Why I wouldn't be an umpire..#1

....runner on 3rd, batter has one strike, pitcher readies for delivery, just as he makes his move to deliver, the batter steps out of the box, pitch is delivered wild, runner comes home from 3rd. What should be the correct call?

This hypothetical situation brought to you by, "Stretchlon".

 

the pitch is a ball, the run scores. unless you called time when the batter stepped out the ball is live. had the pitch been over the plate the batter would now have 2 strikes on him.

 

Batter interference. The runner goes back, the batter is out.

 

Pitch called a strike as batter must be in batters box if time not called. Runner goes back to 3rd

 

The only real question here is "did the umpire grant the batter time?"
If he did, then the pitch doesn't count and everybody goes back where the were.
If he didn't then it's a wild pitch, the runner scores and the batter got really lucky.
It all depends on what the umpire did.

 

Its one of those you have to see... I think the umpire should use common sense and determine what the pitcher's intent really is. If when the batter steps out, the pitcher basically quits and just throws it away because he thought time was called, then the umpire should call time. If the pitcher is still pitching, and just throws a wild pitch, then the run should score. The only thing the NFHS book says about a batter stepping out is that it cannot cause the pitcher to balk. So by the book, the run should be allowed to score, but if half-way through his motion, the pitcher sorta stops and just tosses it away, then I would do the common sense thing and issue time to the batter.

Dawgswood is quoting the pro rule - if a batter backs out of the box it is an automatic strike no matter where the pitch is thrown. But this is not the high school rule.

It can't be batter interference, Braves, unless the batter interferes with a throw or gets in the way somehow.

 

Batter's balk - runner goes back - no pitch.

Just a guess, though.

 

Actually I was thinking about it - that situation isn't so bad.... here's one:

Runner on 1st & 3rd, 1 out. Batter hits a shot over the CFer's head. Runner on 1st takes off, runner on third listens to his base coach and tags. CF makes a great catch bellying up. Runner from 3rd tags legally and heads home, meanwhile the runner from first has rounded second when he see's its a catch. He retags 2nd and heads back for 1st but is thrown out by the centerfielder. The runner from 3rd touches home before the ball gets to first base for the 3rd out. Does the run score?

 

no the run doesn't score.

 

Why not LegionPost46?