Scorekeepers Wanted, Opinions Needed, Situation #2

[theprofessor]

Understood. With your reasoning a team that is ahead can stall to its advantage and kill time on the clock until ump calls "ballgame."
After some research today on both baseball and softball where time limits are of a concern, most of the sources said, "The first inning starts when the umpire calls "Play Ball." All other innings start immediately after the third out of the preceding inning."

That way it's cut and dried when the game is officially over. If the team behind gets the third out before ump declares "ballgame over", then another inning should be played.

I start the game time as soon as the home team takes the field to begin warming up. If a new inning has started prior to the first pitch while the team is warming up, then the game has as well.

[theprofessor]

You assumed it was a bad throw because it came in low. Good throws often do that. Every good 3rd baseman will block the ball coming from outfield relays or from other bases. He may not make the tag, but his top priority is not to allow the runner the extra base. Please don't compare outfield throws coming to the bag to infield throws to 1st. Apples and Oranges.

Like I said, I'm going based on how the play was described since I didn't see it.

"The ball is thrown right to the third baseman standing a step off third towards 2nd. Like I mentioned, the ball is right on line to the 3rd baseman but reaches him at his feet. As the 3rd baseman reaches down to field the ball, the ball either hits the heal of his glove, hits the ground then ricochets off his glove or hits his foot and ricochets away because the ball pops upward and lands on the grass between third and home on the stadium side of the baseline and starts to roll toward the backstop."

It's definitely open for interpretation because whether or not the ball "hits the heal of the glove" or "hits the ground then the glove" would determine who would get the error. If the ball hits the ground before reaching the third baseman and gets away, then I think the error should go to the thrower. If it hits the glove, then it should go to the fielder.

[theprofessor]

Why 2 unearned runs? It seems like the second runner was scoring on the base hit and no effort was being made to throw him out at home so his run is earned.

You're right. I re-read the scenario. The runner from second was already rounding third before the throw was made. Single, 2 RBIs, error allowing the third run to score.

[Dawgpix]

Very true. To avoid controversy when I umpired, I would use a stopwatch and I would hang it on the back fence by the scorekeeper. When I was ready for first pitch, I would announce the time according to my stopwatch, not momma's cell phone, and then start the timer. I would NEVER give a warning as to avoid the whole stalling tactic. Then as soon as the third out is made for the home team, I check the time.

We started doing the stopwatch thing after my dad took a foul ball of his watch during a game.

Good for you. Now . . . . when does a new inning start? Right after the third out is made?

[DocMarvin362]

Yup... and plenty of my games were played long because the third out was made with less than a minute left.

[PawDawg]

Yup... and plenty of my games were played long because the third out was made with less than a minute left.

Rule of thumb: A game should never be under the time limit unless it is a run rule game. Umpires kill me with the, "It's within 10 minutes of game end time." They are really saying, "I don't want to risk this thing going an extra 30 minutes or so."

[Dawgpix]

Yup... and plenty of my games were played long because the third out was made with less than a minute left.

Rule of thumb: A game should never be under the time limit unless it is a run rule game. Umpires kill me with the, "It's within 10 minutes of game end time." They are really saying, "I don't want to risk this thing going an extra 30 minutes or so."

Thank you. Now I can go onto something else.