Cyrus Cassidy #45437 Posted March 13, 2023 Share Posted March 13, 2023 Game two of my first junior college series. You'll recall a previous post about my first game; this one is about the second game. I was on the bases. My partner on the plate was the same guy from the previous day, an NCAA crew chief. Top of the 4th inning in a very closely contested match, runners on 1st and 2nd. Two outs. The batter hit a screamer into left field, which was fielded by the left fielder near the corner. The runners were advancing, and one of my jobs is to take my eyes off the ball, see each runner touch each base, and then re-acquire the ball. Home plate umpire's eyes never leave the ball (in this case, but I won't get into detailed umpire mechanics). The phrase we use is, "Watch the ball, glance at the runners." So I did. The runner from second touched third and rounded to go home. The runner from first touched second and rounded to go to third. The batter touched first and rounded to go to second. Seeing this all nearly simultaneously (college baseball is FAST), I swiveled my head just in time to see the left fielder's LASER throw coming in to get the out at home. The throw was a little bit offline, so the catcher had to come up the third base foul line a few feet to catch it. Just as he was doing so, the runner arrived. Please know that the rules have changed since the days of Pete Rose and Ray Fosse. A runner CANNOT "truck" anyone, whether they are obstructing the base path or not. There is three feet to go around him without being called out for being out of the base path. This has been the rule for several DECADES! There are always questions about obstruction without the ball, but the NCAA rule book (which junior college uses) specifically says a fielder may block the base path if he is in possession of the ball OR IN THE ACT OF FIELDING THE BALL, which our catcher was. Despite the rule having been changed before this kid was born, the runner lowered his shoulders and leapt directly at the catcher just as the ball was arriving. He looked like Brian Urlacher sacking a quarterback, which would be fine in a football game, but is clearly illegal in baseball. In fact, the runner's batting helmet collided with the catcher's face, and he had already dumped his helmet (as catchers do) to make the play. In football he would have been called for "targeting." It was absolutely brutal. As a result of being trucked, the catcher never caught the ball and it went sailing off somewhere. This play is clearly my partner's call, so I let him make the call (umpire 101: do your job and let your partner do theirs). He immediately called "time," called the runner out for interference, and then ejected him for "malicious contact." This hit was so brutal, that is the only thing he could have done. Of course, it set off a storm. But, by rule, malicious contact supersedes all other plays and is an automatic out, even though the catcher did not catch the ball (you cannot make a penalty "worth it" to a team, otherwise they will always do it). The catcher's team immediately started running to the home plate area to fight the other team. The other team emptied their dugout to respond in kind. The offending team's head coach stormed to my partner and got in his face about how he could call the runner out when the ball was never caught. I went into full Army Colonel / ex-cop mode and loudly got everyone back into their dugouts; we avoided any physical fighting. Then I turned to my partner, who still had a coach an inch from his face with spit flying everywhere. Umpires are trained on how to handle this -- the coach's beef was with my partner (not knowing I would have done the exact same thing!), so I stepped in between them and lowered my voice volume to something barely above a whisper. My partner, being as experienced as he is, knew this drill, too, and turned around to disengage. Just by walking towards the coach's dugout and speaking with him, he naturally followed me. Within a few seconds I had him back to his dugout and away from my partner, ready to get the game started again. The runner was not only ejected from that game, but suspended from the following game. The catcher turned out ok, but was taken out for the remainder of that game. He caught in the following game, though. EDIT: I found the video!!! However, it's highly frowned upon to reveal where we are working or to talk about specific coaches, teams, or players. Doing so could cost me my NCAA call-up. They are very picky about our presence on social media. Unfortunately, that means I'll keep from posting publicly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokin Gator SASS #29736 Posted March 13, 2023 Share Posted March 13, 2023 Wow! Good job. Ray Fosse spoke at our junior college team banquet two years after that incident with Rose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dantankerous Posted March 13, 2023 Share Posted March 13, 2023 Need a video of this one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 Posted March 13, 2023 Share Posted March 13, 2023 Keeping your cool when others are losing theirs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdeacon Joe Posted March 13, 2023 Share Posted March 13, 2023 Well done and quite professional. Your training and dedication show here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rye Miles #13621 Posted March 13, 2023 Share Posted March 13, 2023 Good job !! Way to cool off everyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 Posted March 13, 2023 Share Posted March 13, 2023 What Joe sez~! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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