Babe Ruth Follies

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by SAump

B) The proper mechanic is to signal safe as soon as the trail foot passes the bag and then wait for the appeal.

Isn't it the responsibility of an umpire to make the right call? I cannot understand option B when the runner continues safely to 2B or 3B or home. Then the defense also has a 90-foot (plus) advantage to get in their timely appeal. I was also told at a clinic held by REAL umps not to signal safe or point toward home if the runner missed home plate. To choose his words, "It would look pretty foolish if you reverse your call 15 seconds later."

But again, I am not holding the bag of CHIPS on this one either. I am willing to consider another opinion from anyone willing to help me understand what I may have missed at my CLINIQUE.

The mechanic on this play is often described as "The umpire signals safe ...". I think this is wrong. The mechanic should be, "The umpire does whatever he would do if the runner had touched the bag." Now, it's consistent with the runner going to 2B, etc -- we're not tipping off either side, nor calling something that doesn't need to be called.

In practice, the play at first is "close enough" that we'd normally give a "relaxed" safe signal -- so that's what we should do when the runner misses the bag.