Umpire Question of the Week

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(Answers will appear in bottom frame)

Note:  The below situations assume a game is being played under the guidance of the MLB Official Rules of Baseball.

Question 1: Should the plate umpire vocalize a pitched "Ball?" (answer)

Question 2: If an umpire has mistakenly called a fair ball "Foul!",  may he reverse the call? (answer)

Question 3: If two runners end up occupying the same base and neither runner was forced to run when the ball was batted into play, which runner will be called out (preceding or following) when both are tagged?  (answer)

Question 4:  If a pitcher is ejected, how many warm-up pitches should his replacement be allowed to have?  (answer)

Question 5:  If a fielder obtains possession of either a batted or thrown ball while in Live Ball Territory (LBT), but his momentum causes him to enter an area designated as Dead Ball Territory (DBT), is the ball still live and in play?  (answer)

Question 6: According to the Official Baseball Rules, Rule 5.09---The ball becomes dead and runners advance one base, or return to their bases, without liability to be put out, when---(c) A balk is committed;  runners advance; (See Penalty 8.05).  Question:  Is the ball always dead when a balk is committed, which this rule seems to imply?  (answer)

Question 7:  Situation: R1 (runner on 1st), 1 out.  Batter hits a fly ball to right field.  R1, not bothering to stay on the base or tag up, takes off running.  He hits 2nd base and heads for 3rd.  As he gets there, his coach screams for him to go back to 1st, since the right fielder had caught the fly ball.  The runner turns around to go back.  But before he reaches 2nd base (on his way back to 1st), the right fielder throws the ball to the second baseman, who steps on 2nd base and looks at the umpire ("implying" to the umpire that he is making an appeal).  Meanwhile, R1, now having touched 2nd base, runs back to 1st base and stands on the bag.  The umpire calls R1 out on the implied appeal that was made by the second baseman at 2nd base.  Is this the correct call?  (answer)

Question 8:  R1 (runner on 1st) and R3, no outs.  B1 hits a "soft" line drive just to the left of the shortstop, who gloves the ball with no problem---then opens his glove and lets the ball hit the ground.  R1, seeing this, takes off for 2nd in a panic.  Meanwhile, the shortstop picks up the ball and throws to the 2nd baseman in time to force out R1, then throws to the 1st baseman in time to retire B1 for a double play.  Question:  Does the double play stand? (answer)