re: Baseball...You make the call

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Don't be aggressive

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bullshite. He should have fought the guy right then and there. This is 13U, not some 11 year old frick off league.

All joking aside, I'm not for getting "aggressive", but there is a lot of judgment (balls, strikes, clean tags, etc.) calls in baseball on top of the clean cut rules. You have to make your voice heard as a coach (not a parent in the stands). Don't push it to getting ejected, that doesn't help anyone. But let your voice be heard. It get's in their head and may start getting calls to go your way (unless it's just a jackass who's trying to show whose boss, which they do exist). It's part of the game. And as a player, it's nice to know when a coach has your back.

I remember a district game when I was in school where I slid into third and did a pop up slide. Never came close to coming off the bag. Guy didn't tag me until I was standing up. Blue called me out. I stayed on the bag thinking my coach was going to go ballistic. Blue didn't even say I got off the bag, but instead said I was tagged before I made it there. I truly think he saw nothing and was just guessing. My coach didn't do shite. That was his personality. It was infuriating to know that even though I was going to be called out at the end of the day anyway, my coach didn't have the balls to make a fuss about it. Kind of takes the competitive wind out of your sails.

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You should make a big deal out of this.

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No you shouldn't make a big deal out of this, but you should go to the league commissioner or to the head of the umpire association with a copy of the rule so everyone can be educated in case it happens again.

Do it nicely and professionally and if the people in charge can not take constructive help then shame on them.

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These aren't professional umps like someone mentioned. I don't find it necessary to treat a guy like dirt when he's basically just out there having some fun too.

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I understand, but these guys probably do a lot of tournaments.

I friendly note to the tourney director would be in order. If it's a solid group they would want to know their error and they would let their umps know that they applied the ump obstruction rule incorrectly.

But other than that that's all you should do.

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No explanation was provided to the fans of course.

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Why the hell would there be an explanation to the fans? The coaches yes. Mom and dad sitting in the stands? Hell no.

5.09
The ball becomes dead and runners advance one base, or return to their bases, without liability to be put out, when --
(a) A pitched ball touches a batter, or his clothing, while in his legal batting position; runners, if forced, advance;
(b) The plate umpire interferes with the catcher?s throw; runners may not advance.
NOTE: The interference shall be disregarded if the catcher?s throw retires the runner.
(c) A balk is committed; runners advance; (See Penalty 8.05).
(d) A ball is illegally batted; runners return;
(e) A foul ball is not caught; runners return. The umpire shall not put the ball in play until all runners have retouched their bases;
(f) A fair ball touches a runner or an umpire on fair territory before it touches an infielder including the pitcher, or touches an umpire before it has passed an infielder other than the pitcher;

My thought is that either the fielders or the umpires were positioned quite unusually there for this scenario to happen. But, that is a no-excuse bad ruling. I hate it when officials don't know the rules especially when they are easily accessible in a rules handbook.

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'm only a parent of a player than wasn't even involved in the play. I don't feel that talking to the tournament director is my responsibility. If our coach wants to do that I would understand. We won't be back to that location anyway ever again so it really doesn't matter in the long run

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Then why make it a big deal here?

If it didn't matter why all the hoopla?

And yes your coach should send them a friendly note. Improving the game helps the sport.

If posting something like this is a big deal in your eyes then it's a you problem and not a me problem.

I did it in part as an homage to the old "You make the call" series that was part of MLB broadcasts in the 80s.

I provided a link to one of those earlier.

Anyway, nothing I've written had the tone of making this a big deal.

Go to youtube and search for "You make the call" and major league baseball. They showed umpire call scenarios before a commercial break and the audience was left to make the call to see if they were correct.

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You should make a big deal out of this. Don't be aggressive but make sure you go to the park when your sons team has an off night. Get there early enough to find the ump before the game he is umpiring starts. Take off early from work if need be. Explain the rule to him and show him the rule book. Tell him that you just wanted to discuss the ruling from the other night in the 13U game. Tell him you understand that it is water under the bridge and you know it can't be reversed at this point but you just want him to know the rule for future reference. Get back with us after you do this and let us know how he reacted. This in the only way to address this issue and benefit the league at the same time.

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Ahh, the OT, where a guy named "Dick Leverage" presents the most reasonable option.

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5.09
The ball becomes dead and runners advance one base, or return to their bases, without liability to be put out, when --
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(f) A fair ball touches a runner or an umpire on fair territory before it touches an infielder including the pitcher, or touches an umpire before it has passed an infielder other than the pitcher;

My thought is that either the fielders or the umpires were positioned quite unusually there for this scenario to happen.

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I don't see anything unusual about positioning in this situation. With a runner on 1B, with a 2 man crew, the field umpire will be in the infield grass stationed between 1B and 2B. A ball hit between 1B and 2B might hit the umpire and it will have not passed any fielder EXCEPT the pitcher, as the ruling states.