4 man mechanics
 

Does anybody know of any information on 4 man mechanics- especially anything in video format?

I have the NFHS umpire's manual, but i can only get so much out of that.

I might be asked to work the legion championship (which is 4 man) and i've never worked 4 man before (or 3 man for that matter). I just want something extra to study up on my coverages and when/how to rotate.

Thanks

See here for the CCA manual, or here for the PBUC manual.

Basics:

If you are U1 and there is a trouble ball to RF or RCF go out on it.

If you are U2 stay in outfield until there is a runner on 1B or 2B, then setup inside.

If you are U3 and there is a trouble ball to LF or LCF go out on it.

Look around, if you see a base vacated by a partner take that base. Example, no one on, deep ball to CF (maybe off the wall, maybe HR) and U2 goes out to watch. U3 should move up to 2B, PU to 3rd, U1 to the plate, after watching tag of 1st.

If you are PU use common sense as to when to replace a partner (U1 or U3) when he has gone out, otherwise stay home and call lots of strikes.

4 man is easy.

Take a look at the Legion umpire manual. The last 40 pages or so contain a mechanics primer with each situation shown ina useful diagram.

Go to http://www.baseball.legion.org/forms/umpiresmanual.pdf

It doesn't cover detailed mechanics like who has the tag up with R2 and a fly ball to right field, but if you study it you'll learn in a hurry where to stand and where to go on a fly ball.

You're better advised to purchase the PBUC or CCA manuals. The so=called Legion mechanics deviate from the norms and
common sense.

And make sure you have a firm grasp of three man. You'll use it often in four man.

But it's a Legion tournament.:eek:

Good point, and Garth might have missed that.

However, it might be wise to learn 3- and 4-man mechanics from more widely accepted manuals, and then tailor them to the particular needs of a given game or tourney.

I had a guy volunteer to work 3-man with my partner and me during a tourney on Saturday. Hot, and our third was just bored, picking up the game between his other assignments. So I (PU) checked with them ahead of time: you guys both know 3-man? Yes, yeah, let's go. Uh huh. I was directing traffic all damn day.

And?

We have those, too. We still work "real" mechanics.

So do we, and we use "real" mechanics also. I was just being a smart a$$, like usual.

mbyron,

One of my pet peeves is working with a partner for the first time, and trying to do a pre-game with him, and he's too good to discuss mechanics and positioning with me. I had a guy recently that kept telling me, "I know what to do, we don't need to go over anything." I'm thinking, what is this dude's trip? I just want to be on the same page, I'm not trying to say he's an idiot, or some kind of rook.

Turns out the guy sucked big time, and was never where he was supposed to be. He had the plate, and didn't cover 3rd on a 1st to 3rd play. Of course I wasn't able to relate this coverage in the non-existent pre-game, because he kept over-talking me telling me how great he was and needed no pre-game.

Sure, but since he's working a game shortly, chances are ordering a book online and studying it before the game is out of the question. I'd rather have an online material that's slightly odd in places than no material at all.

well, don't worry- i'm not doing the games. the series games are on days that i'm not available, so i had to turn it down.

thanks for the replies though