Sliding at home.......

[MoeFoes]

Here is the Situation
Bases loaded 2 outs. Batter hits a 1 hopper back to the pitcher. Pitcher throws it home for the 3rd out. When the catcher recieved the ball she had her right foot on the front of the plate and left extended torwards the pitcher. Manager of opposing team has his runner on 3rd base sweep the catchers legs at home after the out was recorded. I was told by the umpire to have my catcher get off the plate once the out was recorded but he raised his hand recording the out but did not say it out loud. 2 different situations runner sliding into a defender and umpire verbally recording the out. How should I approach the umpire on these kinds of situation? and should I have a word with the opposing manager?

[Iluvblue]

What would you speak to the other team about??

You said the coach had his runner sweep the legs of the catcher??? Have you watched their practice and seen them doing some Karate Kid tactics to take out the opposing catcher???

That runner did exactly what she should have done. If you approached 90% of the coaches out there with some complaint on this play youd probably get some dumb looks coming back at you.

And i agree with blue, once your catcher catches the ball at the plate, get the heck out of the way.

[HugoTafurst]

Here is the Situation
Bases loaded 2 outs. Batter hits a 1 hopper back to the pitcher. Pitcher throws it home for the 3rd out. When the catcher recieved the ball she had her right foot on the front of the plate and left extended torwards the pitcher. Manager of opposing team has his runner on 3rd base sweep the catchers legs at home after the out was recorded. I was told by the umpire to have my catcher get off the plate once the out was recorded but he raised his hand recording the out but did not say it out loud. 2 different situations runner sliding into a defender and umpire verbally recording the out. How should I approach the umpire on these kinds of situation? and should I have a word with the opposing manager?

Not quite sure I understand what you want to know (but that never stopped me from responding ).

RE:

he raised his hand recording the out but did not say it out loud.

Sounds to me this was a routine force out at the plate.
The more routine the play, the less volume needed on an "Out" call. - Technically, I think, the verbal should always be made, but in practice, it may not be audible.


RE:

I was told by the umpire to have my catcher get off the plate once the out was recorded

Not bad advice, reduces the chances of F2 getting swept off her feet by a legally sliding runner(IMHO), but not anything that affects the call..

I'm also not a big fan of umpires telling coaches how to coach, but if this is low level ball, no biggie...

Manager of opposing team has his runner on 3rd base sweep the catchers legs at home after the out was recorded

We'll have to take your word for what the opposing manager said...
A runner has every right to slide into her base, she even has a right to continue sliding, even if the throw happens to beat her - as in "close play" - you don't expect her to stop on a dime, do you?
Then again, depending on the rules you are playing under, this could end up as malicious contact or unsportsmanlike behavior.

[Bretman]

If the runner's action was part of a "normal" slide to reach the base, then she may legally contact the fielder.

If the runner did "something extra", like go out of her basepath to make contact, or there was an extra kick, swipe or sweep at the fielder that wouldn't be part of a "normal" effort to reach the base, it could be ruled as interference. It could also get the runner ejected.

(Different rule sets have different definitions about what constitutes an illegal slide or malicious contact, so I tried to make my answer as "generic" as possible.)

If ruled as interfrence by an already retired runner, then the next runner closest to home is also called out. The ball is dead and other runners must return to their last base touched at the time of the interference.

[MoeFoes]

Oh. I just thought that the runner has to make an attempt to avoid contact with the defender and not intiate contact. I havent seen them practice but I know what is and isnt incidental contact. I dont teach dirty play. I guess the census here is sweeping is a part of the game as much as cleating a hand and tagging to the head. That is a shame.

[Iluvblue]

Not sure what you want the runner to do. Standing up and running away from the play while allowing the catcher to make an unimpeded throw to 1st is rec ball stuff.

The runner did what she is supposed to do.... as simple as that.

[MoeFoes]

Not sure what you want the runner to do. Standing up and running away from the play while allowing the catcher to make an unimpeded throw to 1st is rec ball stuff.

The runner did what she is supposed to do.... as simple as that.

So hey why not sweep a girl at 1st? Really nothing different. Its not like she's breaking up a double play. She's going for that ankle, maybe getting a bonus by a knee injury.

[Jalamander]

So hey why not sweep a girl at 1st?

Think double base.

[vcblue]

I don't see this as a sweep. A sweep is when the defensive play has left the base and the runner sliding in moves her legs to try and break up the double play. All I have here is a runner sliding into a base.

[Tucson]

Even at 1st base, the baseman should catch, touch, and get off the base.

I can't tell you the high percentage of girls that aren't being coached to play 1st base correctly.

When the umpire needs to give you coaching advice, it is time to get some more training, maybe as an assistant.