Kind of like the three bears.

Too close?

Too far?

Just right?


Tim.

http://us.a2.yahoofs.com/groups/g_22...g1LqDB3RVtwcTg

Way too far away on a tag play, gotta get your nose into it. 3BLX probably better for this play anyhoo.

[Edited by SanDiegoSteve on Dec 20th, 2005 at 07:11 PM]

Biggie,

Where'd you find the picture?

D

D-Man:

That's a picture by Bob Larson from the Yahoo LL umpires group.


Bunch~a~Smitty's anyway. Just look at them all trying to look like real umpires!http://www.officialforum.com/images/icons/icon12.gif



Tim.

Hard to tell when they're just standing there. They might be real umpires trying to look like Smitty's.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by SanDiegoSteve
Way too far away on a tag play, gotta get your nose into it. 3BLX probably better for this play anyhoo.

With the catcher drawn that far into the infield, you'd never see a swipe tag of the back of the runner from 3BLX.

Edited due to mistakes from too much Sangiovese, but what the hey. it's vacation.

[Edited by GarthB on Dec 21st, 2005 at 01:44 AM]

What's a wipe tag of a bag of a runner?

LOL

Tim.

Picture? What Picture? I got a picture of a little red 'X'.

Dave
****

Consider yourself lucky.

Hehehe,
 

PWL, now that's funny.

T

I think you guys are joking around here...this is a classic example of how NOT to take this play at the plate. The picture shows the instructor getting straight-lined and basically having no angle to see whether or not the runner is being tagged.

A classic rule of umpiring is NEVER put anything between yourself and the play. Obviously, the runner is in a direct line between the umpire and the catcher(tag) - Big NO NO. This play should definitely be taken 3BLX.

[Edited by Sal Giaco on Dec 21st, 2005 at 05:00 PM]

Same here - a little red X. I use AOL, which is a problem sometimes, but then I tried it in internet explorer without AOL and had the same problem. Any ideas how to get around it?

Mike

Personally, I disagree. At 3BLX if there were a swipe, you'd never see the contact.

I would have started at the point and when the catcher moved that far into the infield, I'd have moved to 1BLX and then taken a step or more if needed to my left to avoid being straight lined. But that's just me.

Perspective vs. Context
 

I could not see the picture posted, so I went to the source. Let's be fair, Tim. The title of the picture is "1blx vs. 3blx" and it is one of two pictures. The other shows the fielder and runner in the same position with the umpire in the 3blx instead of 1blx position. Viewed in context, it is obvious that the purpose is to show why 3blx is the way to make this call.

Bob Larson posted the picture, but I don't think he is in it. Maybe. I know from other posts that he annually attends a professional clinic on the East Coast. Your reference to a bunch of smittys seems misplaced. Shouldn't you save your criticism for the wannabee umpires who don't seek advanced training?

Mike

This picture does NOT show a swipe tag but rather a tag actually being applied on the inside shoulder of the runner - which is impossible to see if you are positioned 1BLX. That's probably why the instructor has his arms out to his side suggesting that he can't tell whether or not the tag has been applied. If you position yourself 3BLX (the same angle from which the picture was taken), you can clearly see that the runner was tagged.

Now, if the play developed further, perhaps into a swipe tag on the runner's back, then you would have to adjust a couple of steps towards fair territory (yes, like Bruce Froeming does) to see the tag. It's a basterd (sp) play but what else can you do??