Quote:
Originally posted by harmbu
We had a close play at first last night where the throw is up the line toward home plate and the first baseman is clearly off the bag. The first baseman takes the throw and attempts a tag. The base umpire calls safe and the defensive coach comes out saying that there was a tag. The base umpire looked to the plate umpire for help. There was no immediate call and they got together with the defensive coach. The plate umpire's explanation was that he did see a tag but he couldn't say for sure if the runner had hit the base before the tag. The base umpire said that he knew that the first baseman was off the bag, but he couldn't be sure when the tag happened.
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BU is responsible for this call. He can elect to solicit additional information from his partner if he has doubt and thinks his partner may have seen a crucial element of the play. In this case, that crucial element would be whether a tag was or was not made -
not, however, the
timing of the tag. BU has to have seen at least the attempted tag, and he has to be aware of the timing of the tag attempt with respect to the runner's reaching the bag.
There are 3 acceptable ways this play could play out, and 1 unacceptable way. Best case - BU makes the necessary adjustment to get the angle, and sees the tag made and makes the call without needing or going for help. Second best case, BU sees the tag attempt, realizes it was in time to get the out IF a good tag was achieved, and immediately goes to his partner "Did you see a tag?" The partner replies with what he's got, and BU makes the call "Then he's [out/safe]." Third best case, BU calls safe, but realizes there was a tag attempt and sees defensive coach coming out to make his "appeal." Because he has reasonable doubt, he agrees to go to his partner to solicit additional information. This conference happens WITHOUT the defensive manager in attendance, and it happens FAST. "Did you have a tag?" PU: "Yes, but I don't know ..." BU: "If you had a tag that's all I need." BU, to participants: "On the tag, the runner is OUT."
The unacceptable way of handling this play is the way it actually happened, as described. BU allowed defensive coach to listen in on his conference, and he failed to get aspects of the call (the timing of the tag attempt) that were his and his alone, that his partner could not be expected to help him with.