Quote:
Originally posted by jumpmaster
1) outs, runners not important. BR hits a shot to CF gap that rolls to the fence. I observe him rounding second but do not SEE him step on the bag. As BR pulls into 3rd for a stand up triple F5, F6 and F1 start chirping "he missed the bag, he missed the bag" almost at the same time. I steal a quick glance at U1 and he is heading back to A. I steal a quick look at BR he looks at me like "oh $h!+, I'm screwed". One of BRs teammates yells "Go back". F1 throws to F4, who steps on 2B. I call the out. I didn't see it, my partner didn't see it. I have to make a decision and live with it based on the circumstances surrounding the situation. As BR's teammates take the field, then new F8 runs by me and says "great call, he missed it by a mile". What I learned ALWAYS watch the foot hit the bag and it never hurts to be lucky.
|
This story reminds me of my college playing days. Keep the following in mind as you move up the food chain:
When I played college ball, one of the bench warmers had the job of watching all runners touch the bases. Another bench warmer, usually me, had the job of watching the UMPIRES watch the runners touch the bases. When I saw an umpire fail to watch a runner touch a base, I quietly informed the coach.
Upon hearing this from me, sometimes the coach would yell at the players to appeal. He would yell for an appeal even if the runners had in fact, touched the bases. The fact that the umpires had not watched for this was the basis for an appeal.
Twice, in my college career, the coach was able to buy an out, when in fact, the runner had touched the base. On those occasions, we had an umpire just like you, who was guessing.
We got a double benefit from this deception. In both cases, an ejection from the other team followed.
Peter