Never reward a bad Defensive Play !

[nickrego]

LAA vs. BRS

Batter hits into a DB, but the second throw to F3 is off-line and pulls F3 off the bag. F3 struggles to get his foot back to the bag, and does so at the same time the runner touches the bag. Umpire calls safe ! BRS coach comes out to talk about it.

Good call in my opinion. If it had been a good throw, just close, yes ring up an out. But when it was a sloppy defensive play like this one, give it to the offense.

[SanDiegoSteve]

If F3 gets his foot back on the base before the runner touches the base, I call him out, whether it's sloppy or not. If the runner beats F3, he's safe. There are no ties, the runner must beat the play in order to be safe. I would say the Red Sox manager had a good beef on that one, if the BR and F3 touched the base at the exact same time.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by nickrego

LAA vs. BRS

Batter hits into a DB, but the second throw to F3 is off-line and pulls F3 off the bag. F3 struggles to get his foot back to the bag, and does so at the same time the runner touches the bag. Umpire calls safe ! BRS coach comes out to talk about it.

Good call in my opinion. If it had been a good throw, just close, yes ring up an out. But when it was a sloppy defensive play like this one, give it to the offense.

Too much unnecessary thought.

If he's out, he out. If he's safe, he's safe. Instead of worrying who made what play, determine if the runner's really out or not and make the right call.

[briancurtin]

ditto to every word that rich just said

[pdxblue]

I don't know how some guys can think about so much stuff before making the call!

Me? I see the play, determine safe/out, then make the call. I will mess it all up if I think about anything else!

In college ball, I DO however require that the catcher "stick" the pitch to give him a strike. If the pitch is breaking low and/or outside, if the catcher cannot stick it, I don't care a rats booty where that pitch crossed the plate. If he cannot hold it in a place that looks somewhat like a strike, I ain't calling it. I will do this in a good high school level game too IF the pitchers are pretty good. But this is really a different standard than the subject at hand in my opinion.

[Dave Hensley]

Originally Posted by Tim C

An MLB umpire kicks a call and some you explain it by "don't reward the bad play."

Rich nailed it.

Regards,

Well I guess we're done, then. We can shut the officiating.com down and the discussion board down.

"Just call what you see."

Case closed, everybody knows everything there is to know about umpiring.

I saw the play in question; the umpire made the right call. He made it because the actual result was a coin-flip in which the "benefit of the doubt" clearly should have been weighted against the - yes, that's right - sloppy defensive play.

You guys of the "just call what you see" persuasion are perfectly within your rights, but I don't understand what you're doing in these discussions. Call what you see. Right. We get it.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by Dave Hensley

Well I guess we're done, then. We can shut the officiating.com down and the discussion board down.

"Just call what you see."

Case closed, everybody knows everything there is to know about umpiring.

I saw the play in question; the umpire made the right call. He made it because the actual result was a coin-flip in which the "benefit of the doubt" clearly should have been weighted against the - yes, that's right - sloppy defensive play.

You guys of the "just call what you see" persuasion are perfectly within your rights, but I don't understand what you're doing in these discussions. Call what you see. Right. We get it.

I hear umpires say "I call 'em like I see 'em" all the time. My response to them is, "I call them like they are."

[TussAgee11]

Steve - both feet hit the bag at the same time. Proposterous.

Two independent events don't happen at the same time. Either he was out or safe. Ties don't exist!

[jwwashburn]

Originally Posted by Dave Hensley

Well I guess we're done, then. We can shut the officiating.com down and the discussion board down.

"Just call what you see."

Case closed, everybody knows everything there is to know about umpiring.

I saw the play in question; the umpire made the right call. He made it because the actual result was a coin-flip in which the "benefit of the doubt" clearly should have been weighted against the - yes, that's right - sloppy defensive play.

You guys of the "just call what you see" persuasion are perfectly within your rights, but I don't understand what you're doing in these discussions. Call what you see. Right. We get it.

Smack Thump--OUT!
Thump Smack--SAFE!

Coin Flip--OUT!

[pdxblue]

I have never seen a "tie" at first base.

NEVER.

[ozzy6900]

This is a interesting thread! I find some of the responses to be quite entertaining. This being said, it's time for my opinion, I guess.

Umpiring is not rocket science, it is simply knowing the rules, seeing the play and making a call. If the ball cuts the strike zone, it's a strike! If the runner touches the base before the ball arrives, the runner is safe! It's that simple, the runner is safe or out. An umpire sees the play, applies the rules regarding the play, and makes a call! The runner is either safe or out - there is no such thing as a tie.

Along the same lines, trying to digest all the information presented in a play as simple as B1 trying to beat out a throw at first should not be clouded with the presentation of the defense. Simply put, if the defense drops the ball 5 times, throws a two hopper to first and F3 bobbles the throw securing it a moment before B1 touches the bag, B1 is out! There is no discussion or weighing of the incompetence of the defense - the runner is out!

If, on the other hand, B1 runs like a gazelle and F6 throws a bullet but B1 hits the bag first, would you consider B1 out because F6 snagged the ball and threw a rocket to F3? Of course not! The mere thought of considering outside forces to the play becomes a bit scary! So many things happen during a play that an umpire could need a PC to determine the outcome!

That is why we focus on the the play and only the play. The ball comes and the fielder touches the bag or tags the runner. The runner touches the bag either before the ball arrives or after - the runner is either safe or out!

I've said it before, an umpire that focuses on the efforts of the defense to make a call is nothing but a spectator on the field - and spectators don't belong on the field of play!

[Cub42]

Pause, read react. That simple. Don't think or talk to much.