Quote:
Originally Posted by wadeintothem
If this was home plate and I suggested the line is the best on the swipe, I am universally lampooned.
 sweet irony.
Let me line up with the "to the line" folks on this one.
All things being equal, IMO the line is best on the swipe. You do sacrifice position if there ends up a play at 2B.
Moving to a 90 in the infield on a play in/from the infield or left side of the field should never be considered unless you like tasting dirt as you are waking up. Also, 90 on a swipe is simply not the best view. straight down it is the best view. That is why a lot of times we go for help on this. Logic tells us PU sees it best on the line.
Then someone will say "90!!!".
The play is developing and it looks like there will be a bad throw/ swipe situation, you can take a step or 2 back towards the line, you dont come in. Youre not going to make the 90 anyway, all your going to be is out of position on the swipe and possibly in the way.
IMO. |
Let me start. You will never, NEVER see the tag from a BLE position.
Again, everyone keeps talking about 90 as the be all to end all position. Well, guess what? I'm not one of them. "90" is the starting point and the good umpire adjusts from there. It will serve you well on 95+% of the plays, but those are not the calls for which an umpire is being paid.
The ONLY way you will even get a possible glimpse at a tag on the line is if the runner changes their base path on approaching the base. This is rarely, if ever, is going to happen at 1B except to avoid a collision. Even then, if runner has physically passed the fielder, you still are going to see the tag. You may think you see it, but it is more likely you heard it or reacted to the runner's reaction.
At 1B, you are more likely to see a slide to avoid a swipe tag off an errant thrown and moving to the line, from 18' you will lose some of your depth perception of the play.
BTW, your perception of the play is obviously inaccurate. An umpire isn't going to "eat dirt" since it isn't possible to be in the way of the play if the reaction is to the ball. How can an umpire move into an alternate position for an errant throw if the ball has yet to be released?
You are just digging out your long time, MLB wannabe argument for BLE positioning.
