Is a run, only a run, if somebody sees it?

jd100

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Playing pool play at a tournament this weekend. The tournament only used one umpire during pool.... groan.

So, the other team (home team) has runners on first and second with 2 outs. A slow roller is hit toward short that our pitcher moves over and fields. It's going to be a close play at first but we should get her. She throws up the line a little, so the runner cuts inside the first baseman. The first baseman does not catch the ball, and it hits the heal of her glove and takes the craziest ricochet you ever saw, directly to our second baseman who was flowing over with the play. She actually catches it in the air like its a line drive. As I said, the runner had veered inside, and onto the field so our second baseman begins to chase her back to first base and tags her.

The home plate umpire had stepped out onto the field about was 10 feet in front of home plate. He calls her out on close play. The other team felt they had a call or 2 go against them and now does not like this call for multiple reasons. She definitely turned in the direction of second base but... they argue that she only veered onto the field because of the location of the throw, that she never made an attempt to go to second, and that she was back to the bag before the tag anyway. All were legitimate arguments with each of them being close judgment calls. The umpire stuck with his call and she was the third out.

So here is where it gets interesting. During all of this, the base runner that started on second base, rounds third, and heads for home. When the umpire declares the hitter/runner out, the runner heading home is about 3 steps from home plate and right behind the solo umpire who is watching the play at first. I happened to be sitting on third base side behind the plate so I have a clear view of everything. I tell our coach to make sure that the umpire knows she did not cross home plate before the third out was declared. The other team thinks of this simultaneously and now you have another discussion on if the run should count. I know she didn't cross in time, but the umpire has no idea, and I really doubt the coaches of either team are certain either.

The umpire admits he didn't see the run score (or not score). So the other team declares the run will count because they are the home book! Ha! Finally there is an advantage to being the home team! You get to declare all plays that the umpire doesn't see!

The umpire says he needs assistance from the tournament director, but play resumes while we wait for him to come over. We are winning 4-1, or 4-2. When the TD gets there, the discussion occurs all over again, and he tells the teams to circle the run in the scorebook (or circle the non-run) and let?s see what happens. I found that part really stupid because the softball Gods are going to make sure this matters. Sure enough, the other team, the home team, scores 2 runs in the last inning to make the score 4-3, or 4-4!

So, the home team turns in the score as a 4-4 tie! So our team has to go argue that the run doesn?t count because the umpire didn?t see her score. In the end, that is what the Rules Committee decides. So we won 4-3.

So yes, a run is only a run, if somebody sees it!
 

BretMan2

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The umpire says he needs assistance from the tournament director...

Bad move. This call is based on the umpire seeing the runner touch the plate either before or after the third out. What possible input could the TD have if he didn't see this happen?

The umpire on the field needs to make the best determination he can on which happened first. Maybe all he'll have to go on here is "gut instinct", but it is his call and he has to make it. There's no "I'm not sure so we'll call in a third party" for a judgment call.

But he does get some sympathy for working solo. Early in my career I got burned by a similar timing play. It taught me a lesson to watch for this with two outs!

With one umpire and a runner on second base, instead of running into the infield a better option is to move up the third base line, getting an angle on the play at first while also keeping the lead runner in front of you. When runners get behind you...bad things happen!
 

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