Quote:
Originally Posted by Linknblue
Here's one that happened this weekend. Bases empty. Batter hits long fly ball. I'm BU and am breaking inside on the hit. I glance at ball and see it bounce about 4 feet high on first bounce. My first inclination is that it's a bounce over fence but I really don't know cuz it's just a glance. My partner doesn't signal HR but he doesn't call dead ball, double either. Off Coaches are yelling it's a home run and Def Coaches are yelling it hit right at base of the temp fence and went under it. My partner asks me. I give him no help cuz I simply don't know for sure. Now we're in a situation!!!
Partner asks outfielders near ball where ball landed. They tell him it went under the fence....duh! That was wrong but that's what he did. He now rules "homerun".
Of course def coach goes nuts. I get in middle separating the coach and my partner. I get him calmed down but he's still "nutz".
I'm saying we should have ruled "ground rule double" then talked about it away from everyone.....If all information changed it from double to HR, so be it.
I talked with coaches and spectators afterward and none really could tell where ball landed.......even one of the other def coaches not involved in the "fray".
What say you guys? How would you have handled this situation where neither of blue could really be sure?
By the way, temporary fences suck. You can't tell from the plate or middle infield if a ball bounces in front of the fence or just behind the fence because the fence is plastic mesh with no background. They ought to make them with at least a foot of solid material at the bottom. You're never going to install them so a ball can't go under the fence but I guess that's the nature of "temporary" fencing.
Any opinions on whether the fence should even be installed or just let'm get all they can get without a fence? We're talking enclosed fields with 275 to 300'[ fences anyway.
Thanks
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I'm assuming FP here, because an enclosed permanent fence at the distance you mentioned would be appropriate for slow pitch.
When working on fields with temporary fences like as described, it may be a good idea to pregame that the BU will chase on ball hit close to the fence. I realize that it is a departure from what we would normally do in two umpire mechanics, but in situations like this, it could help tremendously. It's going to happen, because FP teams want fences set up at 200 feet. I would also suggest that if you don't chase, that you try to do more than just glance when the ball hits to be able to provide help if requested.
As to your specific situation, I would let the BR run out the HR, then get together with your partner. As BU, give him whatever you have...in your case, your thought that the ball hit in the field of play and bounced over, even though you are not 100% sure. You can always put the BR back at second base. This call belongs to your partner since you didn't chase, let him make it.
PS...this still doesn't give a coach the right to "go nuts". If the actions of the coach toward your partner are warranting you having to get between them, I'd say that coach needs to leave. In this situation, I would certainly allow coach a bit more leeway, but there is still a line that can't be crossed.