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Mike: Don't think so. If the umpire's do their job as prescribed, the present mechanic works quite well.
OK, but what really is the prescribed mechanic for a runner at 2B? I know what you said above, and Ive always agreed, and I echoed your comment in my response above. But when challenged by jstark23, I went to the ASA umpires manual to quote a specific line and I couldnt find it!
With a runner at 1B and a ball on the infield, there are a couple references to direct the PU up the 1B line and then move across the field to cover a play at 3B. (PU duties: Leaving the plate area left of catcher . . . and PU under 2-Man Mechanics with runner at 1B.)
However, with runners at 2B (or 3B) the 2-Man duties state that the PU moves toward 3b. Specifically: Be ready and in position to make a call by going down the left field foul line in foul ground.
We have always been taught, when there may be a play at 1B, that the PUs first responsibility are calls prior to the 3 lane and to support the BU for pulled foot/swipe tags. The 2nd responsibility would be the lead runner into 3B. It seems as though we have taken that first responsibility requirement literally to mean that we have to be on the 1B line.
Conversely, I have always believed that when you have a runner in scoring position (2B or 3B) that the PU should never go into the infield (other than crossing over to make a call at 3B).
Thus our first responsibility duties will have to be made, as best we humanly can do, from foul territory along the 3B line.
If we get inside the field with runners in scoring position, then we may well have to make a call at the plate with the throw coming from inside! And that, of course, is bad mechanics.
WMB
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