[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by Robert E. Harrison

What do you do when 3 runners are on base and a ball hit in the gap? You cannot possibly watch each runner touch each base. I am suggesting you glance at the catch/no catch foul/fair or tree limb clip and then return to your normal duties as base umpire. 2-man is tough enough without one partner basically sticking his head in the sand.

Situation: Bottom of the 7th inning, two outs, the Home team is down by 2 runs, with runners on 2B and 3B. B5 rips a sinking line drive to left field with the setting sun behind F7 and F7 dives for the ball. B5 is running hard and misses 1B on his way to 2B. The PU steps back into his holding position behind HP and so that he can see a possible catch/no-catch as well as R1 on 3B touch HP. PU is able to see that F7 trapped the ball; but the BU and PU have pre-gamed that the BU will also help in a situation as this. Not only does R1 score but so does R2 apparently winning the game. F3 calls to F7 for the ball and signals to the BU that he is appealing B5 missing 1B. What does the BU do? He didn't do his job of watching to see if B5 did or did not touch 1B because he was doing something he was not supposed to be doing, watching to see of F7 did or did not catch B5's sinking line drive. How does the BU handle this situation? I would not want to be this BU. We all want to get the call correct but doing our job correctly is the first step in getting the call correct.

MTD, Sr.