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Was gonna stay out, but..........
I was there also, as a spectator, had no dog in the fight, due to feeling poorly did not work any of the tournie, but was ok to go watch after church the last game, and the "if".
Here is what I saw, and remember it WAS from a spectators standpoint, clear view of the field, but well behind all the play (we were actually standing about 20' behind the backstop).
Two good teams, National berth on the line, ITB. Bunt goes down, U3 is 2'-3" inside the line with a good angle rings up a good sell out. Mechanics good, but IMO wrong call. The umpires standing with me all uttered a "no" or similar. It was clearly to us anyway a safe. U3 saw an out, called an out so it was an out. The 3B coach was headed towards U3 when I saw UI coming from behind the circle with the left arm extended. "No he's not" was one statement from one of the umpire group. Well, if OBS was seen, it shoulda been called no doubt, but I seriously doubt that I would have seen, much less called it, ( I saw no OBS at all). It was called, should have been administered and then allow the friendly chat between the OC and U3. That was the play, I may not agree with either call, but they were properly made.
Here is where things got kinda ugly. U3 starts a march down the 3B line towards PU with a look "that could kill" so to speak. Coaches were trying to get a piece of anybody! After a brief chat between PUand U3, the entire crew met around 2B, alone and discussed the play. I did hear (from UIC) that the discussion was to not allow the OBS call. It was reported that the PU was overturning the U1's call, and as the meeting broke off PU signalled the out. Th U1 then waved a bye-bye towards U3, and left the field, then the park.
What it appeared, and remember this is speculation, and only how it appeared to me, is that U3 missed a call (which was pretty clear), U1 tried to correct an assumed bad call with the OBS, (the initial DDB signal, if there would NOT have been seen by the crowd, all eyes were on the play at 3B), U3 then complained to PU who sided with U1 and overturned U1. U1 just got mad and left. It was definitley not a well oiled crew!
So to answer the poll, I would have to say that ANY umpire MAY call OBS , but protocol and common sense would dictate that maybe it should not be done at times. I think it should not have been called in this instance.
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