runners on 1st and 3rd 2man mech. field umpire should be in b or c postion ?

Which are you expecting a pick-off attempt at first (B) or a steal of 2nd (C)?

I think C is the better choice.

Childress presents a good discussion of this positioning on the officiating.com home page. (Down along the left side of the page there is a link to his library of topics.)

The professional and college mechanics manual chooses B as the position for R1 & R3.

I agree with this and work in B.

--Rich

I teach my guys that work outside to call from B in this situation.

The CCA and Pro mechanic is "B". The FED mechanic is "C". But, to steal a line from a friend, just as FED rules at times are not real baseball, so, too, FED mechanics at times are not real baseball.

The Fed mechanic we teach in Illinois is to be in the B position. The only disadvantage is the pick-off attempt on R1 at third. The percentages are far greater for a pick-off attempt on R2 at first. Plus you are in a better position for the double play and the throw from the catcher on an attempted steal.

<b>The only disadvantage is the pick-off attempt on R1 at third. The percentages are far greater for a pick-off attempt on R2 at first.</b>

I see you are fairly new at posting here. No offense intended and just to help clarify things, most of us here use the pro and college reference to runners, not FED's. R1 is always the runner at first, R2 is always the runner at second and R3 is always the runner at third.

We don't do this because of some desire to emulate the pros. Rather, it's a much simpler and more easily to say "R1 and R3", than it is to say "R1 at third and R2 at first" as FED does.

I've come to find that the B position is better since there is no possibility of a steal at third and pickoffs to third are very uncommon. However, when I work a high school game I go by the book and stand in the C position to satisfy any state evaluators who may be watching.

When Legion ball comes around, or I'm working tournaments outside of the educational system, I take the B position if there's a runner on third.

-Craig
Washington State

Where abouts in Washington are you? In my many years of officiating in Washington the only time I've seen "state evaluators" in baseball are during the state play-offs.

Do you live next door to one?

With R1 only Position B is, indeed, the "prescribed" mechanic. I prefer C, where I am when there are runners on the corner. Since we're taught to go to C "sometimes" with R1, objections to being in C with a runner on first sound a little hollow.

Here's the point, for those who -- for one reason or another -- don't go to Officiating.com: In B the umpire cannot cheat up very much toward the pitcher to get a good angle on the pick-off. That's because he has to back pedal to second to cover the steal, and he will be too far from his destination.

But in C, he can move far forward, such that he might reach out and touch the dirt at the mound. Being that "high" gives a great angle. At the same time, to get into position for the steal at second, he simply pivots and he's looking directly between the runner and the base. A couple of crossover steps to his left, and he's in the best position possible.

Of course, the umpire in High C "looks" too far from first for the pick-off and too far from second for the steal. Still, if we're forced by our mechanics to be in C (R1/R3), why not go there with R1 only?

We know that angle is more important than distance. I've used C (R1 only) for nearly 15 years. My reputation as a base umpire has improved every year, so much so that LAST YEAR (after five years of retirement from high school ball), I was specifically picked for the playoffs to umpire the bases!

That is SOME improvement from someone who for many years has called himself "the worst base umpite in the state of Teaxs"!

Just kidding, Carl. As you know I too have used "The Mechanics for the 21st Century" since your seminar in Wharton many years ago. IT WORKS!! And I have already had my stint in Austin, so I don't care what the "state evaluators" have to say.

How about being in the check-swing position (B for right- and C for left-handed hitters) to help PU with the appeal?

Fed likes C in this situation, but I like B. The greater probability, especially with LH pitcher, is a pickoff attempt at 1B. I can call a steal of 2B from either B or C.