Reading CC exerpt from his new book makes me remember the biggest cluster boink I was involved with last year. So YOU BE THE JURY. This is simply a question of umpire mechanics, botched mechanics, and decisions on getting help, then what to do with it. Here is the story as it really happened.. YOUR JOB is evaluate what was done. Do you PRAISE the antlered one, or do you load up the 20 gauge?
Quick background.. I am a "mid tier" 4th year umpire with my association. I have 400 Assoc games, and maybe 40 or more at the level of THIS GAME.
I am assigned a game in the Connie Mack State Tourny, 17-18 year olds, very high level, all varsity players. I am teamed with a VET 20 year guy, D1 tier. (Highest). I'm told matter of factly I have bases.
Tight, good game, no problems, good work by both of us each end... now in the 6th inning....
R1, 1 out, grounder to F4.. I step, and turn with ball, and watch the DP try, the flip to F6. I might be thinking already about the relay, I'm "leaning" toward making my 3 step move toward first. I know I kept my eyes on the "play", but..
Anyway, the flip to SS, call "OUT" and halt my move toward first, the play breaks down, there is a scramble at bag, R1 has overslid, ball is on ground, F6 gets ball, legs and arms all over.
My mind is screaming OH CRAP!! I am not sure what just happened, obviously, F6 booted the relay, but did he drop on a transfer, or did he just muff it.. The fact is, I have NO IDEA. (Digression, I KNOW my mistake here, bad timing, too quick. But back to the reality). I make a split second decision (called a GUESS), and adamently go back to the play and announce and demonstrate, "Runners OUT, dropped on the TRANSFER!!" I was telling myself... pullleeeze be right about this.. I had a 50 50 shot.
Ooops. Time called, here comes 3b coach, the manager, he is talking wiht me on infield, he is hot, but reserved, "Mike, that was definitely not a Tranfer, he just dropped it, I don't think you had a good look at that, what did you see, etc"
I tell him matter of factly that I saw the ball dropped on a transfer attempt and the runner is going to be out.
"Mike, you can't let this happen, its too close, bla bla, would you please check with Zeke (PU), just ask him what he saw?" I look toward home and there is Zeke, standing in front of plate at military attention, mask at his side.
I'm thinking GODDAMN... "Stay here, " I tell coach and I walk toward plate. Zeke doesn't move. I get to him and he says, "What do you want?"
"Zeke, I will tell you, I confess to you now that my mind just did not register what happened there, and my call of OUT on transfer was a GUESS.. I have no idea. So I am going to ask you, Did you SEE the play, and if so what did you see?
"Mike, I saw everything, the SS just MISSED the relay, flubbed it, there was NO transfer!"
"This is too important, and I want this to be right. If that is the way it happened then I want it called that way, do you support this"
"Do what you think is right"
I went back out, announced that the Runner was SAFE, the ball was dropped at 2nd. OF COURSE there is a minutes long @#%$house from the OTHER side. NO body gets tossed. They deserved alot of rope.. I @#% up, so I stood and listened and let them have their say and they finally relented.
Finally, back to baseball, and of course this is crucial as the team at bat now scores 4 or 5 runs, takes the lead, and eventually wins.
I am, of course, told by the stands and others that I am a snake, dog, blind, idiot, etc etc as we leave.
But to both sides credit, we are NOT visited at our cars in parking lot, nothing more is said, just another game.
End of story. I won't skew your eval by saying what "Crusty" told me afterwards.
But what is YOUR review of what I did?
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