Travesty of the Game?
2016/7/15 17:19:32
Question
What constitutes "travesty of the game"?
We recently had a runner called out under this rule.
Situation:
R1 and R2, no outs.
Batter hits to the shortstop deep in the hole. R2 starts for third, but SS heads towards R2. R2, rather than run into a tag, freezes, and then retreats towards 2nd base, but without reaching or taking possession of it (never got within 10' of it). SS gives up on chasing R2 for a tag, and throws to 2nd to force R1. Umpire calls R1 out on the force, and R2 out for "travesty of the game."
Is this a correct call? R2 merely retreated from the tag ... and was in the baseline, and not in reach of a tag (SS had started deep in the hole, well out on the OF grass). R2 was not doing anything unusual to interfere with play.
What's the call?
Answer
I have never seen this called. All I can say is you will know it when you see it. Most likely a player or a coach trying to turn the game into a joke.
Based on your description of the play I would not have called R2 out. F6 should have gone to 3rd for the force on the lead runner.
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