Help With a Scoop at First

[PeteBooth]

Originally Posted by Peruvian

I'm the first base umpire. B1 hits a chopper to F6, who fields and throws a short hop to F3. The play is very, very close and I call him safe.

Nobody argued or anything, but I thought back to that play this morning as I was reading my mechanics manual and was wondering if anyone had any tips for making the call on this play. I couldn't find anything in print about it.

I know we listen for the pop of the glove and the smack of the foot on the bag to aid in our decision on routine plays, but I've always had trouble with this play, and I think it is the toughest call in baseball to make on the bases.

Any thoughts?

There are certain calls that as Papa C says are "coin flip" calls. If that's the case then as the tradition of baseball tells us we give benefit of doubt to a great play.

Let's use your play except F6 had to go deep in the hole made a great play and one hopped the ball to F3. If the call was a "coin flip" as indicated by your terminology Very close play, then I would give benefit of dount to the great play by the defense and call the runner out.

Conversely, let's take a routine play in which B1 is busting it out of the box and F4/F6 bobbles the ball and turns a routine play into a "coin flip". Again reward the effort on the part of B1 for bustimg it out of the box and give the safe call.

Pete Booth