|
I had a double play ball with the bases loaded, and as first base ump in a four man crew assumed the 2SF position. The throw from second pulled the first baseman in a "straight-line" toward me. The PU couldn't help as he had runners coming home and had to watch touches there. I banged the runner at first (looked like the first baseman was coming off the bag as he caught the ball, but had the bag and THEN came off). Offensive coach came out and said "You have to get help". I told him the propor mechanic is to get help before the call is made, but taking into consideration the prime responsiblities of the PU as well as his angle (pretty much the same as mine, with the first baseman moving away from him), help was not a choice. (Plateman later agreed). Then coach said "You should have been closer". I told him I was in the position taught, and the only person with a better look at the play was the first base coach. Of course, with a four man crew I guess I COULD have been standing next to him...
All this goes to show that no matter where you are, no matter how many of you there are, you can still have an impossible look at a bad play - and you still have to make a ruling. I love this game!
|