Special Article
The Complaint Department
Norm Gordon, Situation Management Coordinator
Steve Levine, Assistant Situation Management Coordinator
As Norm Gordon wrote in a recent issue of Blue Crew News, due to the volume of calls, emails, and texts the Association was receiving from coaches, administrators, fans, and umpires about “things that happened” in our baseball games, starting in 2024, he agreed to be the point person for these “complaints” for high school and recrecation level baseball. Steven Levine began his apprenticeship in 2025.
While the Office of the Situation Management Coordinator (SMC) receives, investigates and attempts to resolve issues that are referred to it, the members of the association, might benefit in hearing about the various situations and complaints the SMC encounters, how they were investigated and handled, and suggestions for best practices in handling these situations should they be encountered by members in the future. With these occasional stories, members have a behind-the-scenes look at issues facing all umpires.
In this issue, we will describe the misapplication of a rule in which a post-game inquiry was made by one of the teams. After consultation with the umpires and review of a video of the play in question, it was acknowledged by the field umpires that they were incorrect in their application of the rules, as detailed below, and the error was acknowledged by the Association. (A video of the play was made available to SCM but, in order to preserve the anonymity of the game officials, we are not including it here.)
The following events were the basis of the play:
- Ground ball to F1, threw to F3 who was clearly a foot or more off first base. However, the batter was called out by BU;
- R2 advanced to third base on the play;
- 3rd base coach asked for time, which was granted, while there were still several defensive players on the field;
- After time was granted, R2, who was standing on third base, causally jogged in and touched the plate;
- The umpires had a conference, and properly changed the call at first from out to safe;
- R2 was permitted to score from third even though he was clearly standing on third when time was requested and granted.
The issue raised was whether R2 should have been allowed to score or should have been returned to third base. Under the Rules, when the ball is dead, or play is suspended, no runner may advance beyond the base to which he is entitled. See Rules 2-29-1, 5-1, 8-2-2. (See also MLB Rule 5.06c which incorporates the rule in one sentence, unlike NFHS.)
With the benefit of hindsight, the game umpires agreed that they were mistaken in allowing R2 to score on the play in question. The umpires reported to SCM that they reviewed this play extensively in their post-game discussion, and came to the conclusion that they should have taken more time to go over all aspects of the play before rendering their decision. These umpires are veteran, high quality officials who rarely make an error on such an unusual play.
SCM advised the complaining coach that when the plate umpire signaled that the run scored, the best course of action for him at that point would have been to appeal the misapplication of the rule, and consult with the umpires and ask them to review the play with rule book assistance, if needed. In NFHS/VHSL baseball such a situation is officially a “protest” by the coach. Both NFHS and VHSL require the umpires to resolve such a protest before resuming play. See Rule 10-3i-1. Had that happened, it is very possible that the situation might have been corrected as required.
What should have happened: The erroneous out call at first ended the inning so at that point the ball was dead. The runner, R2, at third casually jogged in and touched home while the ball was dead. The umpires conferred and changed the out call to safe at first. The batter was returned to first base, and the runner, R2, who scored should have been returned to third.
We will try to bring more of these situations to the membership so that we may all gain insight as to how to handle various “sticky” situations.