Thread: Foul ball
View Single Post
  #4 (permalink)  
Old Tue Mar 19, 2019, 02:31pm
Manny A Manny A is offline
Stirrer of the Pot
 
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Lowcountry, SC
Posts: 2,380
Quote:
Originally Posted by ilyazhito View Post
This refers to chasing a foul ball that goes towards a fence for a possible catch/no catch scenario. Both the plate umpire and 1st base umpire, if the ball is down the right field line (or plate umpire and 3rd base umpire, if the ball is down the left field line and there is a 3 or 4 umpire crew) converge on the area where the foul ball is coming down (near a fence, in this case), and watch the fielder attempting to catch the ball. The umpire to whom the fielder turns will make the catch-no catch decision, and the other umpire will determine if the fielder was in live-ball territory when the catch was made, or if there was interference with the fielder. Because the umpires converge on the scene around foul ball, they are boxing in the play. This is what your director most likely referred to.
Just one correction, and that's that the ball is somewhere between home and first base or third base. If the ball is further down the right or left field lines, the PU has no responsibility to make that call unless his/her partner doesn't chase, or is not in position to chase.
__________________
"Let's face it. Umpiring is not an easy or happy way to make a living. In the abuse they suffer, and the pay they get for it, you see an imbalance that can only be explained by their need to stay close to a game they can't resist." -- Bob Uecker
Reply With Quote