[Jim Porter]

In a long-ago interview with Rick Roder, he discussed with me this exact situation. He indicated that he, and most professional umpires he knew, would require voluntary release to ensure possession has taken place. The presentation of his answer was in the context of allowing the play to finish before deciding on a call, and how professional umpires always do that.

Chris Jones of the PBUC, on the other hand, rather dismissed Rick Roder's answer, and indicated the opposite to be the PBUC's position.

In a follow-up to Rick Roder regarding Chris Jones' opinion, Roder indicated that the difference in answers was indicative of the difference in roles each of them play. While it is Roder's mission to label and define with ultimate accuracy everything an umpires does on the field, it is Chris Jones' job to be more diplomatic and keep from pre-impeaching an umpire under his oversight.

The bottom line? This is yet another example of a call that will be made depending on where the umpire was schooled, who his instructors were, and what his attitude is about that particular rule. I tend to believe Rick Roder when he says most professional umpires would wait for the whole play to finish before deciding if possession had taken place. But at the same time, there are so many possibilities that could occur in a play like that one that expecting a definitive ruling from the PBUC reflecting Roder's claim just won't happen.