Knowing the rules

[Coach_Baker]

I pulled over the car yesterday, got the Mrs some soft-serve ice cream and wondered over by a fence near a game currently underway.

Time was called for some reason.. and the umpires went over to first base along with the coach from the fielding team and they had some words. Meanwhile, the third base coach called over the runners from first and second and had a small pow-wow.

As the umpires left the first base line and took up their normal positions the base runners returned to their bags.... BUT WAIT... PLAY BALL was called by the plate umpire... upon which the pitcher step'd back off the rubber... ran over to second base and tag'd the base runner who was standing on second.. !! The pitcher turned to the base umpire and said this base runner was on first... but when time was called he changed bases with the other runner.

He then said... according to the rules of the game... that when a base runner passes a base runner ahead of him/her ... he/she's out!!

The base umpire was lost for words... the plate umpire called time... they had a small meeting at second... and bingo.... the kids out..

Now, are you ready for this... the age span of this game was 10 - 12! Can you imagine!!

I walked back to the tasty freeze stand and my Mrs saw the smile on my face.. and asked if I was going to join her... "you bet!'.. I'll take a super-dupper sunday with all the fixen's. Gott-a love that ice cream on a sunny day near a ball field.

(by the way...it's not necessary to tag a runner for that infraction.)

[Roger]

We haven't had a Tasty Freeze around here in decades but I know what you mean. The local basball facility where a lot of travel ball and men's software gets played serves up some very tasty frozen yogurt. I really enjoy eating some while taking in a game. That is, when it's not 112 degrees outside. :faint: The simple pleasures of life - ain't they great?

[Coach_Baker]

You hit it the nail on the head Roger... In Upper State New York there's a place that serves a thing called an AWFULL-AWFULL... and it is absolutely terrrrrrific!!! A club I was on stop'd at a small ice cream stand just north of Glen Falls, N.Y., and they had this tall ice cream milk shake, fruit combo that I've yet to find anywhere else.

Great summer day treats. They also had a frozen banna wrap'd in ice cream and dip'd in real hot fudge... I had two of those and got wiped out on the bus ride home. Ice cream is my weak spot.... especially the good stuff.

[Pustulio]

This may not seem hot to all you guys but up here in Wyoming I've been dying for ICEES because it's been upper 80's the last week or so and wow Ice Cream feels about as good as an ICEE. Man it's hot. Crazy weather up here, one week it snows the next week we all get heat stroke.

[cardzneedwebb]

wow those kids are smart but heck still they should both be out not just guy on 2nd but both

[Coach_Baker]

out..

I apologize for the lack of expertise using the word KIDS in its form… I meant plural… and you’re absolutely correct.. they were BOTH out.

By the way, can you find in the ORB where this applies… the base runner on first being out also? It’s in there… not that it applies directly as charged, but it’s one of the “rules” that when used applies as a matter of interpretation.

And here’s another fine point of our game… suppose the kid on second was tagged on an appeal after the pitcher called time? Would the runner on second still be out?

I'll bet even money JD, Roger, laflippn and Zita are waiting in the wings to give a play-by-play description of the how-when-and-whys on this one!

[Roger]

Well, actually, I'm not sure on this one. The kids traded places on the bases during a time-out. I'm not sure I'd call that "one runner passing another".

[Pustulio]

One kid is in front of the other when he should be behind him, he has therefore passed the other runner and the runner who went over to first has gone back to a previous base after reaching 2nd safely, both of them are out. I'm a little unsure but I believe that's what it is.

[Zita_Carno]

Rule 7.08h states that "any runner is out when he passes a preceding runner before such runner is out". Now, I have never seen the situation you describe occur anywhere in the major leagues, but I guess this rule would cover it. And when the kids switched bases they both shot themselves in the foot.

[Roger]

Given the age range in this scenario, my guess is that their coach got them shot in the foot in an attempt to put the faster runner ahead of the slower runner. I doubt the young kids would have thought to pull such a move.

[Pustulio]

Rule 7.08h states that "any runner is out when he passes a preceding runner before such runner is out".

Add 7.08 (i) as well: Runner is out if he has acquired legal possession of a base, he runs the bases in reverse order for the purpose of confusing the defense or making a travesty of the game.

In this case it was in an attempt to confuse the defense with the runners in different positions.