Positions B and C

[O.T.Hill]

I know there have been changes regarding BU in 2-man mechanics and when he sets up in the B position or C position. Can someone give me a current, solid FED guideline of when BU should be in the C position?

[DG]

Originally posted by O.T.Hill
I know there have been changes regarding BU in 2-man mechanics and when he sets up in the B position or C position. Can someone give me a current, solid FED guideline of when BU should be in the C position?

I try not to read the FED recommendations on positions. I would be in C with runner on 3B only, runners on 2nd and 3rd, runners on 1st and 2nd, and bases loaded. For runners on 1st and 3rd I would be in B, and I think the FED manual shows C for this situation and that's probably the main difference between FED and others (CCA and PBUC).

[SanDiegoSteve]

For me, the same as DG, except I prefer C for all 1st and 3rd situations.

[Edited by SanDiegoSteve on Mar 16th, 2006 at 09:24 PM]

[SanDiegoSteve]

San Diego County Baseball Umpires Association mechanic: B or C, umpire's preference.

1986 Pro School (Harry's and Joe's): C. B had yet to even be discussed in those days. I have a hard time in B, probably because I started out working C originally, and being an old dog, a new trick just didn't catch on.

[ManInBlue]

What do you recommend for R2 only?

[briancurtin]

Originally posted by ManInBlue
What do you recommend for R2 only?

C

[ManInBlue]

Originally posted by briancurtin

C

That's what I use. Thanks -

[bob jenkins]

Originally posted by DG

I try not to read the FED recommendations on positions. I would be in C with runner on 3B only, runners on 2nd and 3rd, runners on 1st and 2nd, and bases loaded. For runners on 1st and 3rd I would be in B, and I think the FED manual shows C for this situation and that's probably the main difference between FED and others (CCA and PBUC).

Some states put BU in C only when a steal of third is possible (i.e., R1,R2 or R2 only). Otherwise they put BU in B.

So, to the original question -- we (someone) can give the "pure FED" answer -- but that might not be what's used in your state / area.

[David Emerling]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

Some states put BU in C only when a steal of third is possible (i.e., R1,R2 or R2 only). Otherwise they put BU in B.

Then where would these states have the BU with only R3?

David Emerling
Memphis, TN

[SanDiegoSteve]

How many baseball games have you ever worked that lasted an hour? What level was this, T-Ball? Why make such a remark? - mick

Mick,

I made the remark because of the stupid remark by Jeff that a) umpires stand in one place, and b) that baseball games are one hour in length. Had these bizarre statements not been posted, I would have had no need to ask the level of baseball, since only a T-Ball game could be one hour in length. I feel that it is a perfectly good question to ask an obvious expert on the subject.

[mick]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

How many baseball games have you ever worked that lasted an hour? What level was this, T-Ball? Why make such a remark? - mick

Mick,

I made the remark because of the stupid remark by Jeff that a) umpires stand in one place, and b) that baseball games are one hour in length. Had these bizarre statements not been posted, I would have had no need to ask the level of baseball, since only a T-Ball game could be one hour in length. I feel that it is a perfectly good question to ask an obvious expert on the subject.

Hello SanDiegoSteve,
...But nobody else felt the need to reply to Rut's obvious overstatement.
What you may actually *need* may be the question.

If you say a T-ball game last for an hour, I believe you.
If you say an umpire [maybe on third base ?] cannot ever stand in one place for an hour, that is something I have never timed.

mick

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

How many baseball games have you ever worked that lasted an hour? What level was this, T-Ball? Why make such a remark? - mick

I just got done working 3 games on Saturday, one-man mechanics, from 9 AM to after 5PM. I'm sunburned like a freakin' lobster, and could barely walk from my back/hip Saturday night. Now that's work.

Standing in one place? If that is how you umpire, I feel real sorry for the teams that get you. I hustle my butt off when I do baseball, or any other sport. I used to do 3 and 4 football games on a Saturday, working the flanks on Pop Warner games where all you do is sprint back and forth down the field on 90 yard touchdown plays all the live-long doo dah day.

Dude relax. What I said had a lot of tongue and cheek involved. I do not do many games of any kind that last an hour. But to try to tell me that I am doing more running and constant moving in baseball games as I am working a football or basketball game is silly. I know you think baseball is so hard, but most of the time I am standing in the same place for minutes on end. On a football play I am likely moving on every single play and during dead ball periods. I am also not comparing Pop Warner to a HS varsity or college game.

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

I used to have the privledge of working one-man basketball from top-of-the-key to top-of-the-key. I did 3 games back-to-back-to-back twice a week for the top A-League in the SDSU Inter-Fraternity Rec League, where all the slam-dunkin' brothers played. That was also quite a workout.

Everyone does not work one man games. I know I almost never work one man games or attempt to work one man games. I have worked one man basketball games during the summer and I moved more in those games than in 5 minutes of play than I ever have on a baseball field.

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

Even after all that, I still say baseball is much harder. It's much harder to call 250 to 300 pitches a game than call some fouls or throw a penalty flag once in a while. Sheesh.

Yes you might have 300 pitches if you are working the plate. That is only about half the time if you are lucky when you actually work a baseball game. I am not running 50 feet to call a single pitch. It is also not like every pitch I have to seriously rule on. Batters swing at pitches; balls hit the dirt or fly over the catcher’s head. I know we would all like to think we are constantly making decisions, but the reality is we are only making calls on some of those pitches.

Yes, I might only blow my whistle in a basketball game 20 times (that might be high in a 3 man game), you have to do that running, trying to get in position and it is not like you are yelled at for only the times you blow the whistle. You get yelled at quite a bit more for what you

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

BTW, I do know Mr. Gregg. I've played some softball with the man. He is a great guy, and was a damn good umpire. Why you want to disparage him is beyond me.

War

He might have been a very good umpire, but Eric Gregg was basically the shinning example of why Major League Umpires were criticized all the time in the 90s. He was fat and out of shape. There was an umpire that died on the field from having a heart attack. Eric Gregg took a leave of absence after that tragedy to try to lose weight so the same thing did not happen to him. Then when he came back to the Majors he looked just about the same as he did before he left. He is probably the most famous name out there, but a lot of those guys looked like they did not miss a meal they did not like and they were the laughing stock of pro officials. If you look at the guys that have arrived since the Phillip’s experiment, none of them look like Gregg did and they got rid of a lot of guys that looked like that when they had the opportunity to bring them back. I think if we agree on nothing else, no one looking like Gregg would be allowed to work in the NFL or the NBA. All the other stuff is just hyperbole and **** talking.

Peace

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by David Emerling

Then where would these states have the BU with only R3?

David Emerling
Memphis, TN

Since a steal of third isn't possible with R3 only, these states put the umpire in B.

[Carl Childress]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

Since a steal of third isn't possible with R3 only, these states put the umpire in B.

I recommended that in 1988. Seems some places caught on.

[orioles35]

With R2, doesn't C interfere with the baserunner's line of sight with the pitcher?