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Originally Posted by Rich
I'm still trying to figure out softball mechanics (Coach Dad is 0-3 on the summer so far), but in baseball there'd *always* be an umpire in A on this play in a 3-umpire crew. Once we add a third umpire, we split a double play responsibility between the two base umpires.
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The commercial did not have a 3-umpire crew on the field, or if they did, I never saw an umpire @ 2B
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I know it hasn't always been this way, but this change about 10-20 years ago (and getting away from the "umpire ahead of the runners" mentality) was smart, IMO.
Alabama / Kentucky ended on a double play last night and the base umpire responsible for both halves did a fantastic job and nailed the call on the back half. That said, making her call both halves with 3 umpires in place just seems silly to me -- it forces someone else to get any late interference at second base.
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Why do you think there is something wrong with the "umpire ahead of the runner" mentality? I'm a firm believer it is better for the umpire to be waiting on the play than the play waiting for the umpire. The "mentality" is the priority of the runner. The closer to the plate, the more important the call. Yes, we want to get them all correct, but the ramifications of an error in judgment would be, hopefully, less catastrophic @ 1st than @ 3rd.
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Serious question -- why never a 4 umpire crew in fastpitch?
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Don't know. I can tell you with ASA it is purely a financial issue, sometimes to even have 3-umpire crew. Than again, I've worked 6-umpire games and there are still angles that do not get covered.
Personally, I'm also a firm believer that the 3-umpire pre-pitch positioning with a runner on 1st only is lopsided and should be changed.
BTW, don't care about baseball, different field, different rules, different game. Softball keeps their umpires out of the possible plays while baseball occasionally puts their umpires right in the middle of it.