ball as soon as B1 runs toward first base.

 

B. B-1 is out unless there are 2 outs. Runners may advance at their own risk

Yesterdays answer  B …. TerribleBP is finally off the schneid

Todays Question

The improper batter's at bat becomes legal when no appeal is made, and...

a. A legal pitch is delivered to the next batter.

b. An illegal pitch occurs.

c. An intentional base on balls has been granted.

d.   All of the above.

a

a)

I’m going with D. I know A is correct, and I would think C as well. Not sure about B, but it fits with D so I’m sticking with it 

Glad I found this to occupy some time in my day!

D 

Yesterday's answer    D

Rule Book 7-1-2 penalty

Today's Question

The visiting team has used one of its three defensive charged conferences when the game enters the 8th inning. It now has available for use:

a. Two charged conferences

b. Three charged conferences

c.    One charged conference

d. None

C

C

Yesterday's answer  C.   3 for 3  but that was a BP fastball.

Todays question.

With R1 on first, R3 on third and one out, R1 breaks with the pitch. B1 lines to right center and F8 makes a sensational catch. R3 tags and scores, but R1 is doubled off first.

a. R3's run always counts.

b. R3's run never counts

c.    R3's run only counts if he touches home before R1 is retired.

d. R3's run counts unless the defense appeals that he didn’t touch home before R1 was retired.

I'll have to go with C as a timing play

First of all, you better be wearing a helmet and elbow guard if you want to see my BP fastball!

I'm going with B on this one. I would assume it is similar to a force play.

The answer is C … Rule Book 9-1-1

Today's Question

B1 lays down a bunt up the first base line. F2 fields it and throws to first in an attempt to retire B1. As B1 is running to first he is straddling the base line, with his right foot in foul territory and his left in fair territory. The throw goes just over his left shoulder and the first baseman ducks and misses the throw. The umpire should:

a. Allow the ball to remain alive since the throw did not hit the runner

b.    Call the batter runner out for interference since he was in fair territory and obstructed the view of the first baseman

A

For those casual readers - this is a typically poorly written FED question with vague answers... At the beginning of the online test it says something like choose the best answer - IOW: guess if we screw up the question ;-)...   

B1? s/b BR...  Doesn't state where the BR is when F2 throws - is he more than half way down (e.g. 45 ft line)?  Calling out for "in fair territory and obstructed the view" - really?  8.4.1(g) indicates runner is out when "he runs outside the three-foot running lane (last half of the distance from home plate to first base), while the ball is being fielded or thrown to first base;"... (1) ... infraction is ignored if it's to avoid a fielder who is attempting to field the batted ball or the act does not interfere with a fielder or a throw... (2) the BR is considered outside the running lane lines if either foot is outside either line.     IOW: A *lot* can happen to alter reality and judgement that a black and white question cannot convey.

An astute reader will further note 1B is *inside* the baseline and the running lane is *outside* the baseline - so the accepted interpretation is that the last 1 1/2 steps may be towards 1b, e.g. that means the last step could be inside the baseline while the BR is making last stride towards the base

JohnF, but if the answer is A, it wouldn't matter, right?  It would only matter if the all hits B1 (if I am correct in it being A).

Hard to formulate the right answer to the question without more facts, but A makes less sense than B. Because the question says "left foot in fair territory" I'm left to assume the question is determining what you know about the rule and that the left foot is completely to the left of the fair/foul line. Similar to the hitting a ball with a foot in/out of the lines of the batters box type questions - these are what I usually deem as had to be there situations and/or trick questions.

It doesn't matter if the ball hits the runner or not - sometimes that makes it easier. The onus on legality is on the runner to have both feet completely inside that running lane... The hard one is the dropped 3rd where the catcher will yell inside or outside, but the 1b-man doesn't follow suit and the runner makes a choice to move outside the running lane because he doesn't want to be pegged in the backside, but then goes right into the throw. There's also many schools that don't put down chalk/paint, then what? Umpire discretion - we all know how that ends... 

Last Answer   …. B …. Rule Book 8-4-1g

I agree with John F.  MOST of the questions on the exam are poorly worded, lack information.  I used to fight the wording with our state interpreter … not any more, not worth the effort.

Today's Question

B1's batted ball strikes the ground and bounces up to accidentally make contact with the barrel of B1’s bat while the bat is over fair ground. B1, at the time, is in the batter’s box and is holding the bat.

a.    Foul ball.

b. Fair ball.

c. B1 is immediately declared out.

d. B1 is awarded first base.

A

A if he's still in the box

Yesterday's answer    A

Today's Question.

With R2 on second, R3 on third and one out, B1 homers. R3 touches the plate and maliciously crashes into the catcher, who was standing out of the basepath. R2, who had been running on the pitch, touched the plate immediately after R3 and before R3’s contact with the catcher.

a. No runs score.

b. One run scores.

c. Two runs score.

d.    Three runs score.

C

C then R3 should be ejected

D.  and then R3 should be ejected

NewUmpire posted:

 

With R2 on second, R3 on third and one out, B1 homers. R3 touches the plate and maliciously crashes into the catcher, who was standing out of the basepath. R2, who had been running on the pitch, touched the plate immediately after R3 and before R3’s contact with the catcher.

Agree that "D" (and eject R3) is the accepted answer, but it could be argued that the batter's run should not score either. 

Rule 5-1-1-m is immediate dead ball for malicious contact . Rule 8-2-6-k says no following run can score after the third out on a base-running infraction. And even when bases are awarded (home run), the bases must still be touched in proper order. And Fed rules already call for disallowing the run for a batter who hits a home run and is called out for passing another runner on the base path.

But what about the question of why R2 was running on the pitch with his teammate on third base?  :-)

Yesterday's answer -   D.   Yes R3  is ejected.    

That was the last.  NJSIAA took down the ability to review the exams so I have no further questions.

Here is a bonus situation … not from the exam.

Bases loaded - full count - 2 outs.  Runner from third breaks for home timing first movement.  Touches home before the ball gets to home plate for a strike but after it leaves the pitcher's hand. 

a.    Out three because of strike.

b.    Run scores because runner touched home before ball gets there.   

Fastball or eephus pitch 

A runner that fast should only need at most 3 pitches to score after reaching first base. 

B, but I’d hate to be the one to have to make that call