Quote:
Originally Posted by gstelmack
The problem I have with this is shouldn't the umpire have simply called the guy at the plate out automatically once the tag was applied to Pierre?
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Nope. The umpire's job is generally to serve as an arbitrator when a play is made. That's why he calls balls and strikes and fair and foul balls.
In order to call safe or out, there needs to be a play, which requires either a fly ball and a defensive player, or an offensive player, a defensive player, and the ball. Without all three of those elements, you have no play, and thus, no need for a ruling from the umpire.
The exception is if an appeal is made on a rules basis, as Arizona ought to have done here. There was no play at the plate, and thus no safe/out call necessary from the home plate umpire, but there was, potentially, a rules violation. Had Arizona appealed to the umpiring crew for a ruling, then the umpire's arbitrator role comes into play - yes, he broke the rule, he's out. No, he didn't break the rule, he's safe.
About the only rules I can think of where the umpire is supposed to actively assert control are the balk rule and the ball being touched by a spectator while in play. In virtually every other scenario, the umpire is merely the arbitrator. He's safe, he's out. It's a ball, it's a strike. The ball is foul, the ball is fair.
Because no appeal for arbitration was made on Ethier and he scored before Pierre was tagged out, the run is valid.