| Subject | Date Asked | Expert |
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| Special Draft in Little League Baseball | 11/2/2009 | Dennis Girardi |
Q: Dennis, Due to a shortage of players we cut one of our teams in the Major League Division. ...
A: Hey Mark, This is a definite YES, and a no brainer for me to answer. If you don't do this you will ...
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| Pitch Speed | 11/2/2009 | John Priest |
Q: My name is Luke and I'm a freshman in high school. I'm about 5'10 175 and am pushing it in there ...
A: Luke, I cannot guess what you will be throwing by your senior year, there are too many variables. I ...
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| Making a team | 10/31/2009 | John Priest |
Q: my son tried out for the 14 boy's travel baseball team. He made the C team with only 10 players. ...
A: Judith, I don't think that you would be damaging your sons reputation. However I would be concerned ...
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| Define INTENTIONALLY DROPPING THE BALL IS"? | 10/29/2009 | John McInnis |
Q: "Here is mycan you please define intentionally dropping theball?...let me expand, further, if there ...
A: I would think it was obvious but I know there is lots of confusion... If an umpire judges that an ...
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| Define Intentionally Dropping the Ball? | 10/29/2009 | Rick Bundy |
Q: "Here is mycan you please define intentionally dropping theball?...let me expand, further, if there ...
A: Winston: This is assuming the infield fly rule has not been called, or would not apply. ...
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| Definition of Intentionally Dropping a Ball | 10/29/2009 | Andrew Senger |
Q: "Here is mycan you please define intentionally dropping the ball?...let me expand, further, if there ...
A: Winston, Most interpretations of the rule state that the ball must hit the glove for it to be ...
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| age | 10/27/2009 | John Priest |
Q: My son was born sept, 28, 1998. In the upcoming year what age group would he have to play. Someone ...
A: Stephen, I am sorry for being so late on the answer. I never got an email notification about the ...
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| Rule: Fielders Choice or Hit? | 10/23/2009 | Brian Flaspohler |
Q: baseball scoring question.. ((is it different for Little League, NCAA or MLB)) is below situation ...
A: Actually, rule (1) applies. It doesn't specify infielder or outfielder, just runner foreced out by ...
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| Positioning myself on the field | 10/23/2009 | John Madden |
Q: I play firstbase.In what situations would the firstbase man need to back-up homeplate ANSWER: ...
A: You wouldn't hold the baserunner on if there was a runner on second base or bases loaded. Another ...
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| Balk Rule | 10/21/2009 | Brian Flaspohler |
Q: My grandson plays 11u select ball, and the umpires call by the Nations Rule Book. The other day our ...
A: William, It is very difficult to make a ruling based on not seeing the play. There is a rule that ...
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| Baserunning | 10/21/2009 | Andrew Mullins |
Q: Please help! With runners at first and second, the ball is hit to the third baseman. R2 advances ...
A: I totally agree w/ you. All runners have to be "put out" or they are safe by rule. The only ...
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| highschool try outs | 10/19/2009 | John Madden |
Q: I'm a freshman in highschool getting ready for try outs. I have played 2nd base all my life and my ...
A: Welcome to highschool! I always thought middle infield was the funnest position to play in ...
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| Batter Interference | 10/14/2009 | Brian Flaspohler |
Q: Last Inning, two outs, 1 ball and 1 strike. Tied game 3 to 3. there is a runner on third and where ...
A: Danny, This in not interference because the batter/runner made no effort to interfere with the ...
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| Positioning myself on the field | 10/14/2009 | John Madden |
Q: I play firstbase.In what situations would the firstbase man need to back-up homeplate
A: Really the only time that you would even think about backing up homeplate would be a for sure triple ...
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| Advice | 10/13/2009 | Brian Flaspohler |
Q: How can i not be so scared of the ball coming straight toward me if i play 2nd and 3rd base or ...
A: Shawn, Your best bet is to practice as much as you can. Have someone hit the ball at you easy. As ...
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| College Baseball | 10/12/2009 | Rick Bundy |
Q: My name is Chris and I'm 19, 5' 10" 140lbs. I played in little league and made the all star team ...
A: Chris: I don't have any California contacts; but the process from Arizona to Calif won't be that ...
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| Catcher's throws | 10/6/2009 | Willie Ansley Jr. |
Q: My 15 year old catcher, Jake, has, within the last two weeks, struggled with his throws back to the ...
A: First I would try to get in his head.Find out why he thinks he started to do it.What fear does he ...
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| pitching | 10/5/2009 | Brian Flaspohler |
Q: Is it possible for a pitcher to be recorded as the losing pitcher without ever actually throwing a ...
A: Nate, It is possible but wildly unlikely. One way would be for the pitcher to go to their mouth ...
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| Correcting wrist twist in youth pitching | 10/5/2009 | John Madden |
Q: My 9 year old continues to break his throws with a twist of the wrist. After a year of practicing ...
A: Every pitcher is going to throw a little different. Some have excessive pronation, some have ...
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| Balk rule interpretation | 10/3/2009 | Andrew Mullins |
Q: Left handed pitcher, runner on first: After the pitcher comes to a set position he lifts his right ...
A: ...If I am working the game, I woulod certainly call a balk. There is no pause or hesitation ...
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| "strike" | 10/1/2009 | Brian Flaspohler |
Q: When the ump is calling a strike, I never heard the word "strike." It sounds like "arghh" or "onk" ...
A: David, The umpire is saying 'strike.' Or at least that's what they are supposed to be saying. ...
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| Umpire call reversals | 10/1/2009 | Andrew Senger |
Q: I am President of the Royal Belgian Baseball & Softball Federation (www.frbbs.be). I would have ...
A: Jerome, Overall, the umpires did exactly what their job expects them to do: Officiate the game in a ...
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| Umpire call reversals | 10/1/2009 | Andrew Mullins |
Q: I am President of the Royal Belgian Baseball & Softball Federation (www.frbbs.be). I would have ...
A: ....Umpire's Rule #1 - Get the call right. That's the bottom line. First issue - The call was ...
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| Interference/obstruction- how to place the runner | 9/27/2009 | Brian Flaspohler |
Q: I am an umpire for both baseball and softball. I have a question If their is a runner on 2nd and ...
A: Sara, In your first situation, it is the umpire's judgement if the batter is also out. If the ...
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| Base Running/Path | 9/27/2009 | Martin Hoover |
Q: Runners on first and third. Runner on first starts to steal when pitcher goes into motion. Catcher ...
A: Kelly, If the runner remained three feet within the running lane, there is no call. You could have ...
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| Interference | 9/25/2009 | Andrew Senger |
Q: Mr. Senger, we had the following situation last night in our game and would like to know what the ...
A: Michael, Using Official Baseball Rules, the call was correct: 7.09 It is interference by a batter ...
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| Touching Bases while running | 9/25/2009 | Rick Bundy |
Q: You told people that you use the right foot on all bases while running. Absolutely incorrect. I ...
A: Don: I am not sure which answer or answers to people you are referring to, but there is no ...
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| Bases | 9/21/2009 | John Madden |
Q: When you run to first base I know you can run,touch base and return to the first base if u happen to ...
A: Yes you are allowed to go past second and third base as well. The only difference is that when you ...
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| 1st Base positioning | 9/20/2009 | John Priest |
Q: I was wondering if you could clarify where the first baseman should be playing when there is no ...
A: Benny, With no runners on base (no matter how may outs) or if there is 2 outs play deep to give ...
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| 2nd baseman | 9/17/2009 | Rick Bundy |
Q: With a runner on second, does the second baseman hold the runner until the pitcher is in his windup ...
A: Jay: With a runner on second, the responsibility for keeping him close goes to both the shortstop ...
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| Pitching lessons | 9/16/2009 | Rick Bundy |
Q: My son is a freshman at college here in Arizona. He was on his High School baseball team, 3 years ...
A: Tom: Thank you for your question. If you would contact Jeff Rodin at JRodin@dbacks.com, he can put ...
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| discarded baseballs | 9/12/2009 | Brian Flaspohler |
Q: why does an umpire discard a pitched ball that hits the dirt but not a batted ball that hits the ...
A: Freddy, It is up to the umpire to decide when to throw out a ball. Watch the game a little more ...
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| Practice | 9/11/2009 | John Madden |
Q: John, My 12 yr. old son has been playing for 3 yrs. He has a very strong arm and has been ...
A: Correct. I don't know how to leave links on this website but if I could I would post a link to a ...
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| Practice | 9/10/2009 | John Madden |
Q: John, My 12 yr. old son has been playing for 3 yrs. He has a very strong arm and has been ...
A: There could be a few reasons that your son's throws are off mark from short to first. The first ...
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| baseball out | 9/9/2009 | Brian Flaspohler |
Q: Ok, I recently played a softball game with the rules of baseball identical. I'm fairly certain the ...
A: Tyler, The umpire got this one right. The 1st baseman did remove the force when he tagged the bag. ...
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| obstruction at first base | 9/9/2009 | Andrew Mullins |
Q: I am an assistant coach on my son's little league team and I saw a scary play this evening at first ...
A: Well, I may have missed something here.....First, you stated the the collision happened AFTER the FB ...
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| curve balls | 9/3/2009 | Dennis Girardi |
Q: Should I let my 11 year old son learn how to throw curve balls or should we wait until he is older? ...
A: Hey Melanie, Breaking balls can wait.. Right now he needs to throw strikes and get where he can ...
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| throwing a knuckle ball | 9/2/2009 | John Priest |
Q: because i can only throw about 75 mph in high school. i have been on a couple sites and have learned ...
A: Mike, Sorry I am not in any way an expert on the knuckle ball. I can throw one but I think its ...
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| base running interference | 8/31/2009 | Willie Ansley Jr. |
Q: During softball tournament, ball was hit to out field and 3rd baseball did not get out of the ...
A: It is interference but the question is did the runner try to score? If he stopped then it is a ...
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| pitcher/2nd base | 8/31/2009 | Andrew Senger |
Q: I would like to know if a pitcher can fast roll/toss a ball backwards towards the second base to ...
A: Vince, You are correct. As long as the pitcher is not touching the rubber, then he can do whatever ...
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