Answer Key to 2013 IBUA Class Final Exam
Below is the answer key to the 2013 IBUA course final exam, given on March 12, 2013. All the answers below are correct (Matt Powers sent out a version with a few "trick" answers; this key contains only correct answers).
1. With bases loaded and no outs, the batter hits a line-drive to the shortstop, who intentionally drops the ball and then turns a 6-4-3 double play. The runner on 3rd scores. What is the umpire’s action?
ANSWER: Dead ball, the batter is out and the runners return to their base at the time of the pitch.
2. During his warm-ups, the starting pitcher pulls a muscle and claims he cannot pitch. What is the umpire action?
ANSWER: He may be replaced and return to play, but not return to pitch.
3. What is the main difference between a foul-tip and a foul ball?
ANSWER: Foul tip is live, while a foul ball is dead.
4. The batter purposely leans into a high 3-0 pitch at his shoulders and is hit. What is the umpire’s action?
ANSWER: Time, and the batter is awarded first base, if the pitch was judged out of the strike zone.
5. What determines if the pitcher is in the wind-up or the set position?
ANSWER: The position of his feet.
6. Runners are required to slide when…
ANSWER: Never (yes, even in NFHS).
7. With a runner on third, the batter hit a high pop-up in foul territory. The 3rd baseman and the runner accidentally collide in foul territory. This prevents the ball from being caught. What do you do with the runner and batter?
ANSWER: Dead ball, runner is out and a strike is added to the count.
8. When do the umpires become the sole judge of safe playing conditions and determine if the game should be halted?
ANSWER: When he first puts the ball in play to start the game.
9. What electronic devices may a coach use while in the coach’s box?
ANSWER: None.
10. With 1 out, 1-1 count, the runner on 2nd is stealing 3rd, but the batter interferes with the catcher’s throw to third, but the runner is thrown out anyway. What does the umpire do?
ANSWER: Ignore the interference, since the runner was retired.
11. Same as #10, but the runner stealing 3rd was safe. What does the umpire do?
ANSWER: Enforce the interference. Batter out, runner returns to 2nd.
12. A throw from the outfield to home is going to retire the runner by at least 20 feet, but the throw hits the field umpire and goes out of play. What is the call?
ANSWER: Painful, but play on. Since the ball went out of play, award each runner two bases from the time of the throw.
13. Bases loaded with no outs, the batter hits a high fly deep to centerfield, which a caught. The runner at third legally tags up and scores. The runner at second goes back to second, tags up and legally goes to third. The runner that started at first ends up at second, but the defense claims he never tagged up. Neither umpire was watching this runner. What do you do?
ANSWER: “I have got him tagging, coach”.
14. In a non-force situation, two runners are standing on the same base at the same time and the defense tags both runners. Which is out?
ANSWER: The lead runner is safe, while the trailing runner is out.
15. Same as #14, but it is a force situation?
ANSWER: The lead runner is out, while the trailing runner is safe.
16. An outfielder catches a fly ball on the run, takes 5 more steps with the ball firmly in his glove, but then collides with a teammate and the ball falls to the ground. What is the call?
ANSWER: No catch.
17. As long as the base coach has both feet in the coach’s box, he does not need to get out of the way of a defensive player that is making a play on a batted or thrown ball. True or False?
ANSWER: False.
18. Is an unannounced player an illegal player and penalized as an illegal player?
ANSWER: There is no penalty for an unannounced player.
19. On a play at the plate, the runner lowers his shoulders, knocks over the catcher and the ball comes loose and the runner scores. What does the umpire do?
ANSWER: The runner is out and ejected. The run does not score.
20. The batter hits a ball in the gap for what could be a double. The first baseman is standing on first base and the batter-runner must maneuver around him to touch the base. The first baseman and batter-runner never actually touch each other. The runner is thrown out at second base. What do the umpires do?
ANSWER: This is umpire judgment, but it looks like defensive obstruction. The batter-runner is awarded 2nd.
21. A runner is on first and stealing. The batter nicks/tips the pitch with his bat. The ball hits the catcher’s chest protector and drops into the catcher’s mitt. Is this a foul tip or a foul ball? What does the umpire do with the runner who is now at second base?
ANSWER: This is a foul ball and the runners return to their base at the time of the pitch.
22. The defensive team’s center fielder gets hurt on a play and must leave the game, but there are only 9 players at the game, so there is no one to replace him. What do the umpires do?
ANSWER: After the game has begun, you can play with 8.
23. With runners at first and third, the defensive coach calls time and huddles his 2nd baseman and shortstop to discuss how to handle the runner on first, if he steals. Is this a charged defensive conference?
ANSWER: This is a charged defensive visit.
24. With a runner at third, as the pitcher starts his delivery, the batter asks for time, raises his hand and begins to move to the far outside of the batter’s box. The pitcher stops his deliver because he saw this. Is this a ball, balk, or something else?
ANSWER: It is neither a ball nor a balk. It is nothing, start over.
25. Bases loaded. After a foul ball, the defensive coach correctly points out that the runner at first did not go all the way back to first and retag the base before the next pitch. What does the umpire do?
ANSWER: It is the umpire’s job to assure that the runners retag after a dead ball. There is no penalty if they do not.