OT: Baseball Trivia

[rudad02]

OK since we are focusing on Derek Jeter's batting average...

Jeter had a lifetime average of .310. Every modern day player who has qualified for the Hall of Fame (10+ years active, 5+ years retired), with a career batting average higher than Jeter's .310, is in the Hall of Fame.

Except for two.

Can you name them?

Bill Madlock for one. 4 time NL batting champ. Not in the Hall. Looked it up .305. My bad.

 

[Doctor Worm]

Since we had so much fun (or at least I did) with my last set of rules trivia questions, here are a few more. They all branch off this one situation:

• Bottom of the ninth, tie score, home team batting, winning run on third, one out.
• Batter hits fly to the outfield, who makes the catch for the second out.
• Runner takes off for home, outfielder fires it home.
• It's gonna be close! Holy Cow, I think he's gonna make it!

SCENARIO 1:

Catcher loses the ball while making the tag, and it rolls a few feet away. Runner misses the plate while attempting to avoid the tag, Umpire correctly makes no call, and the play remains live.

However, the runner does not realize he has missed the plate. He jubilantly dashes to his dugout to celebrate with his teammates.

The catcher, who does realize what is going on, retrieves the ball and tries to find the runner to make the tag, but he is indistinguishable from his celebrating teammates.

What's the call?

SCENARIO 2:

Same as 1, except that the catcher is also unaware that the runner has missed the plate. So while the runner is celebrating with his teammates, the catcher is trudging back to his dugout.

What's the call?

SCENARIO 3: (My favorite, even though realistically it would never happen):

Both the catcher and the runner are aware that the runner has missed the plate. The catcher retrieves the ball, and the runner tries to avoid him and touch the plate. The runner does succeed in avoiding the catcher; however, he again misses the plate. He now finds himself back on the third base baseline, with the catcher right behind him ready to tag him out. The runner quickly decides that his only chance is to dash back to third. Which he does successfully. The ball is returned to the pitcher, and the next hitter approaches the plate.

What's the call?

Have fun!

 

[Source]

The first two, I believe, have the same answer. You trot away from home plate never having touched it and you will eventually be declared out of the baseline and declared out.

The third, I am assuming the baserunner managed to stay in the running lane between third and home and is entitled to return to third base, if he can. He is not required to "re-touch" home plate because he never touched it in the first place. And besides, if he did touch home plate, he'd have scored.

He's my trivia.

Guy on third and one out. A liner to the outfield and the runner heads home touches the plate and then sees the outfielder may catch the ball. The runner heads back to third. The outfield traps the ball and runner takes off for home again but is now thrown out at the plate.

Is he out or did he score if
A) he never re-touched home plate
B) he did re-touch but since the ball fell in, eventually, he had crossed the plate originally.

 

[wicker]

Since we had so much fun (or at least I did) with my last set of rules trivia questions, here are a few more. They all branch off this one situation:

• Bottom of the ninth, tie score, home team batting, winning run on third, one out.
• Batter hits fly to the outfield, who makes the catch for the second out.
• Runner takes off for home, outfielder fires it home.
• It's gonna be close! Holy Cow, I think he's gonna make it!

SCENARIO 1:

Catcher loses the ball while making the tag, and it rolls a few feet away. Runner misses the plate while attempting to avoid the tag, Umpire correctly makes no call, and the play remains live.

However, the runner does not realize he has missed the plate. He jubilantly dashes to his dugout to celebrate with his teammates.

The catcher, who does realize what is going on, retrieves the ball and tries to find the runner to make the tag, but he is indistinguishable from his celebrating teammates.

What's the call?

SCENARIO 2:

Same as 1, except that the catcher is also unaware that the runner has missed the plate. So while the runner is celebrating with his teammates, the catcher is trudging back to his dugout.

What's the call?

SCENARIO 3: (My favorite, even though realistically it would never happen):

Both the catcher and the runner are aware that the runner has missed the plate. The catcher retrieves the ball, and the runner tries to avoid him and touch the plate. The runner does succeed in avoiding the catcher; however, he again misses the plate. He now finds himself back on the third base baseline, with the catcher right behind him ready to tag him out. The runner quickly decides that his only chance is to dash back to third. Which he does successfully. The ball is returned to the pitcher, and the next hitter approaches the plate.

What's the call?

Have fun!

Is this the same interpretation as a dropped third strike? If batter doesn't run to first he is out once he leaves the dirt around the plate. In scenario one I think stepping on the plate causes the out. 2 and 3 are out if runner leaves the plate vicinity

 

[Doctor Worm]

Since we had so much fun (or at least I did) with my last set of rules trivia questions, here are a few more. They all branch off this one situation:

• Bottom of the ninth, tie score, home team batting, winning run on third, one out.
• Batter hits fly to the outfield, who makes the catch for the second out.
• Runner takes off for home, outfielder fires it home.
• It's gonna be close! Holy Cow, I think he's gonna make it!

SCENARIO 1:

Catcher loses the ball while making the tag, and it rolls a few feet away. Runner misses the plate while attempting to avoid the tag, Umpire correctly makes no call, and the play remains live.

However, the runner does not realize he has missed the plate. He jubilantly dashes to his dugout to celebrate with his teammates.

The catcher, who does realize what is going on, retrieves the ball and tries to find the runner to make the tag, but he is indistinguishable from his celebrating teammates.

What's the call?

SCENARIO 2:

Same as 1, except that the catcher is also unaware that the runner has missed the plate. So while the runner is celebrating with his teammates, the catcher is trudging back to his dugout.

What's the call?

SCENARIO 3: (My favorite, even though realistically it would never happen):

Both the catcher and the runner are aware that the runner has missed the plate. The catcher retrieves the ball, and the runner tries to avoid him and touch the plate. The runner does succeed in avoiding the catcher; however, he again misses the plate. He now finds himself back on the third base baseline, with the catcher right behind him ready to tag him out. The runner quickly decides that his only chance is to dash back to third. Which he does successfully. The ball is returned to the pitcher, and the next hitter approaches the plate.

What's the call?

Have fun!

ANSWERS:

SCENARIO 1: @wicker got it right. The runner abandoned a live play, therefore the umpire can and should call him out. Same rule applies when a batter does not realize that the catcher has missed a third strike, and returns to the dugout. The catcher scrambles to get the ball, the ump says don't bother and makes the out call.

Note that since this is a live play, it is not an appeal play. The defensive team doesn't have to do anything to record the out. The ump should just call it.

SCENARIO 2: This one is different. Both the runner and the fielder have abandoned the play, so it is no longer a live play. The play is now considered over. The standard rule for when a runner misses a base is invoked. Which is, if a runner misses a base, he is deemed to have touched the base - unless he is called out on appeal.

SO... the umpires should remain on the field for a few moments to see if any of the defensive players (doesn't have to be the catcher) will appeal the play. If they do, runner will be called out and it's on to extra innings. If they don't, game over.

SCENARIO 3: When the runner arrives safely at third and the ball is returned to the pitcher, the play is considered over. As in Scenario 2, the runner who missed home plate is deemed to have touched it, unless he is called out on appeal.

SO... the umpires should allow the pitcher to take the ball and step on the rubber, to see if he will step off and appeal. If he does, it's on to extra innings. If it is clear that he will not appeal (i.e., if he begins his windup), the ump should immediately call time and signal that the run counts and the game is over. The runner on third does not even need to go through the motion of jogging home to touch the plate, as he is deemed to have already done so.

That was fun.

 

[Doctor Worm]

He's my trivia.

Guy on third and one out. A liner to the outfield and the runner heads home touches the plate and then sees the outfielder may catch the ball. The runner heads back to third. The outfield traps the ball and runner takes off for home again but is now thrown out at the plate.

Is he out or did he score if
A) he never re-touched home plate
B) he did re-touch but since the ball fell in, eventually, he had crossed the plate originally.

Interesting. So while the ball is still in the air, the runner crosses home plate, then changes his mind and tries to get back to third, without retouching home plate.

My interpretation: The runner has scored on a batted ball for which there was no requirement that he tag up. Run counts. The play is dead (with regard to this particular runner) upon the later of his arriving at the plate safely, or of the ball dropping in safely. Anything that happens afterward is irrelevant.

However, I am not willing to die on that hill.