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1) The batter fouls one off his foot and the PU is completely screened. He jumps out, mask in hand and indicates "Fair" as the catcher scoops it up and fires to first. I am the BU and see it hit the batter from over 90 feet away - he's just three - how could I possibly overrule his call? Experience, good eyes and the knowledge that my partners trust my judgement.
A batter being hit by a ball IS a shared call. And it is still NOT the BU's call of fair or foul, ONLY of TIME! It's still up to the PU whether the ball was fair or foul.
2) The "caught" foul tip, that really wasn't. I've been on both sides of this bad boy. The PU is blocked and by the time he can get a good look, the catcher is up and firing it to third.
A specific example as listed in the MLBUM where a BU may step in and help.
3) The ubiquitous check swing. The PU calls "Ball" and mumbles "No he didn't" to the catcher. The head coach asks for the appeal and the field ump (don't care which side) signals "Strike". Okay, so we chase him out of the parking lot, but from his angle, it was clear.
If asked, of course you give an honest response. But suppose the PU or the coach never ask. As BU, do you step in and announce a strike anyway?
4) I've also had the royal pain of having a batter step into the box with an illegal bat while I'm in the field. Remember, in Fed we check the bats and hats prior to the game and I alerted the team that the bat could not be used. The smarty thinks I won't notice when he steps in the box during his second AB. Wrong! I'll bet you've never seen that one called by the field umpire.
Another case where you are not overruling your partner. If ANY ump sees illegal equipment, then by all means, call it. And you are right, I have never seen a BU call an illegal bat, but if he does, I have no problem with it, unless I have already said it's legal. Now we have to have a talk.
5) I'm in "C" last year, working with a rookie - good guy, but very green. The pitch comes inside, a 40 mph curve and the kid leans his elbow into it. He calls "Time" and awards first base. The defensive coach comes out and asks him to ask me for help. Great, now I've got to bail him out! The coach was right, my partner was wrong. I talked to my partner and asked him if he thought the kid intentionally leaned into it. He said it doesn't matter. Now, I've got a headache...I tell him the rule and ask him to put the guy back in the box. Since it hit him in the strike zone, it is a strike. The offensive coach and I go way back. He doesn't say "Boo", because he knows what happened and he was up by six runs. The umps have a post game at our trunks and he says he was nervous and wanted to impress me. We've all been there.
You had to rectify a RULE mistake. As soon as he said "it didn't matter", now you have a rules issue. If he had said, "the ball did not hit the player in the strike zone and he made an attempt to avoid", you're stuck, because it's HIS call!
The MLBUM lists certain instances where a umpire may OFFER help to a partner:
-Deciding whether a fly ball that left the playing field was fair or foul
-Deciding whether a batted ball left the playing field for a home run or a ground rule double
-Cases where a foul tip is dropped by the catcher, causing it to become a foul ball
-Cases where an umpire clearly errs in judgment because a ball is dropped or juggled after making a tag or a force
-Spectator interference plays
-Balks called by an umpire who clearly did not realize the pitcher's foot was off the rubber
It also goes on to say:
"Some judgment calls are not subject to reversal. These include: Steal and other tag plays (except where the ball is dropped without the umpire's knowledge); force plays (when the ball is not dropped or the foot is not pulled); and balls and strikes (other than check swings). Also, some calls cannot be reversed without creating larger problems. An example is a catch/no catch situation with multiple runners."
It also says: "Managers are not entitled to a second opinion just because they dispute a call."
Put the shoe on the other foot. You are the plate ump, I am the BU.
1) Pitch comes in belt high, splitting the plate. You call it a ball. I KNOW it was a strike. I call time and come tell you you missed it, I SAW it split the plate at the belt.
2) You call a runner out at the plate on a banger, but I saw the runner sneak his foot in. I call time and tell you the runner is safe.
3) You have a possible OBS play on the catcher at the plate. You decide it was not OBS as the catcher was in the act of fielding the ball. But I KNOW the ball was at least 20' away from the catcher at the time. I call OBS from B on your play at the plate.
4) Or the one we have discussed at least twice: checked swing. You, the catcher, nor the coach ask you to ask for help. But I KNOW he went around, so I chime in "Strike" from my spot down in A.
Are these ridiculous examples? Of course, but so was the original premise: the BU called the runner safe, but you, the PU KNEW the F1 touched the base, so you come down to tell me I missed the call, and in the interest of "getting it right", we need to change it.
Get out of here - it's not your call. If I need your help, I know where you are.
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