Is there some way to solve a moving home plate mat. We had a play a home, the catcher was on the mat, reached ,stretched, out to receive the ball before the runner. In doing so, the mat got pushed away as the catcher was reaching for the ball, which was received by the catcher in the air, causing the catcher not to be on the mat. The runner was called safe. If the mat didn't move, the runner was out.
tall_thunder ... The rule book specifically addresses this circumstance ... If the strike mat slid away, all your catcher had to do was touch the actual home plate ... Rules familiarity would have helped your cause in any subsequent discussion on the call ...
RULEBOOK §1.62 • STRIKE ZONE MAT
A strike zone mat will be used. The rectangular mat will be 19" (48.26 cm) wide and 34½” (87.63 cm) in length. The mat shall be made of rubber or other suitable material. The mat is placed over home plate and be aligned with the front edge of home plate. DEFENSE: A defensive player making a play at Home plate will be allowed to complete the play by touching any portion of the strike mat. If, during the play, the mat is dislodged, the defensive player shall touch home plate, rather than the strike zone mat.
Since we are talking rules.... I have an umpires two man mechanics question...
Runners on 1st and 2nd, less than two outs. Base umpire starts by 2nd base and of course home plate umpire is behind home plate. Fly Ball is hit to center field, which umpire has the catch or drop of the fly ball and which umpire has the base runners tagging up?
Rangview85...those things are usually discussed between the two umpires before each game, but I believe normally the HP umpire has the call on whether fly balls to the outfield are caught or dropped (unless the base umpire goes out to outfield on sinking line drives to help the HP umpire with the call, at which point the base umpire stays outside the diamond, and the HP umpire then reverts to a one-man umpiring system.) For runners tagging up the HP umpire has the runners tagging at first and third and the base umpire is responsible for the runner tagging at second. That used to be the mechanic we used when I last umpired. It may have recently changed. Again, the umpires normally cover who is responsible for what in their pre-game meeting before each game.
rangeview.. I agree with screamer for the most part but I teach and use a little different system.. with a 2 man system and your scenario the HP has the catch and tag up of the lead runner on 2B the HP ump should move up the 3rd base line to view the catch & tag and possible advance of runner.. the BU has the trail runner (excluding low line drives)the BU should buttonhook into the IF and position for viewing 1st touch by the outfielder and tag of runner on 1st .. for a bases loaded play it is almost impossible to set up and watch all 3 runners at the same time.. HP would have catch and lead runner BU would view catch and have runner on 2nd then glance to 1st.. as screamer stated above this should be discussed before the game
Screamer it’s important to do a pregame with your partner to go over certain situations to determine who has what.
Several years ago I worked with a guy who looked at me funny after I went over stuff in our pregame. Then in the 3rd inning we had a situation like rangeview85 described. I’m in the field. Routine fly to left center. Instead of going out i button hook to get in position for a possible play at second. Runner at second tags and goes to third. Runner at first tags and goes to second. Throw goes to third. I look for my partner to make a call and he’s leaning on the backstop talking with someone. I yelled out that’s your call at third. He said no that’s your call. Then he said I call balls and strikes only.
After a momentary rage i finished the game and I told
my assignor at the time don’t put me with that clown ever again.
Dave, I understand your rule. You know a play at the plate pretty much a bang bang play. When the car her reached out to get the ball, as fast as possible, That mat moves on the reach catch, bang bang, the mat slips, the runner scores. There was no time for any searching for the plate. Come on Dave, you guys really think us ballplayers are stupid when asking these questions? It's a concern, treated with a little respect.
This is the second of two threads you initiated where the answers were accurately, quickly and RESPECTFULLY provided ... You seem to not like the answers, which somehow makes us the bad guys ... In this one, we stand by our answer: Your catcher should have known that if the mat moves during play, by rule he still gets an out by simply touching the home plate, which does not move, regardless where the mat may end up ...
Your other thread was removed in its entirety due to you violating one of the (only four) posting rules:
• Disparaging comments directed toward any individual
Constructive criticism is certainly tolerated ... But the expected life-span of pot shots directed at individuals is going to be very, very short this Season ... As Message Board Moderator, allow me to remind you that you're a guest here in our house ... And anonymous posters of inappropriate content will see their post(s), and the entire thread if it was originated by them, deleted without hesitation ... That's where your Bell Bank Park inquiry, and your follow up insult post, went ...
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