Over the past few weeks I have noticed something. 2 man system, with no base runners. Batter hits a triple. Some field umpires take the runner all the way to third, others do it differently. They take the BR to second, let the PU have the play at third, while U1 loops back to cover a possible play at the plate. I checked my FED mechanics book, and it says the PU should cover third. Is this just one of those things that is different with every set of umpires, or is there a set way that it should be handeled?

[Edited by LDUB on Jun 4th, 2004 at 04:27 PM]

I try to teach new umpires I work with to do it that way, but all of the veteran umpires I work with like to stick with a single runner until he gets to the plate.

Let's not start calling the plate umpire the UIC. Hopefully, UIC is in the stands.

In my area, PU covers 3rd base on a triple (or possible triple), and BU loops back toward home once it's clear BR will not be coming back to 2nd.

I am almost positive that in the fed rule book it states that with more than 1 field umpire, the PU shall be the UIC and others known as field umpires. That confused me at first, and a lot of other people I am sure.

I edited it so it say PU instead of UIC to avoid confusion.

I've always used UIC the same as PU. You have to distinguish between Umpire-in-chief of the game and umpire-in-chief of the league or association. When talking about events in a single game, it can be assumed that UIC means PU.

OBR 9.04(a) "The umpire in chief shall stand behind the catcher. (He usually is called the plate umpire.) His duties shall be..."

P-Sz

My Fed Umpire's Manual says U1 has the runner on a triple and U2 needs to cover the plate, after it is clear the runner has passed 2B and will not return. But I can't recall seeing it handled that way.

The Fed Umpire's Manual refers to U1 and U2 in two man system. The Fed Rulebook says UIC is the one behind the plate.

My CCA Manual says U2 has the runner at 1st, 2nd and 3rd.

My PBUC Manual says same as CCA.

R1 steals seconds and there is an overthrow in CF. Should the PU cover 3B or should the BU take the runner into 3B?

I would think that would be the same as a triple. So whichever way you handle a triple, I would handle R1 going to third.

BU

Now that I think about it more, BU does make more sense. But if you let BU take the third on a overthorow on a steal, then why not let him take the BR to third on a triple?

BU would take BR into 3B on a triple, if you use PBUC or CCA mechanics. FED has PU taking BR into 3B, but like I said, I don't know anybody in FED who does it this way.