There was an appeal play in the Cardinals game tonight on a sacrifice fly play.Anonymous is referring to a play that happened in the top of the 4th inning with one out and a runner on third base. Cardinals batter Daniel Descalso hit a fly ball to Cubs center fielder Marlon Byrd. Nick Punto attempted to tag up on the play and crossed home plate without a close call. However, the Cubs dugout told catcher Koyie Hill to appeal the call. Hill subsequently threw to third basemen Aramis Ramirez, who tagged third base. 3B Umpire Paul Nauert (39) ruled that Punto had not tagged up properly, leaving the base early. Nauert ruled Punto out under Rule 7.08(d) [Ed. Note: The Rule # is 5.09(b)(5), as of 2015] which states, "A runner is out when...He fails to retouch his base after a fair or foul ball is legally caught before he, or his base, is tagged by a fielder. He shall not be called out for failure to retouch his base after the first following pitch, or any play or attempted play. This is an appeal play". As well as Rule 7.10(a) [Ed. Note: The Rule # is 5.09(c)(1), as of 2015] and comment which states,"Any runner shall be called out, on appeal, when...After a fly ball is caught, he fails to retouch his original base before he or his original base is tagged" and Comment: "“Retouch,” in this rule, means to tag up and start from a contact with the base after the ball is caught. A runner is not permitted to take a flying start from a position in back of his base. If possible, using the replay here, did Nauert rule correctly?
IMPORTANT NOTE (and Interpretation of this rule): The runner only need "tag up" or retouch his base at the time of the fielder's first touch or first contact with the baseball. The purpose of this interp is so that a defensive player, attempting to prolong his "catch" by bobbling the ball, does not benefit from the rule by forcing the offensive player to wait longer to leave third base before trying to score, or by decoying the offense into "leaving early" by delaying the catching action, either intentionally or unintentionally. This interpretation ensures the offense is not unfairly penalized in an attempt to adhere to the rule.
What do you believe is the best position for an umpire to rule on a tag play/appeal play on a sacrifice fly, specifically for a runner on 3rd base going home? Do you believe Nauert was in good position?
13 comments :
To me, this appears to be the correct call. It is hard to tell since the camera angle is so far away, but Punto appears to leave just before the ball is caught. I think Nauert's positioning is perfect for this play. I am not an umpire, nor do I have any training, but when the umpire lines himself so that he can see both the catch and the runner in the same line of sight, that seems like good positioning to me.
As an ump, you want to stand where you basically have a runner/base directly next to a fielder making the catch. Usually it's around where the 3B coach is. I remember a play in Anaheim years ago when the coach was crouching on the ground, and the umpire was actually slotting the coach so he could see the play, much like a plate umpire would do with a catcher.
Good job on that play, there is nothing at all evident to suggest that the call was anything but correct. It looked good to me.
Why can't that call be the HP call? The 2nd base umpire went out to watch the catch turning the crew into a three-man situation and with a runner on third the 3rd base umpire should be going into the infield and the other two umpires rotate...the HP umpire will have a better angle because he has more time and has the "bigger picture"...my knowledge only extends to college umpiring so MLB may have it differently
First off, great job. I'm glad we're getting to discuss this play, because in my opinion, we have a 3B Ump who did a great job.
In regards to 2B going out, I think you need 1B to come in and follow the BR to second (if dropped). From there, 3B stays at 3B, PU stays home. So I don't especially have a problem with the rotation here, and if it works for the crew, they should stick with it. The biggest thing is you don't want to leave 3B unoccupied; on a ball hit to the outfield where 3B is already at the base and has no OF responsibility, he's closest, and probably can get the best angle in the shortest amount of time.
One thing I forgot to mention is if you do end up getting a play at the plate (just like we did on this particular play), you want PU making that call. 1B is going to be late coming over - you have BR running down the 1B line - collision city/1B has to concentrate on avoiding BR. I don't want to put pressure on 1B to run to cover the plate while all this is happening. Keeping PU at home makes it so much easier.
Even if U2 went out and they reverted to the 3-man system, there wouldn't necessarily be a rotation. U3 would come to the middle, the PU would take the tag up of R3, and U1 would stay in foul territory. There would only be a rotation if the ball dropped for a hit.
U2 did go out. No doubt about that. Pro mechanics dictate someone will go out.
With the other bases empty, there's no reason to not let U3 take the tag up at third. He can get the best positioning for it. U1 only has to take the BR to second if the ball drops. It's not dropping -- this is MLB.
In our amateur games in 4-man, I'd be inclined to let the PU take the tag at third and have U3 cover second, but that's only because there's a much higher chance the ball drops.
As a note...you can pretty much take everything that Paul Nauert says and does as gospel.
I'm a Cards fan, and I think Punto left early. Good call!
Paul Nauert is the best instructor at wendelstedt umpire school. anything he does as far as rules and rotation is correct.
It's too bad this is the only replay posted. During the Cardinals broadcast, they did a side by side of the catch and Punto tagging up. He clearly tagged up after the catch and should have been safe. The announcers said the Cubs announcers in the booth next to them agreed. So apparently Nauert isn't as great as everyone thinks. He blew this one. Either that or he's a Cubs fan.
"Either that or he's a Cubs fan."... sort of lost all credibility with that statement...
Post a Comment