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Baseball Instruction/Questions Answered by Expert Andrew Mullins
| Subject | Date Asked |
| Winning/Losing Pitcher | 2/10/2012 |
| Q: This is a high school baseball game going into the 7th and final inning tied 1-1. Pitcher A starts ... A: Good Day...What a great question but it carries a very simple answer....The losing pitcher is simply ... | |
| Fair or foul | 9/16/2011 |
| Q: In the game ending play of the Cubs game today 9/16/11 a ball was hit down the third base line. It ... A: I did not actually see the play in question, however, if a ball goes inside or OVER the base prior ... | |
| interference | 8/15/2011 |
| Q: One out and a runner on third the batter pops up in foul ground. The runner looks up at the ball ... A: All foul balls are strikes, but not all strikes are foul balls!!!!! So that was correct. All ... | |
| interferance | 8/12/2011 |
| Q: One out and a runner on third the batter pops up in foul ground. The runner looks up at the ball ... A: ...The defense always has to be given the opportunity to make a play or catch a fly ball....If it's ... | |
| Pitching Rules | 7/27/2011 |
| Q: We play by High School Rules except we have a continuous batting order. Can a kid pitch the eighth ... A: ... In NFHS baseball rules any starting pitcher may return to the mound as many times as needed ... | |
| Injury at plate during steal and batting out of order | 7/25/2011 |
| Q: Two questions 1. The catcher took a hit to the knee and a runner was going to steal home and headed ... A: The runs do count & should not have come off the books. Once a batter has completed his bat & the ... | |
| Catchers Balk | 7/4/2011 |
| Q: The following happened at a Juniors American Legion Baseball Game. Situation: Bottom of the 7th ... A: WOW....A huge congrats to that umpire!!!!!! He did it exactly correct. I made the same call in a ... | |
| Bizzare play rules question | 6/23/2011 |
| Q: hoping you could provide the answer to a play that stumped a few of us at last nights game. First, ... A: I have to chuckle at the vision of this play unfolding...lol. Well, this is one of those "how ... | |
| Balk / Stepping off | 6/22/2011 |
| Q: I have read that once a pitcher reaches the set position he either has to throw a pitch or pick-off ... A: ... From the set position, you may lift your pivot foot & place it behind the plate without making ... | |
| Foul Ball Pop Up dropped is this ruled an Error or Not ? | 6/12/2011 |
| Q: In H.S. Baseball, when a batter pops up in foul territory with no one on base and the catcher or ... A: Good day...Thanks for the question. This is a judgement call base on the scorekeeper's opinion. The ... | |
| application of force out rule | 6/12/2011 |
| Q: Mullins: Looking for correct application of the force rule under the following circumstances ... A: .... I totally agree w/ you. The force was removed, the batter runner was safe & the run should ... | |
| protest??? | 6/8/2011 |
| Q: Runner on 2nd two outs. Batter is called out at first ,third out. Runnner on 2nd trots across the ... A: OK, I am going to totally disagree w/ you on this one. All good umpires wish to get the call ... | |
| thrown bat striking catcher | 5/28/2011 |
| Q: Game was in a V.F.W. league, 13-15 year old played under Major League rules. Batter after hitting ... A: There are no Major League rules on this subject, unless the local league has a rule then it's not ... | |
| player out of bounds | 5/15/2011 |
| Q: If the first baseman is standing with one or both feet out of bounds when the pitcher releases a ... A: Good morning.... You are correct, it's a rule that many are not aware of, even coaches....I ... | |
| HS baseball player ejection and protest | 5/10/2011 |
| Q: Mullins, Situation: Washington State HS batter hits HR in top of first. Bat found to be illegal ... A: NFHS rules state that the batter is ejected for using an illegal bat, no excuses. The coach should ... | |
| Sr. league bats in youth leagues? | 4/15/2011 |
| Q: My son aged 7 just started playing coach pitch. He is on a team with all 7 year olds and has played ... A: I totally agree w/ your thinking as was mine for years when I coached that age....I had three ... | |
| out of baseline ruling | 4/6/2011 |
| Q: Runners on first and third, two out. Line drive hit to center, runners advance. BUT: runner on first ... A: If, in fact, the base was dirty or covered, etc., that's the ump's responsibility to clean it or ask ... | |
| out of baseline ruling | 4/3/2011 |
| Q: Runners on first and third, two out. Line drive hit to center, runners advance. BUT: runner on first ... A: Sorry for the delay...out of town.... I do not at all understand the "out of the baseline" call, ... | |
| Baserunning | 3/29/2011 |
| Q: I was watching a college baseball game. There was a runner on second base and 0 outs. The batter ... A: Your words were "shallow fly ball"....the runner cannot get to far away as he would have been thrown ... | |
| Youth hitting | 1/7/2011 |
| Q: My son, who will turn 11 in March, set his New Years resolution to be a better hitter. He's a very ... A: Well, little confused here....You sound like a college coach that's just given me a routine to get ... | |
| jr. high | 10/30/2010 |
| Q: Is it legal for jr. high's to have "closed"(no parents around) tryouts at a public park? How bad are ... A: I understand your concern & you are not the first to feel this way.... #1 - Is it legal? Yes, ... | |
| Need some help | 9/24/2010 |
| Q: It was a slow pitch softball league. R1 at first R2 at second no one out. Ground ball to shortstop ... A: I thought you were going to ask a hard one.....Very simple. Ground ball,runners are "forced" to ... | |
| home plate umpire over ruling a call | 8/9/2010 |
| Q: Can a home plate umpire overturn a call at first base without being aske by an appeal? A: That's a loaded question......As the umpire in chief, technically he can but as far as a matter of ... | |
| Bases loaded walk | 7/17/2010 |
| Q: Andrew, I have asked you a couple of questions in the past and you have always done a great job. ... A: A base on balls is an automatic award for runners on base. That being said, the batter runner must ... | |
| fines | 7/14/2010 |
| Q: if a player in pro baseball catches a ball and throws the ball up into the stands does that player ... A: No, the "cost" of baseballs are figured into the game.....so there is no fine. Each umpire crew ... | |
| Umpiring Ruling | 7/8/2010 |
| Q: Two questions regarding dead ball situations. Runner on second base, and the pitcher winds up and ... A: You are correct but in this situation the "start of the play" occurs with the ricochet, not the ... | |
| Umpiring Ruling | 7/7/2010 |
| Q: Two questions regarding dead ball situations. Runner on second base, and the pitcher winds up and ... A: Situation #1 - The runner gets ONE base after the ball becomes dead....so if he is fast %26 has ... | |
| foul ball | 6/28/2010 |
| Q: Andrew, A batted ball hits behind the plate(foul territory?) and rolls back over the plate, where ... A: The definition of a foul ball is "a ball that passes first or third base in foul territory, or a ... | |
| Bat rules | 6/28/2010 |
| Q: I have a son going in to 8th grade. I live in Illinois and can not find out if highschool rules for ... A: The National Federation of High Schools are the governing rules for all 50 states....Please check ... | |
| balk / rule | 6/21/2010 |
| Q: Can a right handed pitcher quickly step and throw to first to pick off a running immediately after ... A: First question is yes.....basically anything can happen until he comes to the set position. After ... | |
| throwing the bat | 6/17/2010 |
| Q: My son is playing Legion ball this summer. Within the past week or so, he's developed a habit of ... A: Yep....toss him from the game. He will know next time. My son started that when he was 14 for some ... | |
| baseball | 6/5/2010 |
| Q: on a force out at third the thirdbaseman knocked the ball down and layed on the ground with the ball ... A: Out....No different than a first baseman catching the ball in his glove & touching the base w/ his ... | |
| pitching | 6/1/2010 |
| Q: My nine year old really likes to pitch. In his baseball league, the limit is 50 pitches per game. ... A: Hard to answer since I do not know the physical & mental makeup of your child, but my initial ... | |
| Base on Ball | 5/27/2010 |
| Q: On a walk if the base runner run through first base can he be tagged out by the defense A: Yes he can be & an alert first basemen will know this. The rule book, in all levels, says the ... | |
| Interference penalty | 5/25/2010 |
| Q: Runner on second. The runner (probably accidentally) interferes with the shortstop fielding a batted ... A: You did not say what level this is, but in most levels the interference call is immediate %26 causes ... | |
| Batting out of order | 5/23/2010 |
| Q: A team has two Ryans, #2 and #4. The manager inadvertently lists Ryan #2 instead of Ryan #4 on the ... A: Really, he is never out of order....A correction on the lineup should be given w/ no penalty to Ryan ... | |
| Baseball rules | 5/21/2010 |
| Q: A runner on second. He is taking a lead. The batter hits a ground ball to the short stop and the ... A: Not enough info to really know for sure, but unless the runner actually %26 physically interfered w/ ... | |
| Umpiring baseball mechanics | 5/20/2010 |
| Q: I umpire baseball for high schools. I just started to get back into it after a 15 year lay off. I am ... A: A professional umpire will always use his LEFT hand....Make it work, Indicators are designed for ... | |
| Scorekeeping on a bunt | 5/19/2010 |
| Q: The situation is less than two outs with a runner on 3rd. The batter is asked to lay down a ... A: The question is, would the batter-runner have made ot to first on his own no matter what....If so, ... | |
| tag at third | 5/8/2010 |
| Q: N.F.H.S. Softball ---Runner on second. Pitcher pitches and runner on second heads for third.Catcher ... A: Has nothing to do w/ where the runner is...If the runner is tagged PRIOR to getting to the bag in ... | |
| Scoring At-Bat | 4/3/2010 |
| Q: Scenario: Runner on 1st, 0 outs. The hitter lays down a sac bunt. The bunt is fielded by the ... A: #2 Did the batter-runner beat out the throw if it was not errant? If so, then it's a hit either ... | |
| Throwing | 3/23/2010 |
| Q: Hey. I play shortstop and my arm used to be in good condition. How can I throw faster and ... A: Well, you will not like my response...... #1 Your question is way to broad for a specific answer ... | |
| Baserunning | 3/9/2010 |
| Q: Why do the experts from this site disagree on whether a runner can return to first once the batter ... A: OK, we will make it simple, %26 I appreciate your extra efforts. Situation: Runner on first. ... | |
| base hit scoring | 2/25/2010 |
| Q: How should I score a ball batted into fair territory and fielded cleanly but no attempt to throw the ... A: Good day....you noted that you had scored it as a hit previously...That's correct, you cannot assume ... | |
| Baserunning | 10/21/2009 |
| 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 ... | |
| Balk rule interpretation | 10/3/2009 |
| 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 ... | |
| Umpire call reversals | 10/1/2009 |
| 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 ... | |
| obstruction at first base | 9/9/2009 |
| 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 ... | |
| Baseball Throwing | 8/30/2009 |
| Q: right now im 15 about 5'8 and play third and second base. Now i have been training with weights ... A: Whew....way to much to respond to in this forum.....I would have to see you in person to cover & ... | |
| rules | 8/7/2009 |
| Q: I have 2 questions about rules. The first is: on a dropped third strike and with first open, a ... A: First situation....A dropped third strike is still considered a "force out" so the run would not ... | |
| close call at second | 7/30/2009 |
| Q: recently a friend told me that if there is a force at second and the ball is thrown to the 2nd ... A: No such thing as a "phantom call".....A base runner must be tagged out via the base or personally by ... | |
| Umpire Interference | 7/10/2009 |
| Q: My son is 12 and plays shortstop in youth baseball leagues with 70 foot basepaths and stealing. ... A: He can ask but we are not obligated to move as we are taught specific areas so we can be in the best ... | |
| Determining the losing pitcher in a high school baseball game | 7/1/2009 |
| Q: Who is the losing pitcher from this game? Pitcher A pitches innings one and two, complete. The ... A: You going to be the one who ticks off the coach? Sometimes, you just pick your battles.....This ... | |
| Determining the losing pitcher in a high school baseball game | 7/1/2009 |
| Q: Who is the losing pitcher from this game? Pitcher A pitches innings one and two, complete. The ... A: Pitcher #1 is the loser..... 10.17 Winning And Losing Pitcher (d) A losing pitcher is a pitcher ... | |
| ball thrown out of play | 6/27/2009 |
| Q: 13U baseball Runners on 2nd and 3rd batter attempts a safety squeeze runner on 3rd gets back ... A: I am assuming into dead ball territory.....If the ball was thrown by an outfielder, then he is ... | |
| Player Balk | 6/26/2009 |
| Q: I am a 9U coach, and not a baseball expert. We play under Official Baseball Rules (not High School ... A: Excellent question & one that most umpires miss....Congrats to this one who has obviously been to a ... | |
| age group | 6/22/2009 |
| Q: I thought you might have some insight so I wanted to pick your brain on this. My son is 9 and ... A: Well I do not personanlly know your son or his playing ability. However, my first tendency is to ... | |
| Batter's interference | 6/17/2009 |
| Q: We play 12u baseball using MLB rules with slight modifications that don't apply here. The play: ... A: The batter's box always belongs to the batter. As long as he is in there, no interferance....None ... | |
| Base runner advancement on dead ball | 6/15/2009 |
| Q: I saw this today in 12U game. Runner on first, no outs. Batter hits fly ball to left field which ... A: WOW, great question...... Once the ball becomes dead, he is awarded TWO bases because the ball was ... | |
| Bat sizes requirements in Junior High | 6/14/2009 |
| Q: My son is going into 7th grade this fall and I was wondering if there are any bat size requirements ... A: The National Federation of High Schools (NFHS.org)governs all rules in all sports in the US....It ... | |
| base running | 6/10/2009 |
| Q: I have heard 2 different answers to this. Can a runner on first base return to first base if the ... A: Yes.....Once the batter runner is out, then 1B becomes "open" for example the 1B man tags first then ... | |
| standing at home plate | 6/9/2009 |
| Q: I have a son who plays little league and when he stands at home plate,to bat, he sets his front ... A: Not on how far back, but you said behind the plate....That's a 17" area reserved for the pitcher & ... | |
| force out | 6/2/2009 |
| Q: but is the glove alone considered part of the body - even if the ball is not in the glove hand? We ... A: #1 stop looking on the internet....Find & read an actual rule book. All rules books say that the ... | |
| Batter Interference | 5/30/2009 |
| Q: Andrew- Here is the situation in a Babe Ruth game. There is a right handed batter with a runner on ... A: The batter's box always belongs to the batter....He can do anything he wishes as long as he stays in ... | |
| Overrules by a Home Plate Umpire | 5/26/2009 |
| Q: In a little league game, with a runner on first, a ground ball is it to the shortstop. The SS opts ... A: No, as a veteran ump myself, I would appreciate & expect my partner to assist in getting the call ... | |
| LEFT PICK OFF MOVE | 5/26/2009 |
| Q: My son is a 13 year left handed pitcher. He was called for a balk the other day while "reading" the ... A: Yes, the rule book says the pitcher must move "in a continuous motion in delivering the ... | |
| Walk and dead ball | 5/23/2009 |
| Q: Rules 7.11 and 7.09(c) address Offensive Interference. I am interested in plays at the plate ... A: OK, I may have confused you & myself here.....Walks are dead ball in NFHS (high school)...others are ... | |
| umpire mistakes | 5/22/2009 |
| Q: Bases loaded with 2 out and batter swings and misses pitch when umpire calls batter out (strike ... A: If it was the umpire's actual fault, then neither team should be penalized.....Redo & move on..... ... | |
| winning pitcher of little league game | 5/22/2009 |
| Q: Used three pitchers. First pitcher pitched 3 inn leaving tied 1-1. Next pitcher pitched 3 inn with ... A: The winning pitcher is always the pitcher of record when you went ahead of the opposing team....So ... | |
| Rules | 5/20/2009 |
| Q: If there is a guy occupying first base and there is a guy on third base, all with two outs, and the ... A: He either has to tag the batter out or throw to first base to get the out. It's not automatic, the ... | |
| Swinging strike | 5/20/2009 |
| Q: If a pitcher throws a ball that hits the ground about 8 ft from the plate rolls and the batter ... A: Yes, any time a batter swings at a pitch & misses, it is an out. By the same token, had the batter ... | |
| Manager pulls own player for behavior | 5/18/2009 |
| Q: Andrew, I asked the question below to another expert, but I had a follow up question, and this ... A: Well number one, I strongly disagree w/ the previous answerer.... Any decent manager better pull an ... | |
| Batter interference | 5/18/2009 |
| Q: Rules 7.11 and 7.09(c) address Offensive Interference. I am interested in plays at the plate ... A: No, remember, walks or base on balls is a dead ball situation. The runners can only advance one ... | |
| Batter interference | 5/18/2009 |
| Q: Rules 7.11 and 7.09(c) address Offensive Interference. I am interested in plays at the plate ... A: The batter's box always belongs to the batter..always. He can never be called for interferance as ... | |
| force or not at 1st base | 5/17/2009 |
| Q: my son was playing first base. batter hits the ball up in the air, son catches ball then drops, ... A: Very good question, very good umpire.....Take the "foot" out of the equation for a moment. What if ... | |
| Runs | 5/13/2009 |
| Q: I am a coach of an 8th grade baseball team. In a game last night there was 1 out runners on 2nd and ... A: Well, there is no rule specifically in this situation, but place yourself as the coach of the ... | |
| Youth Pitching | 5/12/2009 |
| Q: I have three boys and my oldest is ten. He plays little league and I notice that he and every other ... A: As a 17 year veteran coach of highly touted select teams, if I saw anyone throw off speed stuff ... | |
| Pitching Change/Coach | 5/7/2009 |
| Q: During a pitching change, I stayed out on the mound and discussed the situation with the new pitcher ... A: Even though there is not official rule for you to return to the dugout after the change, it's a ... | |
| behind the plate calls | 5/5/2009 |
| Q: I'm a long-time scorekeeper. While sitting up close but high above the guys at the plate, I cannot ... A: The pitch called for tells the catcher where to set up on the plate. The umpire then sets to the ... | |
| Official Scoring - Calculation of Batting Avg with RISP | 4/27/2009 |
| Q: Runner at first base. Batter takes two strikes. Runner steals second. Batter takes third strike. Is ... A: Yes, has nothing to do w/ runners.....The only time no time at bat is counted is a base on balls or ... | |
| Scoring Error | 4/16/2009 |
| Q: My catcher make a throw in an attempt to prevent a stolen base, and the runner is safe, the second ... A: Based on your note, I see the short stop is credited w/ one error, however, it's a two base ... | |
| Runner hit by batted ball | 4/9/2009 |
| Q: Little League, AAA Minors (IF it matters) Runner hit by a batted ball. In what situation is the ... A: The bottom line is if the runner is hit by a batted ball BEFORE a fielder has a chance to make a ... | |
| batters interference | 4/8/2009 |
| Q: Runner on 3rd attempts to score on a wild pitch. The batter is backing out of the batters box to ... A: There does not have to be any actual contact, (e.g. catcher throwing to second & batter interferes ... | |
| Who gets the run? | 4/1/2009 |
| Q: How do you determine which pitcher gets the run when a pitcher comes in in the middle of an inning? ... A: The pitcher that is responsible for a specific runner on base is the charged pitcher.... Example: ... | |
| Base running question | 3/31/2009 |
| Q: In our recreational league, I had a player hit a home run (out of the park), and as he rounded the ... A: You are correct....In all levels from little league to high school to college & the pros, once a ... | |
| throwing arm | 3/29/2009 |
| Q: im a catcher for my high school, im a junior on the varsity squad im a decent blocker but i still ... A: The best way to improve both arms are the proper stretching excercises. It's not necessarily the ... | |
| High School Baseball | 3/26/2009 |
| Q: Is the drop third strike still in play with two outs bases loaded A: Two outs & a dropped thrid strike is a playabler situation no matter who is on base. Gotta run it ... | |
| Fielders Choice | 3/25/2009 |
| Q: Runner is on second base. Batter hits the ball slowly to third baseman, runner at second trys to ... A: The batter runner gets credit for a hit only if he would have gotten a hit beyond the shadow of a ... | |
| RUNNING OVER THE CATCHER | 3/23/2009 |
| Q: I coach 10 and under baseball. Our local recreation department does not have a must slide rule at ... A: #1...No one has a "must slide rule" in any level, it does not exist. #2...You can never "legally ... | |
| pitching adjustments | 3/22/2009 |
| Q: My son is 12 and in the 7th grade, he's a pitcher for Middle School, 6,7, & 8 grade. (60-90 field). ... A: #1...Most state associations will not allow you to play for a rec team while you are engaged in ... | |
| throwing arm | 3/21/2009 |
| Q: im a catcher for my high school, im a junior on the varsity squad im a decent blocker but i still ... A: You lost me when you said you are a catcher & a decent blocker. Seems you went from baseball to ... | |
| 1st Base Obstruction | 3/16/2009 |
| Q: This is a followup to another question on the same subject. I am a Little League AA Division coach. ... A: Definition: Obstruction is an act, intentional or unintentional, as well as physical or verbal, by a ... | |
| catching | 3/6/2009 |
| Q: hey i have a question about a strong throwing arm. I've bought 2 weighted baseballs one i bought ... A: You feel no difference because a "regular" game ball is actually nine ounces in middle through ... | |
| Gloves for pitchers | 3/5/2009 |
| Q: I want to order a Mizuno MVP Prime Series Infield Pitchers Glove 11.50 and i am worried that i ... A: NFHS Rule 1 Article 6: The glove worn by the pitcher that includes the colors white and gray shall ... | |
| Throwing Arm Issues | 2/25/2009 |
| Q: I have a 16 year old son who from 12-14 was a pitcher/catcher. I tried preventing the dual actions ... A: I do not apologize for my answers....I assume you wanted the truth & my opinion or you would not ... | |
| baseball | 2/21/2009 |
| Q: Im 19 yrs old, 6'1 and weight about 180. I throw about 85 now and was wondering if there is ... A: Nutrition & food intake is the first item to consider believe it or not......Find you a good local ... | |
Baseball Instruction
Answers by Expert:
Andrew Mullins
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
40 years as a NHFS (high school), NAIA & NCAA (college) umpire....Expert on rules & mechanics knowlege from Dizzy Dean to pro.
Experience
I also coached w/ primarily select teams (15-18) for over 15 years. I have assisted over 30 players move on to D1 & pro status.
Organizations
TSSAA, NAIA, NCAA, NASO
Education/Credentials
Two college degrees & two masters.
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