Expert: Dennis Girardi - 6/9/2009

Question
my grandson had a infield play from the pitching mound the umpire was standing behind the pitchers mound. the ball was hit and the batter ran to first called safe.first basemen through the ball back to the pitcher and the kid rounding third the pitcher saw the runner at third trying to run home so he ran after him and was just a few feet from tagging him out when the umpire called the play dead.sends the third base runner back to third and then after play was called dead the pitcher went back to his position and the umpire decides that because my grandson had attempted to tag the runner with the ball he allowed the third base runner to go on to home plate and score. now to me once he called the play dead that should have been the end of the situation, however my grandson heard him call play is dead and stopped trying to make a play and was returning back to mound so that took Cameron out of  the play so can you explain  if Cameron [pitcher]was playing the ball correctly and was he right to try to run the third base runner down before the umpire messed up. didn't he ?

Answer
Hey Steve,
I had to read your question 3 times before I could fully understand it.. Let me take a whirl.
First of all, in most Babe Ruth leagues, once the pitcher has the ball on the pitcher's mound, all play stops, automatically. If you do not have this rule, then this is what happens. The better runners in the league have their way every time they get on base and it becomes a free for all. If the umpire DID call the play dead, I can't see how he can bring the play back to life again, but I wasn't there. There are always 2 sides to every story.
In my leagues, I cater to the weaker players and would NOT let the better players control the league..
I suggest to take this up with the commissioner.
Good Luck,
Dennis