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Online now: 8 members: Bobby B, CDNSmitty, CowboyVis90, Golfman, KINGRULE, TABLE SETTER 11, dillydilly, kotonk; 116 anonymousDiscussion: Safe or Out at home
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| Sept. 7, 2018 SCRAPPY 44 posts | Safe or Out at home I'm a board member of the Colorado Senior Softball Association and we ran into a problem at our year end tournament with the SSUSA rules. It involves the scoring line/plate and maybe Dave or SSUSA can help us with this so we may clarify it in the future. We have an upcoming board meeting and this will help. Here is the SSUSA rule: Page 52 SSUSA Rule Book: 8.10 Scoring Line and Scoring Plate A base runner’s foot down on or down past the scoring line or down on the scoring plate prior to the ball being received by a defensive player touching the strike mat results in the scoring of a run There was a runner coming in to score and he fell down before crossing the line with his foot. He reached across with his hand and had it down before the ball reached the defensive player at home. He was called out because his "foot" was not down on or past the scoring line (although his hand was) before the defensive player had the ball and touched the plate. In regular baseball/softball the base (line) must be touched, but in our rules the foot must be down. Can you help us with this? Scrappy, Mike Massong |
| Sept. 7, 2018 DaveDowell Men's 70 4312 posts | Probably a questionable (read: bad) call by an umpire obsessed with literal language rather than practical reality of the rule's intent ... MOST runners are still on their feet at the scoring line (or plate), but the guiding principal is the runner has made contact on or beyond the line or on the plate ... My Director advisory would be SAFE ... It would also be somewhat impractical to rewrite the rule to read "..A base runner’s foot or shin or calf, or knee or butt or hand or forearm or shoulder or head or neck down past the scoring line or down on the scoring plate prior to the ball being received by a defensive player touching the strike mat results in the scoring of a run.." ... Mike, this is just common sense, which, admittedly, isn't all that common! ... See you in Las Vegas! ... |
| Sept. 7, 2018 SCRAPPY 44 posts | Thanks Dave, We will use this for education purposes for our umpires, etc. Mike |
| Sept. 8, 2018 OZ40 549 posts | Agreed, bad call. Change rule language to read along the line of; "A base runner’s foot or any part of his or her body crosses the scoring line and contacts the ground"...… of course if sliding is not allowed something about "an intentional slide" would have to be included. |
| Sept. 8, 2018 Nancy Allen Men's 55 1438 posts | OZ40, the biggest thing that I have had to explain about a scoring line to players is that it is not about breaking the plane like football. It is also a little amusing to see a player that is used to scoring with the extra plate instead trying to figure out where to step because they can't find the plate. The rule is probably fine as worded but maybe a clarification note underneath would solve that one in a million situation. |
