Good evening, Joe. So far, Questec is being used in the same manner as it was last year. It will not be implemented in all the ball parks but will still be in select ones. Everything is still status quo, in a sense, mainly because our union still has a grievance pending regarding Questec.

This is pretty much the layman's explanation of it. I hope this helps. I'm sure there will be more to come on this.

See you at Philly's new venue this year. It sure beats the old, cavernous dump.

This weekend was LONG....I forgot how long a 3 game seris can go... but anyway, everything went great. Only one coach had some issues and he spent the 3rd game in the dugout for the last 5 innings. He started arguing a strike call with the plate ump and wouldn't back down so he got confined....Well that is all... I have the weekend off this weekend but will be where every my bf has to go to work the NCAA's...
Later
DJ

Aggie, were you working a high school game? I ask because I believe Federation rules are the only ones that allow you to "seat belt" a manager or coach. If I'm not mistaken, NCAA is like pro--either a guy gets ejected or he doesn't. There isn't a middle ground.

At least, that's the way it was way back when I used to do college ball.

Enjoy your weekend. Time off is always welcome!

I am not really sure what the plate umpire did, He just told us that if he came out of the dug out again he was gone. I think it just might have been and understanding between them that he was going to stay in. We are told to not confine them, they either go or stay.

Lata
DJ

Ah, new parks mean fun times with new ground rules which we have to learn. For the most part, when a fair batted ball becomes lodged in padding, it is dead and ruled a ground rule double. There may be some situations where this isn't necessarily the case. In those situations, it simply depends on the respective ground rules of the park in question. BTW, the ground rules are never complete, meaning that for new venues especially, some new ones may have to be established by precedent.

Plus, regardless of whether there even is a ground rule on this, whenever a ball becomes lodged in something, it is going to trigger a ruling, one that might not be specifically referenced by the rules but applied via common sense and 9.01©.

To sum up this type of situation, though, again, if a fair batted ball becomes lodged in padding, hidden in Wrigley's vines, etc., it's dead and a ground rule double. The fun part comes when there is a disagreement as to what constitutes "lodged."

[ April 21, 2004, 08:41 PM: Message edited by: The Umpire ]

Ump, thanks for your reply. I guess that means now anytime a fair ball rolls under the padding, it is considered "lodged", and the fielder does not have to make an attempt to retrieve the ball, especially if a ground rule double is in his favor ala Jeff Conine.

Ump, general question I Guess. The other day the Mariners won a 14 inning game on a Bock by the Devil Rays pitcher. Can you explain a little more thoroughly what a Bock is. And it seems as though this year Umpires are cracking down on it a little more. In your yearly offseason meetings do you guys discuss stuff like this, Saying we have become somewhat lax on calling bocks we need to be more vigilant about it...Just wondering. Thanks for your time. I really get alot out of your postings. Always fun to sit at the ballpark taking in a game and thinking hmmm one of those guys could be the Ump who post on here.

Jeff, what you ask is not an easy thing to answer.

First of all, the call to which you refer is a "balk" and not a "bock." wink

A balk is not defined in a very good way. Instead, the rule book refers to it as an illegal act by the pitcher that results in runners being awarded one base. What it is NOT is an attempt to deceive a runner. A pitcher is perfectly able to deceive a runner. He just can't do it illegally.

Essentially, a balk occurs when the pitcher does something the rule book says he cannot do. Note that there are certain pitcher proscriptions that do not result in a balk being called but other penalties.

It's probably best to say that there are about 13 "text book" ways to commit a balk, and several other ways not specifically stated by the rules.

I admit this is confusing and might not be exactly what you were looking for in terms of a specific answer, but a balk is not a very easy thing to explain--or understand.

As far as do we discuss these things in our preseason meeting, yes we do discuss certain things like this, but only if there seems to be a problem. For the most part, the Joint Committee on Training, with which I am involved, deals with rulings and interpretations.

As far as you sitting in the stands wondering, well...enjoy the eye candy. wink

[ April 22, 2004, 11:09 PM: Message edited by: The Umpire ]

Thanks for the info. All i remebered about it from playing high school ball was that is the picture starts to make a move to throw the ball toward the plate then changes and throws to thrid or first its a "balk". If the cross and imaginary line towards home plate before they they throw to first or third for the pickoff. Thanks again

haha thats pitcher not picture.

Hello all. Ump, do you think a women can ever be an umpire in the big leagues? I have been thinking that I might like to umpire at my local park district and have been having fanciful daydreams of umping professinally. My husband says women will never be allowed to umpire in the pros, but I think that there really isn't any reason why we can't. What do you think of all this? Thanks.

Holle, don't let anyone tell you a woman is never going to umpire! That's a sexist and defeatist attitude. Baseball is full of the good ole boy mentality types, but hey! This isn't the dark ages anymore. There ARE women in professional baseball.

Ria Cortesio, who is an instructor at the Jim Evans Academy of Professional Umpiring, is now in the Southern League (AA ball), and hoping to work her way up. The odds are against her, and not because she's a female. Instead, the odds are against her because making it to the major league level is mostly a numbers game.

There are 220+ minor league umpires who get evaluated but a few times each year, and they have to hope they're seen and seen doing an outstanding job. Not an easy task, that's for sure!

I say go for it! Ignore the naysayers. Remember, you WON'T have a chance if you don't at least try. If you do decide to go to umpire school, I strongly recommend you attend Jim's Academy. It is by far the better of the two schools, period.

Good luck!

Ump,

I've noticed that most umpires have different ways of calling called third strikes. Is this just a personal preference or do you have to do this in a certain way? Also, how are the umpiring crews determined each year? There seems to be a constant shuffling every year.

Bill,

Coming out of umpire school, we're pretty much all robotic, looking and acting the same, overly mechanical and all. As we progress through the minors, we develop our own style, which becomes permanent by the time we make it to the majors.

With respect to umpire crews, each crew chief selects one, sometimes two umpires to work on his crew. I say sometimes two because a couple guys have some pull and are able to get two men added to their crew. Regardless, the ones not chosen by the crew chief are then assigned by MLB, who tries to not have the exact same crews from year to year.

I've been fortunate for the most part in my own crew assignments, having worked with some outstanding umpires, including some good up and comers, and I consider myself blessed to have been assigned more than once to the crew of a longtime friend of mine.

Hello Ump, thanks for the great board! I'm not sure where this should go, as I couldn't find an Official Scorer (10.00) section. I am interested in the situation where a pitcher throws a no hitter, but his team ends up losing the game. I read an article about Ken Johnson throwing a no hitter in 1964, yet he went down as the losing pitcher. In the article, it was stated that a rule was enacted so that it is not possible for a pitcher to throw a no-hitter and still lose the game. I can’t seem to this new rule anywhere. I was just confused as to if the pitcher was the cause of the run(s), through error or walks, why wouldn’t he be the losing pitcher?

Thanks!

Ump,

Why do you recommend Jim Evans' school over Wendelstedt's? Is it the people involved or is the curriculum a lot better or both? Just curious.

Thanks

Jen, your question concerns scoring rules, in which I'm not really an "expert," so to speak. Truthfully, we don't concern ourselves with these, except for a few that are related to one of the official playing rules. If you ask me, we've got enough to worry about!

Bill, both schools are good, but Jim's Academy is superior in several respects. First, Jim runs it as a school and less of a money-making enterprise. (Very first year students at Harry's make it to PBUC/the minors. It is common for that school to encourage students to come back the following year.)

Jim is more honest and direct with his students. If you're good enough to make it to PBUC, he'll tell you. He also has a Master's in Education from the University of Texas, so his approach is much different from Harry and his staff. He also employs different and more intense teaching methods. Jim's more thorough and detailed, focusing on what is really necessary.

At Harry's school, the attitude tends to be, "Look at us. We've got tons of major league umpires here and you'll be working college games." I have two main problems with that approach. First, who is in the better position of teaching the professional 2-man system (the system you'll be working for most of your minor league career)--current top minor league umpires or major league guys who haven't worked that system in 20 years? Think about it. Second, while working actual games is nice, it is unrealistic and doesn't accomplish much. Jim covers actual situations; whereas in live games, the situations cannot be controlled.

For example: If you're covering batter and catcher's interference; runner interference; obstruction; batting out of order; base awards; and balks one day, just how many times do all these actually occur during a live game? You can go weeks or months without this ever happening. Jim's instruction covers all this in a different manner.

I sometimes tell prospective students this: If you want to go to Florida in the middle of winter and have a good time whooping it up at umpire school for 5+ weeks, hobknobbing with the MLB guys, then go to Harry's school; but if you want to go to umpire school to truly learn, where you'll be challenged, tested, yet still have a good time, go to the Academy.

Disclaimer: I do not instruct nor have ever instructed at either school and have nothing to do with either one. My instructor years ended a while ago.

[ May 19, 2004, 11:12 AM: Message edited by: The Umpire ]

Hi Jen, in this Ump thread there was a discussion about how the winning and losing pitchers are determined. As you can tell, it doesn't matter whether the pitcher gave up no hits. What you're thinking of, I believe, is concerning what constitutes a no-hitter in the record books, as compared to the actual rules of the game that The Ump would be concerned with.

According to the records at the Baseball Almanac website, Johnson's no-hitter is still listed. The relatively recent change I remember is that MLB decided that pitchers whose games went less than 9 innings (such as one I saw at the Vet by Montreal's Pascual Perez that went 5 innings before the rains came), or pitchers who had no-hitters through nine but gave up a hit in extra innings, no longer are considered no-hitters.

Thanks, Joe, for explaining that. As you mentioned, we're really not concerned with the rules of who is the winning/losing pitcher.

Re: the no-hitter/losing pitcher thing

Didn't somebody like Jim Abbott pitch a no-hitter (or maybe it was a 1-hitter), but lost the game 1-0? I mean, it's very possible to score a run without a hit--via walks, sacrifices, sac fly, error, wild pitch, passed ball, fielder's choice, etc. Hmmm... will see if I can look this one up.

------------------

Found it: Andy Hawkins of the New York Yankees (visitor) no-hit the Chicago White Sox (home team), but was trailing 4-0 after the top of the ninth (the site explains how the 4 runs were scored--in the same inning--without a hit). Because the home team was ahead, they didn't play the bottom of the ninth. At the time Hawkins was credited with a no-hitter, but it was later taken away from him as MLB made a ruling that a no-hitter had to be 9 innings (or more).

Poor guy! Pitches a no-hitter, yet loses the game... and loses the "no-hitter" record.


(Apologize for thinking it was Jim Abbott, who pitched a legitimate no-hitter in '93. But knew it was a Yankee pitcher, and had forgotten about Andy Hawkins.)

Official no-hitters from MLB.

[ June 07, 2004, 08:27 AM: Message edited by: canmark ]

Hi Ump! I was at the Jays game last night and this question came to me during a play.

Situation: Runner on 1B. Batter hits the ball to right field. R1 goes first to third. The right fielder throws the ball towards 3B, but the throw is kind of wild, forcing the second base umpire (who is between second base and the pitcher's mound) to dodge the ball. The runner is safe at third.

Question(s): If the ball had hit the umpire, is it dead or still alive? If the ball had deflected off the umpire and the runner scored, is that just tough luck for the defensive team? Or could the runner be called back, as presumably had the ball not hit the umpire the runner would have stopped at third?

The ball remains live when it hits an umpire in such situations. Of course, the umpire may not still be alive, though.

Depending on the situation, umpires are just part of the field and if a runner, fielder, or ball contacts them, it's just "tough luck," so to speak.

There is something called "umpire interference," BTW, and it occurs only in two very specific situations:

1.) When the PLATE umpire hinders or impedes a catcher's throw to retire a runner on a pickoff or steal attempt.

2.) When an umpire has been hit by a fair, batted ball that has not passed an infielder other than the pitcher/catcher.

There are some further tweaks of the above two, but that's it in a nutshell.

[ July 09, 2004, 01:36 PM: Message edited by: The Umpire ]

Ump, I was watching the Cleveland at Seattle game Saturday night on my MLB package when I noticed the game had only 3 umpires. The announcers said that the missing umpire was the crew chief, Joe Brinkman, and that he wasn't there at all, not even to start the game.

Does this happen that often? Do you know what happened to Brinkman in that game?

The plate umpire was Jeff Nelson in that game and he ejected Omar Vizquel after a strikeout. Then the Indians Manager Wedge came out and he got kicked out as well. The replay never showed Vizquel saying anything to Nelson.

Do you guys eject people even if they never say anything? Just wondering.

Thanks, Ump.

Last-minute unforeseen circumstances can sometimes cause this.

Yes.

How is it determined which uniform the MLB umpires will wear each day? Do all of the umpires in MLB baseball wear the same uniforms on any given day, or does it depend on game time or uniform colors of the competitors?

I went to Wrigley Field last Saturday (7/31/04), and the umpires were wearing their black shirts even though it was fairly hot and humid. The Cubs were wearing their white jerseys, the Phillies their gray ones.

[ August 02, 2004, 06:50 PM: Message edited by: Scott McDonald ]

I have several questions:

1) Does a foul tip have to go above the batter's head or above his shoulders to be eligible for a foul-out?

2) Does a batter's entire foot have to be outside of the batter's box, line inclusive, to be considered out of the box? Does the MLB rule differ from other levels?

3) Batter hits a high fly down the foul line. Ball lands fair, then bounces over the wall in foul territory. The batter has rounded first by the time the ball goes out-of-play. Ground rule double or something else?

4) When is replacement ball considered in play after a foul ball?

5) Runner on first does not retouch first base after a foul ball but returns to the vicinity of first base. Play continues. What's his status?

6) If first base is occupied, what constitutes an intentional drop? Does it have to contact the INSIDE of a fielder's glove (e.g.: pop-up allowed to fall untouched [infield fly not in effect], soft liner allowed to hit fielder's body or batted down with BACK of glove or bare hand)? If a fielder is confident that he can control the ball while not catching and holding it, is there any reason for him to not try for a double play or to replace a fast runner with a slow batter?

Sorry to ask so many questions at once, but I just discovered this forum and these questions have been building up for a while.

Thanks,
Scott

[ August 03, 2004, 12:33 AM: Message edited by: Scott McDonald ]

Scott, we have two colors we can wear: Black, which is our primary color, and "French muted blue," which is our alternate color (it has a black trim and black collar). (No joke on the color name, for that is the official color--seriously; but we'll just call it light blue.)

The decision on which color to wear is up to the crew when they arrive at each park. Generally the crew chief will discuss it with us and we go with what we believe is best for the conditions. Our alternate color of light blue is usually worn when the heat of the sun would be worse. There are, BTW, some crew chiefs who have a preference for one color or the other. Tim McClelland, for example, was a huge fan of the sage grey shirts we used to wear the last couple years. His crew wore them almost all the time.

Of course, when the weather gets a bit cooler, we wear our jackets, of which we have two types (an unlined shell and a thicker type).

[ August 03, 2004, 09:04 PM: Message edited by: The Umpire ]

The height of the ball has nothing to do with whether it's a foul tip or foul ball. This is a myth. A foul tip is a ball that goes sharply and directly from the bat to the catcher's hand or mitt. Here's a real play I once had:

Batter hits a ball off the handle of the bat and the ball lazily goes into the air away from him. It never was more than a few feet off the ground. The catcher lunged to get it and he caught it a few inches above the dirt. Batter's out.

Yes, in order to be declared out for hitting an illegally batted ball, the batter's foot must be on the ground completely outside of the box. The lines are considered part of the box. Note that the plate is only 6\" away from the lines, so a batter can, in fact, stand on the plate and still be within the confines of the box.

Pro Rules (a.k.a. Official Baseball Rules) are a bit different from Federation (high school) and NCAA rules on this. In NCAA, for example, if the batter touches the plate when hitting the ball, he is out, even if part of his foot is still within the box.

The position of the batter or any other runner is irrelevant. It's a \"book rule\" double ( ) --that is, all runners get two bases from the bases they occupied at the time of the pitch. Therefore, it's a double for the batter-runner.

When the pitcher gets the replacement ball, gets back on the rubber, and the plate umpire signals the ball back into play. The pitcher can't just get the ball, toe the rubber, and whip it to a fielder to nail someone.

Nothing. We don't penalize him for this, as this is acceptable. We'd just protect him as he was going back to the base to retouch, preventing the defense from making a play on him before said retouching. Remember, the ball will have to be put back into play by the plate umpire.

There must be runners on first; first and second; first and third; or bases loaded with less than two outs for the Intentional Drop to be even called. If it's a fly ball, the Intentional Drop will end up being precluded by the Infield Fly, with the latter being called instead (except for first only or first and third, of course). Both cannot occur on the same play. Because of this, a fielder can intentionally drop a fly ball in certain situations without the Intentional Drop being actually called. How? If the Infield Fly situation is in effect, and an umpire judges that such fly ball is, in fact, an Infield Fly, then that is called, thereby negating any possibility of the Intentional Drop being called.

With respect to the Intentional Drop itself, an infielder must actually touch the ball. If he camps underneath it then yanks his mitt away and intentionally lets the ball fall untouched, it's just a regular uncaught fly ball. In order for someone to \"drop\" something, one must physically touch it. It doesn't matter what part of a fielder's mitt or hand the ball touches. If an umpire believes an infielder intentionally dropped a ball, he'll invoke the penalty. We will attempt to differentiate between an Intentional Drop and a ball that honestly pops out of a glove, etc. Nevertheless, we know when an infielder is intentionally dropping a ball. We don't put anything past these guys! wink

Remember, this rule is designed to protect the offense, so if we at any time think an infielder is attempting to create a double/triple play, we'll invoke the rule. The ruling is a bit different from Infield Fly: Immediate dead ball, the batter is out, and no runners may advance.

No need to apologize, Scott. Ask whatever and as many as you wish. That's what I'm here for.

Blue,

Thank you very much for your answers. Two questions I forgot to ask:

1)Is the black considered part of the plate for a) the strike zone (i.e.: no part of the ball passes over the white, only the black) and plays at the plate (e.g.: runner or fielder touches only the black)? I imagine the answers to a and b would have to be the same for consistency's sake.

2) Runners on second and third. As the batter swings, his bats contacts the catcher's mitt for catcher's interference. Nevertheless, he hits the ball fair:

scenario a) solidly down the line and past the first baseman for a possible double,

scenario over the outfield fence for a would-be home run.

Is catcher's interference an automatic dead ball and an automatic award of first base only to the batter or is it up to the umpire's discretion, depending on where the ball is hit? Do runners advance on catcher's interference?

Thanks

[ August 04, 2004, 05:54 PM: Message edited by: Scott McDonald ]

The black is not considered part of the plate for any reason or in any situation. Only the white is part of the plate. When we judge pitches, for example, that look inside or outside, we use the white edge of the plate and not the black base.

Catcher's interference is a delayed dead ball. The play is allowed to proceed. If the batter-runner AND all base runners advance a base, then the interference is disregarded and no reference is made to it. The play stands. (Note that if any of the runners miss a base, they're at risk on appeal.)

If the batter-runner OR any base runner do not advance a base, then the catcher's interference penalty is invoked. The umpire will call "time," return all base runners to the bases they occupied at the time of the pitch, and award the batter first base. Runners forced to move up by virtue of the batter being awarded first base will consequently be advanced a base. This would happen if there was a runner on first, for example. Also, any runner who was stealing when the pitcher began his pitching motions will be awarded his advance base when the batter is awarded first.

Lastly, after the umpire enforces the catcher's interference penalty, the offensive manager has the right to choose the result of the play instead of the penalty. When he does so, HE must be the one who immediately goes to the umpire and tells him he wishes to take the play and forego the penalty.

Example: Runner on third base with one out when the batter raps a fly ball to right. R3 tags and scores. The catcher had interfered with the batter on the play. Ruling: The moment the ball is caught by F9, the umpire yells "Time." He then returns R3 to third and awards the batter first base. The offensive manager comes to the umpire and discusses the play. He tells the umpire that he would like to keep the run instead, so the umpire tells him this is possible. The umpire then waves R3 home, maintains the fly out of the batter, and hopes the defensive manager doesn't go ballistic.

[ August 04, 2004, 10:14 PM: Message edited by: The Umpire ]

You read my mind: I was actually going to pose the sac fly situation as scenario c, but figured that I wouldn't ask until after you explained whether it was a delayed dead ball or not! If the umpire calls, "Time", after F9 catches the fly ball, how could the runner on third tag up and score?

One last question for now:

First baseman is holding runner on first. His left foot is completely in foul territory, but he moves completely into fair territory during the delivery of the pitch. At what point during the play (i.e.: movement by pitcher in contact with the rubber, release of the pitch, etc.) does this become illegal and what is the penalty? What if only part of his foot is in foul territory? What if the pitcher throws to first rather delivers a pitch?

Thanks again.

[ August 04, 2004, 10:37 PM: Message edited by: Scott McDonald ]

That's a good question, Scott. What I should have said was that the umpire is supposed to call \"time\" when the ball is caught, since the batter could not possibly reach his advance base, thereby precluding the catcher's interference from being disregarded. In a perfect world, this would occur this way; however, because of the noise (yelling/screaming) and all the action going on, usually the play will simply progress, and we won't get the chance to do anything until everything has settled down.

Except for the catcher, of course, all fielders are required to be in fair territory in order for anything to actually happen. In situations like this, though, it's really no penalty. Yes, the first baseman is supposed to have both feet in fair territory. However, it's not considered anything serious. We don't do anything unless the opposition complains. If they do, we then enforce it for both sides, and we do so by simply telling the first baseman to get into fair territory. No penalty is applied, so if he tags a runner in a pick-off, for example, that stands.

Here's a play along the same thinking, in a sense: At the start of the inning, the umpire points to the pitcher to begin play. The batter raps a dinger over the fence. As he trots around the bases, the right fielder, who was not on the field, quietly sprints to his position. Ruling: the umpire disallows the home run and puts the batter back to bat, as a legal team consists of 9 players on the field. Less than 9 does not constitute a legal team and no subsequent action can take place until this requirement is met.

Bummer, huh?

[ August 05, 2004, 11:40 PM: Message edited by: The Umpire ]

Ump,

Have there been any developments with getting rid of Questec? I haven't heard a lot about it this season. I also wanted to get your opinion on ESPN's K-Zone. It seems kinda hokey to me and if Questec is set up the same way, I would not be at all happy about it if I were an umpire.

Bill, there really hasn't been anything that new about Questec, other than MLB brass wants its use expanded to more ball parks.

ESPN's K Zone is even worse, since it shows only a one or two-dimensional image from an angle that isn't even accurate. How can a camera that is some 30 degrees off center purport to accurately show where a pitch is? Too much is skewed.

Hi Ump,

I've noticed that during the Division Series in both leagues that the umpiring crews will work in one series for Games 1 & 2 and then switch to a different series for Games 3-5. What is the reasoning behind this? I don't recall this being done until recently. Also, do you have the assignments for the playoffs yet?

Thanks

[ October 04, 2004, 04:05 PM: Message edited by: Billinjc ]

This switching of crews was implemented when the wild card was introduced.

Here are the assignments. I've been rather busy going six ways to Sunday literally. I meant to post this last weekend when I got the assignments, but I've been kinda preoccupied. wink

I'll post the NLCS and ALCS assignments shortly.

CREW #1

ALDS--Minnesota Twins and New York Yankees

Game One-- Umpire-- Previous DS Worked

HP Charlie Reliford 3 ('95, '97, '00)
1B Mark Wegner 1 ('03)
2B Brian Gorman 5 ('97,'99,'00,'01,'03)
3B Mike Everitt 1 ('01)
LF Jerry Crawford* 3 ('81,'00,'02)
RF Paul Nauert 0

CREW #2

NLDS--Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves

Game One-- Umpire-- Previous DS Worked

HP Tim McClelland 3 ('97,'00,'02)
1B Phil Cuzzi 1 ('03)
2B Wally Bell 3 ('98,'99,'03)
3B Fieldin Culbreth 1 ('02)
LF Joe Brinkman* 4 ('81,'95,'98,'99)
RF Tony Randazzo 0

CREW #3

ALDS--Boston Red Sox and Anaheim Angels

Game One-- Umpire-- Previous DS Worked

HP Larry Young 5 ('96,'99,'00,'01,'03)
1B Jerry Meals 1 ('99)
2B Brian Runge 0
3B Gary Cederstrom 2 ('00,'03)
LF Ed Montague* 4 ('81,'95,'00,'03)
RF Kerwin Danley 2 ('00,'01)

CREW #4

NLDS--Los Angeles Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals

Game One-- Umpire-- Previous DS Worked
HP Dale Scott 5 ('95,'97,'98,'01,'03)
1B Greg Gibson 2 ('01,'03)
2B Chuck Meriwether 5 ('98,'99,'00, '01,'02)
3B Bruce Dreckman 0
LF Gerry Davis* 4 ('96,'99,'02,'03)
RF Brian O'Nora 0

* -- Denotes Crew Chief

You umpires incurred Larry Bowa's wrath a lot. It was amusing from the stands, he looked like a bobbing head doll yelling at the umpires. Any sense of relief he is gone as a manager?

Good riddance. None of us will miss him for a second.

Now for scottie's follow-up question, "Is the Pope Catholic?"

Indeed, Joe. Well said. wink

Okay guys, since you're picking on me, here's another question:

Ump, I'm sure you're aware from this board of the various "gay days" held at ballparks around the country this year (Boston, Chicago, NY Mets, Phillies, Pirates, Toronto). Have your fellow umpires made any comments, positive or negative, about these events?

To be honest with you, Scott, no. I can't speak for other crews, for I obviously am not with them, but for the crew with whom I work, this has never come up. I can tell you we have worked a series when one of these gay days has occurred, but we didn't know it was a gay day until after the fact. This is why we never bring the subject up--we simply don't pay attention to individual ball park promotions (for the most part). Because of this, we often do not know what is going on inside the stadium if it doesn't concern us or the game itself.

This is probably how it should be, for our job is on the field. We don't need to get involved in any peripheral stuff.

[ October 06, 2004, 09:49 AM: Message edited by: The Umpire ]

Funny he's mentioned, Ump, because a few years ago, I was reading Pam Postema's book (for those who don't remember, she was the female umpire who got as high as, I believe, AAA, and did some MLB spring training games). She generally had something positive to say about every manager she ever ran, EXCEPT for Bowa. She had NOTHING, ZERO, ZILCH good to say about him. I couldn't help but wonder if she was being a bit harsh toward him, or if her comments were fair. Any thoughts, Ump?

This is probably how it should be, for our job is on the field. We don't need to get involved in any peripheral stuff. [/QB][/QUOTE]

How do you feel when you umpire a game where a milestone is passed? I mean if you umpired a perfect game or lets say the game where Bonds hits 756, would you feel more proud to have worked that game, or would it just be any other game?

Josh

Josh, it's a nice feeling, admittedly, when we work a game that has some memorable feat attached to it, and working a no-hitter or perfect game is something we are a little proud of, not because we believe it's due to us; rather, because we feel fortunate to be a part of history.

SoFla, I didn't read Pam's book, but I'm sure her opinions of Bowa are quite common.

As I watched the Red Sox players pour out of their dugout as Johnny Damon was rounding third to score the game-ending run on David Ortiz's bloop single last night, I was wondering what the rule is on players other than the on-deck batter and foul-line bullpen personnel being in foul territory while a ball is in play. What would have happened if Bernie Williams, seeing that he had only a slight chance of throwing out Damon, decided to throw the ball into the celebrating Red Sox and the ball contacts one of them right around the same time Damon touches the plate?

Question stemming from A-Rod's being called out for interference in Game 6 of the ALCS: While I agree what he did should result in his being called for interference, why is it okay for base-runners to totally demolish the catcher when coming home?
A friend and I have conjectured it's the intentional use of hands/arms that resulted in his being called out. Also, coming home is the ultimate end. The goal of tackling the catcher is to score the run, not to interfere with other runners' being thrown out. Any words of clarity?

Scott, because such players are persons permitted to be on the field, what we call "other teammate" interference would not be called against one of them in your scenario unless one intentionally did something to alter the play, like bending down to pick up a live ball or something. If a live ball should hit a player who, for example, is coming out of the dugout, it's still a live ball. It often depends on what happens.

Beach, your conjecture is correct. Alex's actions were illegal because they were an intentional attempt to improperly dislodge a ball. Sliding into a tag and knocking the ball out, or coming home and contacting the catcher--those are permissible, but intentionally trying to slap the ball out of a tagging fielder's mitt is not. It's interference.

What would have happened if a fair ball had bounced and gone into the police on the sidelines during the end of the game? Would it have been ruled a ground rule double, since whatever player was trying to get that ball would have had much more difficulty, with the ball not bouncing back off the tarp cover.

If ARod was able to "improperly" attempt to dislodge the ball from Arroyo's hand, it would seem to me that Arroyo clearly had a chance to tag ARod out, so I don't see how it's interference. So there are proper intentional and improperly intentional ways to dislodge a ball. Seems inconsistent to me. But if those are the rules...