Ask The Umpire

Question: Can a pitcher who stays in the game return to the mound in the same game?	Answer: In softball a pitcher MAY leave the mound as often as once per inning and return to the mound no more than once per inning so long as she moves to another defensive position and does not leave the line up. In baseball, NO pitcher, once being removed from the mound, may go back to the pitcher's position during that game.
Question: If a batter has a portion of his foot outside of the batters box, but when he hits the ball both feet are in the batters box, is the batter out?	Answer: The rule states that the ENTIRE foot must be out of the box when contact is made for the batter to be called out.
Question: Since the defensive player has the right to be in position to receive a throw when making a play on a runner AND the runner has the right-of-way to a bag unless the defensive player has the ball waiting to make a tag, how do you determine safe or out when the runner is blocked before the ball arrives?	Answer: Before the defensive player has the ball waiting to make a tag, he can not block the path of the runner to the bag. He can be in position to receive the ball if it is in flight to him but he must leave a path to the base until he receives the ball. Once he has the ball in his possession, he can drop down and block the path to the base. If the runner arrives at the base and has no way to the bag AND the defensive player does not have possession of the ball, Obstruction has occurred. Dead Ball. Runner is safe and no other runners may advance beyond the base they have already touched when the call was made.
Question: Why is it that a foul tipped ball caught by a catcher with two strikes is an out? Why isn't any foul tipped ball caught by the catcher an out regardless of the number of strikes? Due to the fact that a foul ball caught at any other time by all other defenders on the field it's called an out?	Answer: Since I didn't write the rules of baseball I can only conjecture that the writers decided to split this between the offense and defense. When a foul tip occurs with less than 2 strikes, the pitch is simply a strike but the ball is alive (not dead as in a foul ball) and the runners may advance at their own peril. Before there are two strikes, the ball has to be popped up (does not go directly from the bat to the glove but rises and falls) and caught before it is an out. With 2 strikes on the batter, a foul tip that is caught is an out and the ball is alive and runners may still advance at their own peril.
Question: If a player slides into home and is safe, and then the catcher punches him in the chest with the catcher's mitt in frustration, would this not result in an ejection of the catcher?	Answer: The umpire doesn't have a rule that states what he does in this case (just as there is no rule about slinging your bat). But, the rules do allow him to declare unsportsmanlike conduct and throw a player out of the game if the infraction, IN HIS JUDGEMENT, warrants such action. Without being there and seeing the actual play it would be hard for me to judge. That is why the umpire is allowed to rule based on HIS Judgement. He can simply warn the player or could possibly eject the player.
Question: If an infield fly is in play, can the runners go before the fielder catches it?	Answer: Yes but if the catch is made, they are subject to being put out by throwing back to the base they left, just as they would on any fly ball.
Question: With the batter/runner running through the orange bag, the ball is overthrown at first base. Can the runner advance to second WITHOUT coming back and tagging the white bag?	Answer: If the batter/runner tagged the orange base on arrival, when a play was being made, she has successfully satisfied touching first base and may continue without having to come back and tag the white base. If she had touched the white bag when a play was being made and the same overthrow occurred, she would not have successfully touched first base (the offense MUST use the orange base when a play is being made) and if she goes to second without retouching the white bag, she can be called out on appeal.
Question: In a situation where a runner at first tries to advance to second on a ground ball hit in the infield where a double play is in order, does the runner going to second have to slide at second to avoid the throw from either second or shortstop or can the runner go into second standing up?	Answer: The runner cannot interfere with the throw if he is out unless he is sliding into second close enough to reach the bag and he cannot reach out with his arms or pop up at the bag after being called out. If he is too far from the bag to slide he must veer off to avoid interfering with the throw. If he is not out he can run all the way to the bag without sliding so long as the defense does not have the ball waiting to make a tag. In that case he must slide or attempt to avoid a collision.
Question: Is a game automatically forfeited if you do not have 9 players?	Answer: According to Little League Rules no game is automatically forfeited due to a team's failure to have enough players (9) to play. In this case it requires Board Action to forfeit such a game.
Question: The ruling on appeals is contradicting itself in the discussion about why there are appeals. Paragraph two states: If the defense commits an infraction in the process of making the appeal, that appeal will be deemed illegal and the runner is safe. Then the next paragraph lists the most common defense infractions and Letter A states "When an appeal is made by the defense when time out is called it is an infraction." Therefore I would believe that an appeal made when time out is made is illegal. The last paragraph states that the most common umpire mistake is calling an appeal illegal when time out is made, but does not say if the mistake is when a proper appeal is made or an improper appeal is made.	Answer: This is an example of why ALL the rules must be understood and considered when an umpire makes a call. In the first paragraph it states that NO APPEAL PLAY CAN BE EXECUTED WHEN TIME IS OUT....Not a legal appeal or an illegal appeal. Any attempt at making an appeal while time is out is a NOTHING. It is a mistake by the defense if they try it but it isn't an illegal appeal. It is a mistake by the umpire if they rule it an illegal appeal because it is in fact a NOTHING.
Question: If a player check swings and the umpire behind the plate calls it a ball, can the umpire in the field call it a strike if he is on third when the catcher appeals?	Answer: Only if the umpire behind the plate asks him, can the field umpire ever express an opinion about a check swing. But, if he is asked, he can express his opinion from wherever he is positioned and if he says the batter swung, then it becomes a strike. Most plate umpires won't ask the field umpire about a check swing when the field umpire is in position 3 unless he is completely blocked by the catcher.
Question: With runners on 1st and 2nd, a fly ball is hit into short centerfield (25 feet beyond the infield dirt). The shortstop and centerfielder both go after the ball and the shortstop reaches the ball and attempts a play. Should an "infield fly" be called? Would an attempt by an infielder at this position on the field be considered "ordinary effort"?	Answer: This certainly does not SOUND like it qualifies as "ordinary effort" and probably does not get an infield fly call from the umpire. For a good explanation of the infield fly rule and some of the misconceptions surrounding it, click here.
Question: If a defensive player leaves the field during an inning (i.e. for a bathroom break), can the player return to the field during the same inning or does the player have to wait until the next inning to return to the field?	Answer: If the game is being played under the continuous batting order rule, the defensive player in this instance could return to his position as soon as he returns to the field. However, under the normal rules of substitution, a starter cannot return to the line up until his substitute has completed his 6 outs and 1 at bat. A substitute cannot return to the line up at all, once being removed. Depending on the level of play, I suspect that most umpires would simply give the team a couple of minutes to get their player back to the field without making them substitute.
Question: During an appeal play, can a pitcher throw the ball to a base while in contact with the pitchers plate?	Answer: In Little League baseball, the pitcher can throw to a base while in contact with the pitcher's plate but in softball it is prohibited. In either case, if the pitcher steps off the plate before making the throw, they must step off with the pivot foot first or they will commit an illegal pitch and thus lose their right to make an appeal on that play.
Question: Where in the rules does it state that the base coaches have to wait until the pitcher completes his warm up pitches before going to the base coaches boxes?	Answer: Rule 4.05 states that the base coaches may not leave their dugouts until such preparatory pitches are complete.
Question: In C ball, if a batter tips the ball, is that considered a strike? Also, if the batter hits a foul ball, does he continue to get pitches until he has gotten seven pitches or at least 3 strikes?	Answer: In Coach Pitch baseball or softball (C Level) the batter is allowed a maximum of 7 total pitches UNLESS he fouls the 7th pitch. If he fouls the 7th pitch, he gets to continue but must swing at and foul or hit fair every pitch after the 7th one. If the batter fails to foul or hit fair any pitch after the 7th, he is called out on strikes. If the batter has less than 2 strikes in his count and he swings at and misses or fouls (tips) any pitch before the 7th pitch, it is counted as a strike. If the batter already has 2 strikes in his count, a swing and miss is strike 3, but a foul is just another of the 7 allowed pitches.
Question: If a player gets hurt on the field, are the runners allowed to keep running if their coach does not stop them?	Answer: The umpire should not call time or stop play until play actually ceases even if there is an injury. If the injury happens to the defense, the runners are free to run until the play is stopped by the defense. If the injury happens to the offense, the only thing stopping the runners from advancing is the rule that states that no runner can pass the preceding runner until that runner has been called out.
Question: A hit ball hits in foul territory, kicks back and hits the first base bag. Is this a fair ball, even though it hit foul territory first?	Answer: A "bounding" ball (one that has hit the ground at least once after leaving the bat) is declared fair or foul by its position when it reaches first or third base. In this case, the ball would be declared fair because the ball hit the bag and the entire white bag is in fair territory.
Question: Can a starter who has been removed from the game re-enter in any batting position?	Answer: In both Little League baseball and softball, during the regular season, any starter may re-enter the line up in any position in the batting order if his substitute has had his minimum number of defensive outs and one at bat and the person he is replacing has completed their minimum playing time. This rule changes in the post season.
Question: With a runner on third base, a wild pitch is thrown and the runner from third attempts to steal home. The batter does not move from his position in the batter's box. If the catcher retrieves the ball and attempts to make a play but is impeded by the batter in the box, would this be deemed interference by the batter? Does he have to give up his position in the batter's box?	Answer: In this scenario the batter IS required to move out of the way as best he can to avoid interfering with the play at home. The batter is not required to vacate the batter's box to help the catcher have a clear shot at throwing to third base when a runner is trying to steal from second but he must not intentionally interfere with the throw.
Question: If somebody hits it and the ball hits the scoreboard and bounces back on to the field, is it still a homerun?	Answer: Assuming that the scoreboard is beyond the outfield fence where it should be, the hit would be a homerun. Some ballparks have a local rule that makes the scoreboard part of the fence. In this case it would not be a homerun but a live ball just as if it had hit the fence.
Question: Why are there appeal plays and how are they made?	Answer: An appeal play is conducted by the defense when they believe that an infraction such as, failure to tag up on a caught fly ball or missing a base has occurred. The rules are fairly simple: First, an appeal can only be made while the ball is live. In other words you cannot call time out and then make an appeal. While the appeal is in process, the ball is live and any runners on base may advance at their own peril. Secondly, once an appeal is made on a runner, no further appeal can be made on that runner for that infraction. Also, any appeal must be made before the next pitch or play by the defense. The appeal can be made by either tagging the runner or by tagging the base involved. When an appeal is made, the umpire will rule as to whether he saw that infraction occur by signaling out or safe. If the defense commits an infraction in the process of making the appeal, that appeal will be deemed illegal and the runner is called safe. Common infractions by the defense: A. Trying to make an appeal while time is out. B. Throwing the ball to a base while in contact with the pitcher’s plate. C. Failure of the defense to specify what they are appealing. (Who did what?) D. Throwing the ball into dead ball territory in the process of making the appeal. The most common mistake made on appeals by umpires: Ruling that an appeal attempt while time is out is an illegal appeal.
Question: Please explain the use of the double bag at first base.	Answer: The double first base was created to lessen the chances of a collision by the batter/runner and defensive player on close plays at first base. The white bag is in fair territory while the orange bag is in foul territory. When a play is being made on the batter/runner at first, the batter/runner MUST use the orange base and the defensive player MUST use the white base. If there is no play being made on the batter/runner, she is allowed to use either base. Once the batter/runner passes first base, she must then only use the white base. The orange base in essence disappears as far as the runner is concerned and offers no safe haven. If the batter/runner uses the white base when a play is being made on her, it is as if she has missed that base altogether and upon appeal by the defense, she can be put out. Conversely, if the defense uses the orange base when a play is being made at first on a batter/runner, it is as if she did not tag the base at all and a late arriving batter/runner should be called safe. The only exception to this rule is when (in JR/SR level play) the catcher drops a third strike and the batter/runner is then allowed to try to get to first base without being tagged, either player may use either bag to avoid a collision.
Question: If a player squares to bunt, but does not pull the bunt back, nor attempt to bunt, and the pitch is not a strike, then is it a strike for the batter holding the bunt position?	Answer: The answer is NO. Only when the ball passes through the "strike zone" or when the batter attempts to "strike the ball with the bat" should there be a strike called. If in the judgment of the umpire, the batter actually "offered" at the pitch in an effort to strike the ball with the bat, he should make a strike call. But, if the bat never moves toward the ball in flight, there should be no strike called.
Question: A runner is on first base with no outs and a ground ball is hit to the first baseman. The runner freezes and does not leave the base. If the first baseman tags the runner while he is on base, has he completed a double play or is the runner "safe" on the base forcing the first baseman to throw the ball to second in order to record the force out?	Answer: By tagging this runner before stepping on first base, the runner is called out because he no longer has the right to first base and standing on that base does not protect him. However, to complete the double play the first baseman must then tag firstbase (after tagging the runner) to complete the double play. Just tagging the runner who is standing on the base does not cause the second out. Now, this one gets more complicated IF the first baseman tags the base before tagging the runner. In this scenario the runner now has the right to first base since he is not forced to run to second by the batter/runner so tagging him while he is on first base will not cause him to be out. It gets even more complicated if there is also a runner on second or second and third and the ball is popped up by the batter in the infield. If there are less than two outs, you now have an infield fly situation. The batter is automatically out (whether the pop up is caught or not) so tagging the runner while they are on the base again is not an out. This scenario can get more and more complicated with different sequences and requires an umpire to know several rules and how they interact and which takes priority in a sequence so that he can make the right call.
Question: If the ball gets hit over the fence but the outfielder climbs the fence and catches it is it counted as an out?	Answer: If the outfielder catches the ball and falls or climbs back inside the park, it would be an out. If the outfielder falls over the fence after the catch, it is a homerun. If the catch is made and the outfielder falls through the fence, it is also an out. This is not the same as a player catching a foul ball and falling over the fence. Falling over the fence in foul territory does not negate the out.
Question: Does an infielder have to touch a base runner with the ball in order for it to be a tag out?	Answer: A tag out must involve the ball being either in the hand or the gloved hand of a defensive player when the touch is made. The defensive player may not tag with the glove without the ball inside or tag with the bare hand while the ball is in the other gloved hand. If the ball is in the glove, the ball does not actually have to touch the runner for a tag out so long as the glove touches the runner.
Question: Is the strike zone the same from the ground level for a player standing 3' tall and a player standing 6' tall?	Answer: The strike zone is based on the combination of the plate and the batter in his normal stance. The strike zone is from the top of the batter's knees (no matter what height the batter) to the arm pits of the batter while the ball is over the plate. Some umpires will expand that zone especially in minor league ball to include the bottom of the batter's knees and the shoulder but BY THE BOOK it is as stated above.
Question: A bunted or batted ball hits in fair territory and makes contact with the batter while he has at least one foot in the batters box. What is the call?	Answer: The answer is based on where the ball is when it hits the batter. If the ball and batter are in foul territory then it is a foul. If the batter is half in bounds and half out then the Ump has to determine where the ball was. If the ball was in fair territory the batter is out.