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TOPIC: Calling foul balls |
| Dennis (Hosanna)
August 5, 2005 12:00:24 PM
Entry #: 979369
| Bret made a good point about placing orange cones on the foul lines in right and left field. This is a good suggestion for aiding people in making close foul-ball calls.
But I'd like to offer some more pointers:
1. Signals. For a fair ball, pump your arm to the fair side of the line. For a foul ball, raise both arms straight up (like a touchdown). These are what certified umpires will use.
2. Verbal calls. Only add a verbal call on a foul ball. DO NOT VERBALIZE A FAIR BALL. When people are running, it's very hard to tell the difference between "FAIR" and "FOUL" calls.
3. Positioning. On a close one, the umpire absolutely must line up on the foul line. You cannot make such a call 20' off the line!
4. Timing. Don't call a foul ball too early (this is something that I still have to work on).
-on a fly ball to the outfield, don't call it until it lands or is touched.
-on a fly ball to the infield, don't call it until it has stopped, has bounded past first or third, or has been touched (or gone out of bounds).
-on a grounder, don't call it until it has stopped, has bounded past first or third, or has been touched (or gone out of bounds).
5. Other things to remember.
-the orange part of first base is entirely in foul territory.
-on a fly ball, judge it based on where the ball is when it is first touched; the position of the fielder is irrelevant. In fact, get in the habit of signalling fair or foul before signalling and calling an out on a caught fly (that way, if it's dropped, you have already established in your mind whether it was fair or foul).
-a caught foul fly is a live ball, and runner's may advance after tagging up just like on a caught fair fly.
-the ball has to be completed over the foul line before it is foul.
Following the above points will help develop consistency. There may still be disagreements, but there should be no arguments (if I see the umpire well positioned making a clear call at the right time, then even if I disagree, I know that s/he made the best call in their judgement, and umpire judgement is not open to appeal).
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| Allan
July 28, 2011 9:46:52 PM
Entry #: 3772183
| "-on a grounder, don't call it until it has stopped, has bounded past first or third, or has been touched (or gone out of bounds)"
A runner who hits a grounder, rolling outside the first base line, is caught by the 1st base person before the ball has past 1st, is considered a live-play.
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| Dennis
August 2, 2011 10:21:38 AM
Entry #: 3774369
| "A runner who hits a grounder, rolling outside the first base line, is caught by the 1st base person before the ball has past 1st, is considered a live-play."
Allan, I'm not sure what this means. By "grounder, rolling outside the first base line", do you mean a ball rolling in foul territory? But then you say "is caught by the 1st base person" do you mean fielded? Or actually caught (meaning that is was in flight and not a grounder)? If it's caught in flight, then yes, it's a live play (and runners may advance after tagging just like on a fair caught fly). But if it was a grounder, then no, it's a foul ball and a dead ball. In any case, my point about calling foul balls is to wait until it has proven itself to actually be foul before calling it foul, because once the umpire calls 'foul', s/he has effectively killed the play. There is no need to rush this call. Wait to be sure. Err on the side of leaving it live so that runners and fielders play on until they hear the call.
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| Allan
August 2, 2011 6:16:59 PM
Entry #: 3774675
| Allan, I'm not sure what this means. By "grounder, rolling outside the first base line", do you mean a ball rolling in foul territory? But then you say "is caught by the 1st base person" do you mean fielded? Or actually caught (meaning that is was in flight and not a grounder)?
Yes a grounder rolled into foul territory, right of the 1st base line, was fielded by the 1st base person. The 1st base person then played the ball, touched first for the first out.
In a situation where the ball initially hits foul territory, but rolls into fair territory before the first base, is it still a fair ball?
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| Dennis
August 2, 2011 10:42:20 PM
Entry #: 3774803
| OK, I think I understand now. When determining whether the ball is fair or foul, where it initially lands only matters if it first lands BEYOND first or third base. But if it lands BEFORE either of those bases, where it first lands doesn't matter at all. Instead what matters is where it is when it comes to a stop, is touched, or passes first or third base.
So if the ball lands in fair territory halfway towards first base but then rolls foul before passing the base and is touched in foul territory by the fielder, then it is a foul ball (dead ball) even though it first landed fair. But if it passed first base while still over fair territory and then rolled into foul territory where it is touched by the fielder, then it is a fair ball (live ball) even though it wasn't fielded in fair territory.
Conversely, the ball could land first in foul territory but if it rolls fair before passing first/third bases and is touched fair, then it's a fair ball (live ball). But if it rolls fair after passing the base, then it's still a foul ball.
The key here is that a bounding ball is neither fair nor foul until it comes to a stop, is touched by a person or foreign object, or passes/reaches first or third bases.
Hope this is clearer now.
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