Wanted to get a thought on this from others as to what you prefer to do.

Closely confined field (backstop is only about 10-12 feet from home plate) R3 1 out. Fly ball down the right field line that is cookie cutting a fair or foul call. As PU do you move up the 1B line and let your parter get tag up? Do you back up to first base line extended and get both as best as possible?

hmmmmm..... that's a real good question. I don't know for certain, but it would probably depend on your view of the 1B foul line. If it's dusk and the sun is right by the RF foul pole, you might have to run out to see that one. If you have a clear view, i'd imagine you can get away with going back to first base line extended. Just be sure to communicate with the BU.

That's my stab in the dark.

If your as far back on the field as possible, how is your partner going to get a better view on the tag then you, unless he goes behind 3b. 1b line extented and make the best call you can.

Any problems with the call, tell them to get another ump, or another field.

You don't say if this is a little field or a big field but since the backstop is 10-12 feet away I am guessing little field. For little field go up the line about 15 feet to get the fair/foul/catch/no catch. Get the tag in your periphereal vision. Then hustle back to the plate for the play there. For big field you could go a little farther, just far enough that you still have 3B in your periphereal vision and time enough to get back to the plate. The most important call is fair/foul/catch/no catch and you have to be darn sure R3 left early based on what you saw in your periphereal vision to call that, because if the ball is deep enough it should be an easy score.

DG
 

In my neck-of-the-woods you would be wrong thinking this was a Little Field Game.

When working High School baseball in my local town most of the fields have about 12' to 15' from home plate to the screen.

It is the rule rather than the exception.

Re: DG
 

Wow!. The shortest distance to the backstop around here is about 20 feet, and that is only on one field. Most are 30 feet and some are 60 feet. Little fields are mostly 20-25 feet around here. If the catcher lets one get by him it's a score.

I called a game at a high school last week where the back stop was about 15 behind the plate. They had just covered the concrete footing with a padding similar to what is used to cover goal posts in football.

R3 was stealing on the pitch. The pitch, high and outside went untouched to the padding where it bounced back towards the catcher. The catcher turned, saw the bounce and caught the ball in the air bare-handed, and tagged the runner for the out. It almost looked choreographed.

Sorry this is a high school field. Only about 12-15 feet to back stop, about 320 down the line. We have a few fields like this. We also have a ones with plenty of room. We also have one with plenty of room but the outfield slopes some down towards the outfield fence that when standing at home it gets tuff to see the line, even with my height of 6'5".

I would would say back up as far as you can. Treat it like a tag of first when you are in the middle. As ball is in the air, look to see if runner is taggin. If he is, watch the catch. As soom as it is touched/caught, look back to see if runner is still right there at the bag. But that is my thought. Still curious about other peoples. Infact what is taught at pro school?? I would imagine they cover this.

The Toronto Blue Jays practice facility has backstops 15-20 feet from HP. Makes for lots of exciting plays at the plate on passed balls, especially at the higher levels with athletic catchers, pitchers and runners.
We work the RF line with PU going out and making the fair/foul catch/no catch plus the tag at third, in the manner stated by the above posters. In the pregame we go over with the BU to check all three bases, (if necessary), as backup when PU is on the RF line. But the tag at third is PU call, unless he specifically defers to BU when the appeal is imminent, which is rarely done.