Quote:
Originally posted by Tim C
However, if we truly buy into "Angle over Distance", then the PU staying home gives that edge.
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Tee: We are now in the 21st century. The major league umpires always score first in any poll asking respondents which professional official does the best job. That's because they are typically waiting at a base for a play to occur. They need not move for position; they don't have to view the play from behind. They are ready: One play, one call.
That cannot occur when the BU takes the batter-runner all the way to third; uh, oops, I mean to the shortstop, where the BR realized he needed to return to second -- and did.
There is no amount of rationalization that can be adduced to prove the above statement wrong.
For more than 50 years the PRO mechanic was: BU takes the batter-runner to second. As soon as BR commits to third, BU moves to the plate-edge of the working area, prepared to cover the plate if necessary (overthrow at third). The PU, meanwhile, has
walked down to third and is waiting for the BR to arrive. No umpire is "busting" because
both umpires are working.
The Childress Principles for
Mechanics for the 21st Century are both in place: (1) The umpire is waiting at the base. That means there is an umpire in front of and behind the advancing runner. (2) The umpire is stationed for the most likely place. The BU (at the mound) can cover second or the plate.
The mechanic changed in the 70s because of FAT plate umpires who were just too lazy to do their jobs. Officials of amateur games quickly followed because....
Tee: I am convinced that having an umpire on the spot at third is much more important than cleaning your glasses or tugging on your underwear, or whatever mundane, non-vital duties you thought up to occupy yourself while the BU was covering, first, second, third, and second.
You might as well fire up your cell phone, call your broker, and make a few trades. If you don't cover third, you don't have anything important to do on the diamond, that's for damn sure.
[Edited by Carl Childress on Feb 13th, 2001 at 09:25 AM]