[WindyCityBlue]

OHMYGOD!!!!

What are they teaching in Wisconsin? I have several Master level friends beyond the Cheddar Curtain, so I know what's up. The original post - the same one that I have referenced in everyone of my replies - talks about a ball fielded by the first baseman. We don't know where, but the let's assume that the PU actually understands that he handles the Fair/Foul call up to the base. His first commitment isn't to charge up to third because R1 might pass second and head there, it is to insure whether the ball is Fair. Remember, Gordon said he was in "B", so he does not have an angle. Next, we are taught to follow the ball. Who has it? The first baseman scoops it up and flips it to the pitcher who is running to the bag. I think it is safe to assume that these were not professional athletes, so they probably aren't handling this like Greg Maddux. Now, assuming the finest conditioned umpires in the world, how many steps can he get after he sees that the first baseman will not be throwing to third, but will go to first? Again, logic dictates, that it won't be more than a couple. So, one guy is looking at a nearly perpendicular angle to the play and the other is looking almost directly up it a**. Who has the better angle? Not what should Gordon have done to get a better angle, but who can see it better? We know who is responsible for making the call, but if he can't tell what happened with the attempts to tag the base, his partner can certainly correct his error. Some of you are arguing that this is not a rules violation but a judgement call. All six calls made by umpires (Fair/Foul/Safe/Out/Ball/Strike) are judgement calls that can be corrected by consensus of the crew. We have referenced Foul Balls being corrected at the MLB level for the last two months. Two catches were corrected, what more do you need to see? The real problem here is how people handle it. The play ends, I call "Time" and head over to my partner. I ask him if he is sure that he saw the pitcher touch first. If he is adamant, I will back him and we will talk about it after the game. Most of teh guys I work with know that I would NEVER ask them that question unless I absolutely saw something different. If we agree that the play was kicked, we will announce the decision and correct it. No plurality, no correction. I am not a god on the field and I've made my share of mistakes. Knowing that Fed allows corrections and OBR is SHOWING US WE CAN AND SHOULD, is all the proof we need. If you can't or won't that is up to you. I prefer to walk off the field knowing that I earned my money.