It has to be the start of another season. Let's take a minute and really look at the questions from tonight's game: "The batter-runner stops at first (or any base) and takes off for second (next) when the fielder throws the ball to the pitcher? Is the ball still alive?"

Yes, the ball is alive. The ball remains alive until the umpire calls "time" at which point the ball becomes dead. It is important to realize what you are really asking however. Your question was not so much about live ball / dead ball but is really about the difference between the level of play you are now coaching at compared with the level you were coaching at last year.

In the earliest levels of baseball and softball rules are often modified to make it more of a game and less of a traumatic experience for the younger player. At one level as soon as the fielder throws the ball all the runners must stop advancing, in another, as soon as the ball arrives on the infield whether caught or not, every runner returns to the base. Some leagues use a "as soon as the ball is in the pitching circle" while others use the "pitcher with the ball on the rubber" rule. Mistakenly some coaches and players refer to this as a "dead ball situation" which may be the cause of the confusion.

But now we are playing baseball, and pretty close to the official rule book. None of these earlier situations apply. The ball is alive and remains alive at all times unless the umpire rules otherwise. This leads to the answer to your second question:

If the ball is alive, can the fielder ask for time before returning the ball to the pitcher? The answer is "YES" he can ask for time. Will I give it to him? NO, but he can ask. If he, an infielder, has a really good reason and no plays are imminent that might change my mind, but there has to be a reason to interrupt the natural flow and balance of the game.

You were right in noting that so many coaches in your 7-12 yr. old league are sending their runners anticipating either the fielder or pitcher will fumble the ball before the pitcher steps on the rubber. I also sympathize with your observation that they appear to be taking advantage of immature players and running up the score for the sake of winning vs instructing the game and having fun.

As an umpire I might give you a word to the wise: at your next practice have the outfielders throw the ball in via a player other than the pitcher. There is no rule that says that you have to throw to the pitcher. Bring the ball to the infield via the second baseman or shortstop. Now you can have at least one other player backing up the throw in. (One successful coach I have seen teaches his players to run the ball into the infield if it isn't hit too deep.) That intermediary player then freezes the action before delivering to the pitcher.

Your next questions raised one important issue though. In your league leading off is not permitted. A runner who leads off may be sent back as will the other runners. You wanted to know if the other coaches were correct when "They said the ball is not DEAD until the pitcher has it under control and steps on the rubber. I say the play stopped at the base the runner stopped forward motion at."

"They" are wrong. The ball is never dead just because the pitcher has it. If the pitcher drops the ball the proper call would be "balk" (although most leagues and umpires really give some latitude with this age level) so the ball cannot be dead. If the pitcher dropped the ball and it rolls across a foul line the call would be "ball." The fact that you have to ask the umpire for "time" before switching a base coach or talking to your batter etc. clearly shows the ball is not dead.

"They" were wrong because in this situation the rubber means nothing. It is a hangover from sand lot days. "Get the ball to the pitcher, get the ball to the pitcher .... hey blue, he has to go back to third, the pitcher had the ball on the rubber." Unless your league has specific "rubber stops everything" rules, sorry.

Given your leading off rules you are almost right. Once the runner stops his/her motion at a base, and the pitcher is on the rubber with the ball, and the catcher is in the box ready to receive (not necessarily crouching down) the runner is GLUED to the bag. (Did you notice there was not mention of the batter!) The runner cannot advance forward from the base until the ball reaches the batter. (Now the batter is mentioned) If the glue is applied and the runner dances off the penalty will be imposed.

It might be argued that upon touching a base the advancing runner cannot leave and therefore must "stick" to the bag, but as you correctly noted, nothing says the runner must stop his forward (or backward) motion. If play is continuous the runner can continue as well.

Likewise the potential for live ball play does not stop however, with the leading off rules, we have a time in game play where certain specific conditions must be met and a balance achieved. It is what I like to refer to as the invisible "GLUE RULE." Everything sticks for a moment.

Your next question reveals hte delicate balance: "but what if my runner stopped off the bag after rounding first, and the pitcher and catcher are in place?" Well one of the conditions is not being met, the runner is not on any bag and therefore cannot leave something they are not on in the first place. Play is ongoing and the defense must respond accordingly.

An example from last season might help underscore this: With a runner on third the batter hit a bouncer to the shortstop who makes no play but freezes R3. Now with runners on first and third, the new R1 has rounded the base and is letting up at least 12 feet along the path to second base. The pitcher has the ball on the rubber, the catcher is in the box, the batter is coming out of the dugout. With all the commotion from the dugout about the "runner at first having to go back to first because the pitchers on the rubber" going on the runner from third scored the winning run without even an attempt at a play.

In this case, the pitcher was on the rubber with the ball but play was still ongoing. The rubber does not kill the ball and the play, the umpire does. The coach asked, "What was I to do?" and the response has to be "let the runner get to second unchallenged and/or worry more about the runner in scoring position."

Finally you asked, "What if the pitcher delivered with a runner off the bag in a situation such as above?" A good umpire would not allow this to happen usually by controlling the batter and not letting him/her near the box. Remember, a quality plate umpire has also moved out on the preceding play and will not even behind the plate. Umpires are trained to call time before they return to their proper field position especially if they are well out of place. In the most unlikely situation that the runner is off the bag, the batter in the box and the pitcher sets and instantly delivers, first I'd have to see the play but I'm afraid it might be a quick pitch or illegal pitch and other rules now apply. Unless it is in your rules or case studies nothing compels a runner to return to a base in these situations that I am aware of.

Yes, there are many accommodations that can be made to make a better game for the younger players who are being instructed in this great sport. It is important however not to use terms that have a special meaning in later years. I would be very careful about using "dead ball" and "live ball" outside of their full, proper context. As you move up you see how it can cause problems not only for your players but for you as a coach.

Great questions! Ask anytime.

Still calling them as I see them,

... written March 29, 1997