A lot of league members think it's so easy being an umpire. Here is an opportunity for you to walk in an umpire's shoes. Unlike league umpires in real-time situations, you will have the luxury of time and the ability to look it up on Google. So many are too critical of league umpires throughout the course of the softball year and think umpiring is a cinch. Well, it's not. It's a tough job and all too often a thankless one. C'mon! Step up to the plate and U Make the Call. Maybe you'll be right or maybe you'll give our league umpires something to laugh about. It's all good.

Here is this year's edition of U Make The Call...

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1. Runner on 2B, 1 out. Batter hits a towering pop-up to center field. In disgust, the batter throws his bat against the fence after leaving the batter's box on his way to 1B. The umpire immediately ejects the player from the game for throwing his bat. The batter turns and walks toward the dugout. The pop-up drops in for a base hit. The batter sees this and runs to 1B. The runner on 2B scores on the play.

A. Batter is out. Runner returns to 2B.
B. Batter is safe. Runner advances at his/her own risk.
C. Batter is safe. Runner returns to 2B.
D. Batter punches the umpire in the face repeatedly. Runner advances without risk because the umpire's eyes have been pummeled shut.

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2. With one out, the batter hits a long fly ball to left center field. Because it appeared the ball cleared the outfield fence, the umpire signals a home run. Seeing this, the batter-runner slows up rounding 2B. In actuality, the ball did not clear the fence. The outfielder picks up the ball and throws to the cutoff, who throws to 3B for a close play. The plate umpire calls the batter out.

A. The runner is out at 3B. Although the umpire made an incorrect signal, the batter-runner and/or the coaches should have seen the action of the left center fielder and coached the runner to keep running hard.
B. The batter-runner is awarded 3B because the umpire screwed up on the HR signal.
C. The batter is awarded a HR because that is what the umpired called.

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3. The batter swings very slowly at a pitch and on contact the ball barely rolls out in front of the home plate.

A. This is a legal swing and play continues.
B. This is a chopped ball. The play is called dead and the batter is called out.
C. This is a bunt. The play is called dead and the batter is called out.

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4. The batter hits a hard line drive to the gap in right center. The disgusted outfielder throws his glove at the ball, slowing it down as it rolls to the fence. The runner decides to try for an inside-the-park home run and is thrown out at the plate. The manager appeals to the umpire.

A. The umpire awards the runner home plate.
B. The umpire sends the runner back to 3B.
C. The umpire maintains the out call at home.
D. The umpire picks up the catcher's mitt and throws it at the manager.

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5. With nobody out and a runner on 3B, the batter hits a fly ball to right field that is caught. Prior to the ball reaching the right fielder, the manager in the dugout of the team that's on defense yells 'GO!'. Hearing 'GO', the runner on 3B leaves early and the defense properly appeals the play.

A: The runner is called out for leaving the base too soon.
B: The runner is deemed safe on the appeal.
C: The runner must return to 3B.
D. The runner must return to 3B and the manager of the defense is slapped upside the head by the umpire.

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6. There is a runner on 2B and nobody out. With what is deemed a weak batter by the base umpire (post season play), the base umpire decides to move in front of the baseline to get a better look at the play. The 'weak' batter surprises everyone and hits a bullet that deflects off the base umpire's arm directly to the first baseman who steps on 1B. The runner on 2B advances to 3B on the play.

A. The batter is out. The runner who advanced from 2B stays on 3B.
B. The batter is safe. The runner who advanced from 2B stays on 3B.
C. The batter is out. The runner who advanced from 2B must return to 2B.
D. The batter is safe. The runner who advanced from 2B must return to 2B.

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7. With a 1-2 count on the batter and a runner on 1B, the #3 batter in the line-up inadvertently bats ahead of the #2 batter in the line-up. The #3 batter hits a single to right, advancing the runner to 3B. The #4 batter steps to the plate and receives a pitch called illegal by the umpire. The opposing team then appeals the 'batting out of order' to the umpire or official scorekeeper. What to do?

I deleted the multiple choice answers on #7 because they weren't clearly written. The rule on a situation like this is as follows:

After a pitch, legal or illegal, to the next batter, or before the pitcher and all infielders have vacated their normal fielding positions and have left fair territory; or on the last play of the game, until the umpires leave the field of play:
Effect:
1. The turn at bat of the incorrect batter is legal.
2. All runs scored, runners advanced, and outs made are legal.
3. The next batter shall be that player whose name follows that of the incorrect batter.
4. No out is called for failure to bat.
5. Players who have not batted and who have not been called out have lost their turn at bat until their spot in the batting order is reached again.
(ASA Rule book Rule 7, Sec 2, D3)

1.B: the batter should have been ejected as a delayed dead ball. He will be removed from the game and a runner placed at the base he occupied once the play was over.
2. C feels right but curious to see the correct answer
3. A as long as he swings through fully
4. Runner would have been awarded 3rd but advanced past the bag he would have gotten due to the detached equipment touching the ball, C maintains the out call because he advanced beyond 3rd on their own risk
5. Assuming the umpire saw and didn’t base it off the yelling, A

6. D batter is safe, runner returns because they were not forced to move

7. Almost put d because the next pitch was thrown. The legality of the pitch doesn’t change that the appeal didn’t happen prior to the next thrown pitch. However, D states there is a 1-2 count. It would be batter 3 is safe and 4 continues with a 2-1 count due to the illegal pitch and no stated swing. E is the answer

I could be completely wrong, but would rather put my answers out there, be corrected, and learn. The home run one was a guess. The runner could slow up thinking the ball deflected back into play after home run was signaled. Feels similar to an inadvertent whistle type call, the defense would definitely get the short end of the stick there. So not confident with that one.

A,C,C,A,A,A,E

Am I the only one that thinks #1 doesn’t have the correct answer on there?

Does the batter leave the field of play? Is he out of the baseline?

The answer SHOULD be batter is out for leaving the field of play and runner advances at his own risk because the EJECTION can’t happen until after the play is over.

In #1, the batter walks toward the dugout, but does not leave the field of play.

Been a few years since I hung up the clicker but...

1. B - live ball until the play is over aka batter gets to first base.

2. A

3. A - assuming this was a complete swing motion there isn't a rule at the velocity you swing a bat? If it was a half swing thats different.

4. B - it sounds like this would be an illegal use of the glove rule

5. A - bad sportsmanship wins here

6. A - if it hits the umpire in the field of play that should be a live ball

1) E - Umpire should let the play finish before tossing the batter from the game.
2) B
3) A
4) B
5) A
6) A

With more than 450 views, am I to believe only 3 people have enough nerve to be an umpire for a day? I find that hard to believe, especially when considering so many are so vocal when it comes to ASA and our local league rules. C'mon now, grow a pair and take a shot.

Nobody has gotten them all right thus far.

Well, it doesn't look like we will have any more takers, so here are the answers for this year's addition of UMTC.

1. Runner on 2B, 1 out. Batter hits a towering pop-up to center field. In disgust, the batter throws his bat against the fence after leaving the batter's box on his way to 1B. The umpire immediately ejects the player from the game for throwing his bat. The batter turns and walks toward the dugout. The pop-up drops in for a base hit. The batter sees this and runs to 1B. The runner on 2B scores on the play.

A. Batter is out. Runner returns to 2B.
B. Batter is safe. Runner advances at his/her own risk.
C. Batter is safe. Runner returns to 2B.
D. Batter punches the umpire in the face repeatedly. Runner advances without risk because the umpire's eyes have been pummeled shut.

This situation actually occurred a few years ago only with a slight variation. The batter, after being ejected, walked off the field of play automatically rendering himself out on the play. I wondered what the call would be if the batter didn't leave the field of play and instead made it to first base. Is it a dead ball upon ejection? Is it a delayed dead ball? Can the runner/s advance?

I called the ASA District Commissioner for a clarification and even he wasn't completely sure. He had his opinion, but he wasn't certain. There is nothing in the rule book that covers this situation directly. We had to go to the ASA UIC (Umpire in Chief) to get the right call and even he wasn't immediately sure. After about 2 weeks, we finally got the answer.

Let me preface this reply by saying there are a number of things going on here. There is no base line unless a runner is trying to avoid a tag. A runner can literally and legally round 1st base, run out to the right fielder, shake his/her hand and then run to 2nd base. If he makes it there without being tagged, he is safe. Keep in mind while this type of maneuver is technically legal, the runner does put himself at risk of being ejected for making a mockery of the game (unsportsmanlike conduct).

The same holds true for retreating on your way to 1st base. As a batter/runner you cannot back up or return to home plate to avoid a tag. You will immediately be called out if you do. In the above scenario, the player walked toward the dugout. As long as he is not trying to avoid a tag and does not leave the field of play, he is not liable to be called out unless tagged or forced out.

As hard as it might be in the heat of the moment, umpire protocol dictates that any action to eject a player should wait until any live play is over and time is called. Be that as it may, the player was ejected as the play was happening. How to deal with it needed to be addressed.

The proper call in this edition of U Make the Call is B. The batter-runner is safe at first base as if the ejection never occurred. Once the play is dead, the batter-runner is then removed from the game as a result of the ejection for bat-throwing. If the team has a player on the bench and not in the game, the ejected player is replaced via a roster substitution. If the team does not have a player on the bench, an out at 1B is called.

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2. With one out, the batter hits a long fly ball to left center field. Because it appeared the ball cleared the outfield fence, the umpire signals a home run. Seeing this, the batter-runner slows up rounding 2B. In actuality, the ball did not clear the fence. The outfielder picks up the ball and throws to the cutoff, who throws to 3B for a close play. The plate umpire calls the batter out.

A. The runner is out at 3B. Although the umpire made an incorrect signal, the batter-runner and/or the coaches should have seen the action of the left center fielder and coached the runner to keep running hard.
B. The batter/runner is awarded 3B because the umpire screwed up on the HR signal.
C. The batter is awarded a HR because that is what the umpired called.

THE CORRECT ANSWER IS B: If the umpire determines that the incorrect signal placed the batter-runner in jeopardy, the umpire should place the batter-runner on the base he/she believes the batter-runner would have reached.
(Rule 10-3C)

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3. The batter swings very slowly at a pitch and on contact, the ball barely rolls out in front of the home plate.

A. This is a legal swing and play continues.
B. This is a chopped ball. The play is called dead and and the batter is called out.
C. This is a bunt. The play is called dead and the batter is called out.

THE CORRECT ANSWER IS C*: A pitched ball that is intentionally tapped with the bat, slowly, within the infield shall be deemed a bunt.
RULE 1 - DEFINITIONS

*This one is probably more of a judgment call than anything else. If the batter is a strong hitter and swings very slowly (out of character), this should be deemed a bunt. If the batter is a weak hitter and the fastest swing this hitter can produce barely puts the ball in motion, this should be deemed a legal swing and play continues.

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4. The batter hits a hard line drive to the gap in right center. The disgusted outfielder throws his glove at the ball, slowing it down as it rolls to the fence. The runner decides to try for an inside-the-park home run and is thrown out at the plate. The manager appeals to the umpire.

A. The umpire awards the runner home plate.
B. The umpire sends the runner back to 3B.
C. The umpire maintains the out call at home.
D. The umpire picks up the catcher's mitt and throws it at the manager.

THE CORRECT ANSWER IS C. The runner is out. The thrown glove touching the ball protects the runner to 3B, but the play remains live. The runner can advance at his/her own risk.

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5. With nobody out and a runner on 2B and 3B, the batter hits a fly ball to right field that is caught. Prior to the ball reaching the right fielder, the manager in the dugout of the team that's on defense yells 'GO!'. Hearing 'GO', the runner on 3B leaves early and the defense properly appeals the play.

A: The runner is called out for leaving the base too soon.
B: The runner is deemed safe on the appeal.
C: The runner must return to 3B.
D. The runner must return to 3B and the manager of the defense is slapped upside the head by the umpire.

THE CORRECT ANSWER is A: Although this is a distracting act and very bush league, there is no penalty for a defensive player, coach, or manager yelling. The runner should know their own coach/manager's voice.
(1-OBSTRUCTION-B)

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6. There is a runner on 2B and nobody out. With what is deemed a weak batter by the base umpire in the playoffs, the base umpire decides to move in front of the baseline to get a better look at the play. The 'weak' batter surprises everyone and hits a bullet that deflects off the base umpire's arm directly to the first baseman who steps on 1B. The runner on 2B advanced to 3B on the play.

A. The batter is out. The runner 2B stays on 3B.
B. The batter is safe. The runner stays on 3B.
C. The batter is out. The runner must return to 2B.
D. The batter is safe. The runner must return to 2B.

THE CORRECT ANSWER IS D: An umpire shall suspend play if a fair batted ball hits the umpire prior to passing an infielder. The batter-runner is awarded a base hit. No runners are advanced unless forced to advance.
(Rule 4-D)

Well, I guess I'll never be an umpire. I got 1 right.