Quote:
Originally Posted by Big Slick
I'm saying that IMO (and really, my option plus $1 gets you a cup of coffee at Sheetz, but you have to bring your own mug) the CAA 4 umpire mechanics are written for a small group of individuals and do not generalize to the larger world of fastpitch softball.
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The "larger world of fastpitch softball" doesn't use 4-man. Yes, you mentioned WBSC, but that's just one organization. I would also include in that "larger world" USA Softball, NFHS, USSSA, NSA, PONY, and all the other variants of women's fast pitch. None of those others in the "larger world" have changed.
Sure, there are "rogue" high school associations that, for whatever reason, want to use four umpires in certain post-season championships. But where do they go to get their approved four-man mechanics? Certainly not the NFHS Softball Umpires Manual.
Same with USA Softball. You won't see a National Tournament use four umpires. At least not now; maybe things will change now that NCAA went there. There may be some local associations that go with four-man, but they, too, are flying by the seat of their Fechheimers when it comes to mechanics.
I attended an NCAA meeting last week, and there was discussion of four-man starting out in the bigger conferences to prep for post-season. I wouldn't be surprised if it goes beyond that pretty soon, moving into the smaller conferences and lower divisions.