YBE 158: Rules Every Coach Should Know Before Arguing With Umpires, Part 1, with Brandon Jackson

Admit it. You think you know the rules as much as the umpires do. I'll bet you don't. Brandon Jackson, former umpire at the D1/DII/DIII level, explains some rules coaches ought to know before going out to argue with the umpires. In this episode, we focus on interference vs obstruction and balks in Part 1 of a four-part (!) interview. Plus Rob answers the Question of the Week (1:06:34) about how to control young teams in the dugout.

In this 1-hour-12-minute episode, you'll learn:

• Brandon's favorite rule (7:26)
• Brandon's least favorite rule (7:43)
• what's the difference between interference and obstruction (10:53)
• whether a fielder can fool a runner to slide instead of going to the next base (18:06)
• how many bases are awarded when a defender obstructs a runner [from Marc S] (21:42)
• if a runner is out if he misses a base that is awarded on an overthrow (23:45)
• whether it's obstruction if a runner contacts a fielder who is in the basepath just as he is catching the ball [from Colin] (24:20)
• what is a legal way for the runner to get home if the catcher is blocking the plate [from Marc R] (26:23)
• what are the different types of balks (28:33)
• whether the pitcher can throw to the base ahead of a stealer when the pitcher is still on the rubber [from Nic] (32:33)
• whether the pitcher can throw to an unoccupied base in an appeal situation while the pitcher is still on the rubber (34:05)
• whether the pitcher can throw to a base with a runner but no fielder (34:46)
• whether it's a balk if the third baseman is outside the foul line when the pitcher picks off to 3B (37:56 & 40:20)
• whether it's a balk if the first baseman has a foot in foul territory while holding the runner on [from Nic] (38:43)
• whether a balk makes the ball dead [from Chris] (40:42
• what umpires are looking for on balks and what is borderline fringe [from Don] (45:47)
• whether balks are different for lefties to 1B vs righty pitchers to 3B [from Mike] (49:34)
• whether pitchers can pick off from the windup [from Mike] (52:17)
• whether base awards are different from pickoffs while on the rubber vs off the rubber (53:45)
• what is "deceptive motion" on a balk [from John] (55:10)
• what is the rule on the 3-1 pick [from Matt] (57:47)
• what is the rule for lefty pickoffs to 1B/righty pickoffs to 3B and whether a pitcher can run off the mound from the stretch [from Marc R] (59:30)
• whether a pitcher can vary their windup style [from Marc R] (1:03:00)

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Resources and links mentioned in this episode

• Close Call Sports

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