Quote:
Originally Posted by Big Slick
I may be a bit mistaken. I'm looking at a 2015 ASA manual and the page I remember isn't there. NFHS manual used to have the same one page, showed a diagram of the foul umpires between innings.
But there wasn't anything else beside: revert to a 3 umpire system when an umpire chases. I'll look at the fed manual later.
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See, I am not imagining anything:
http://il-ssoa.com/pdfs/2010-2011-Umpires-Manual.pdf
Ok, I found this online, from the 2010-2011 NFHS mechanics manual. Pages 71 - 72 (is this enough citation for copyright issues?). This EXACT page used to exist in the ASA mechanics manual, but I'm not sure when it was removed (I don't keep old copies, but I just happened to have a 2015 version, and this page isn't there):
FOUR-UMPIRE SYSTEM —
FAST PITCH AND SLOW PITCH
The four-umpire system provides an umpire at every base, allowing for the best possible coverage for force or tag plays at each base, or on outfield fly balls.
With the four-umpire system, one of the three base umpires will always go to the outfield on each fly ball or line drive hit over any infielder’s head. The second base umpire is responsible for the outfield area from the left to the right fielder. He/she will spend more time in the outfield observing possible trapped balls or balls near the fence which may bounce over (under) or go over on the fly, than he/she will in making calls at second base. The first base umpire is responsible for all balls hit between the right fielder and the dead-ball line, and the third base umpire is responsible for all balls hit between the left fielder and the dead-ball line. (note: there is a diagram of the "chase zone/areas").
When any of the umpires go out, the remaining three umpires revert to a three umpire system of coverage as previously covered. This is true not only for tag ups on all fly balls, but also for all force out or tag plays in the infield. Remember, when a base umpire goes out on a play to the outfield, he/she should ALWAYS stay out until all play has ceased.
Between-inning mechanics are the same as the three-umpire system with the second base umpire staying in the out field area (Figure 34 - which is a diagram of the between innings locations: U2 just "north" of second, U3 and U1 off their respective foul lines).