Dropped 3rd Strike - Confused Batter-Runner
Top of the fifth inning. No outs. Runner at 2nd base. The count on the batter is 2-2. The offensive coach signals a hit and run. The batter then swings and misses the next pitched ball for strike 3. The catcher then drops the ball for a dropped 3rd strike. The runner at 2nd base then runs into the short stop while trying to steal 3rd base. Obstruction is called. The catcher, seeing the steal, picks up the ball and throws it to 3rd to get the stealing runner. The stealing runner that bumped into short stop is tagged out while sliding into 3rd base. 3rd then throws the ball to 1st, who steps on 1st base. The confused batter-runner does not run to 1st base or go into the dugout on the dropped 3rd strike, but instead stays around home plate and is out of the way of the play. What do you have? Back to Quiz
Depends on the following:
(1) The base the obstructed runner would have obtained had the runner not been obstructed, and
(2) Did the batter-runner enter the dugout.
When the play was made on the obstructed runner at 3rd base, the umpire should kill the play with an immediate "DEAD BALL" and then wait for the batter-runner to complete their running assignment. The throw to 1st is not an out since the ball, at that point, is dead. Unless the batter-runner enters the dugout (in which case the batter-runner would be out), the umpire should make the following awards:
Obstructed runner coming from 2nd base: Either 2nd or 3rd base based on umpire judgment.
Batter-runner............................................: 1st base.
The reason behind our ruling is the defense gave up the out on the batter-runner when the catcher threw to 3rd base. We do not attempt to assume that the defense would have put the batter-runner out. The resulting "DEAD BALL" on the obstructed runner, which was caused by the defense, eliminated any possibility of the batter-runner being put out by the defense. Therefore, unless the batter-runner puts themselves out by entering the team area within a reasonable period of time after the play was killed, we would go ahead and award the batter-runner 1st base.
NOTE: Some officials have submitted comments on this play indicating they would call the batter-runner out. Their reasoning is that the batter-runner did not complete their running assignment after a reasonable period of time and therefore should be called out.
However, ASA rule 8-2-D (Batter-Runner is Out) says:
"When the batter-runner fails to advance to first base AND enters the team area after a batted fair ball, a base on balls in Fast Pitch or Slow Pitch with Stealing, a dropped third strike, or catcher's obstruction".
These officials seem to be taking the "failing to advance to first base" into consideration, but not the "entering the team area", which, in this case, never happened. This rule does not state to wait a reasonable period of time for the batter-runner to complete their running assignment and then call the batter-runner out. As such, we are showing both their comments and our ruling. You can then make your own call on this play.
As a practical matter, if the plate umpire clearly signaled "no catch", on the dropped third strike, then most likely the coaches and players would be yelling at the confused batter-runner to run to 1st base, and the issue of the batter-runner staying around home plate would not even exist. However, it is still worth consideration because a plate umpire may, by mistake, not make the "no catch" signal on a dropped third strike, which, in turn, could cause confusion by the catcher, the batter-runner, the coaches, and the players. Of course, if a plate umpire puts a batter-runner in jeopardy by not calling a "no catch", a plate umpire could then place a batter-runner on 1st base by invoking ASA rule 10-3-C.
Finally, there could not be a dead ball appeal for the batter-runner missing 1st base because the batter-runner never reached 1st base. |
