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Originally Posted by canadaump6
I know an umpire who will never ask for help on a pulled foot. He believes the base umpire should be able to make that call. My question is how is an umpire going to be able to see a pulled foot from inside the infield? He could take a couple steps to get a better angle, but by the time he does this it is too late.
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Before anyone else rips into you for this one, I get my turn first.
I know an umpire who worked well over 3,000 games in his 21 years as an umpire, who asked for help on a pulled foot exactly
twice.
That umpire is me.
The umpire that you know is correct. The base umpire absolutely
should get his own calls, even when he is in the infield. If you can't see the pulled foot from the working area, then you are out of position. You need to be on an angle a bit closer to home plate from B so you don't get straight-lined. With the proper angle, which you should set up well in advance of the play at first, you can see everything, and should not need to ask for help.
For instance, when the ball is hit to F4, and you are in B with R1, you don't run toward 2nd base to call the first part of the DP. Your first move should be to step forward, turn with the ball as it passes you, and see the force at 2nd from there, not up close where you have no angle for the relay to 1st. You should see the play at 2nd while set, then move at an angle toward the 45 ft. line to get a few steps toward the angle you need to see F3's foot, which is what you focus on while listening for the ball. You can see all the pulled feet in the world from there. Same thing starting in C. Don't get too close to a force at 2nd, keeping a good sight angle for the nut-cutter you are more likely to have at 1st base.
Oh, the same goes for swipe tags at 1st. The BU should be able to get those himself too. It just looks a lot better.