Spikes up

This is another judgement play by the umpire but there is a rule, Rule 2-32-2 that states a slide is illegal if: b)the runner's raised leg is higher than the fielder's knee when the fielder is in a standing position or d) the runner slashes or kicks the fielder with either leg or e)the runner tries to injure the fielder. If in the umpire's judgement the slide is illegal then the runner is out and may be ejected if the slide (contact) is malicious.

Some people just shouldnt be umpiring baseball. I came up as a player in the days when that was legal and yes, it was called "just Hard Baseball"....But times change, the NFHS has a rule against this...

Umpires are not to use their own opinions when it comes to enforcing or not enforcing the rules. If you dont like the rules NFHS makes, then dont call HS baseball.....

The rule you were quoted is clear....it was an illegal slide based on the below rule, (proof was the injury to F2 knee and thigh)

NFHS rule 2-32 article 2 section B result.......should be Out and ejected for malicious contact.

PIAA Ump

You never want to see anybody get hurt. I was attending a game and a player went straight into the bag and the secondbaseman was upended. Umpire called the runner out and the runner at first out. I have been around baseball a long time it looked fine to me even with the new rules. Maybe if the secondbaseman had quicker feet he could have gotten out of there. Who knows.

Will,
That is the main thing about being an umpire, you are to use your judgment to make calls. It sounds as if that umpire saw something in that slide. Right or wrong, it's his opinion that counts not us spectators from the dugouts and stands.... You hope its based on good sound ethical judgment...

Im sure in all your years of baseball you seen plenty of bad calls both for and against your teams. And that happens too...

I'll give you a personal example...R3, ground ball to F6, R3 breaks for home, F6 goes for the play at the plate....R3 brings both arms up to chest level, does not slide and crashes in to F2...... I call out and eject for malicious contact....

After the game, player and parent come to me to tell me that the player was playing with a cracked sternum and was only trying to protect his chest from the crash......

Point is, there may be different motives, views or opinions, but mine was the only one that mattered. I made the decision based on what information I had at hand.

piaa

If the kid is playing with a cracked sternum may I ask why he is on the field risking more danger--great parents and wonderful coach if he knew

TR,
To this day , I cant for the life of me see why a parent would have allowed their son to participate in a baseball game with this sort of injury. Underneath his jersey he was wrapped up like a mummy. All for a meaningless JV game.

Gotcha And you are supposed to make special considerations for him

Any time a runner comes into home with his arms folded at his chest he is a dead duck in terms of the umpires call--he is out and he is gone

I appresicate the feedback. Is what I don't understand, however, is that if the rule says it is illegal to slide with your leg rasied higher than the fielder's knee, the tag is made from a standing position and the fielder ends up with spike marks in the middle of his thigh which require 6 stiches to close and results in a knee injury, how can anyone possibly say that this falls within the umpires judgment. It seems to me that the rule, assuming it was stated correctly, is black and white in regard to the elivation of the fielders foot and the blue is either going to do his job and call the game by the rule or ignore his responsibility to call the game by the rules and use his own opinion about what the rule should be and justify his decision not to follow the rules by claiming "judgment."

eb

What if the slider hits the leg below the knee as he slides in and the foot slides up the leg during the movement of both players--- accidents do happen--apparently the umpire deemed that the baserunner came into the bag with malice in mind-- and on the other hand I have seen runners called at at second for less than you describe

Eb,
Re-Read my first response and I think you will get the response you are looking for.

Unfortunately there are umpires who interpret rules based on their own bias and us judgment as a reason to not call rules they disagree with.

Seems your umpire, like me, was raised back in the good old days and does not like the NFHS rules regarding malicous contact and decides to not call it....Thats wrong, an umpire must call the NFHS rules like they are written....

I understand the way he feels, in the recent past the NFHS said Umpires had to call out any runner who missed a base without an appeal.... I never agreed that we should help the defense by automatically calling this out. I felt that the defense had to make an appeal to get that out......but until they changed that rule, I called it the way NFHS had it written....I didnt like it, but that was the rule....

PIAA Ump
I often wondered if the NFHS sits around and makes rules up for the sake of it. I understand the safety factor and all that but it sometimes i gets ridiculous. Let me relay this. We did not play by NFHS we used major league rules with a few modifications but when we played some other schools the rules were in effect. I am coaching 3rd i wave a runner home he slides into home and is safe. I look up a few seconds later and the umpire is pointing to my player as he goes to the dugout. Seems he removed his helmet before entering the dugout. another coasch told me of one of his players hitting a ball out of the park as he was rounding third he removed his helmet. the umpire called him out. A friend of mine umpired in the florida rookie league. The manager yelled to the pitcher to appeal a base. He yelled back he did not know how to do it. never had to do it in high school. The DH rule. In the majors and college for the pitcher is one thing but in high school tell a kid to play a position and not hit. That is not baseball. Re entry? top of the 7th tie game on the road bases loaded 2 out your slick fielding ss is up a little weak with the stick you pinch hit for him and then can re enter him in the bottom of the inning. Is that baseball? I could go on.

I was wondering if metal cleats were allowed in hghschool baseball

ron,

yes