FEDlandia Mechanics
 

To our Fedlandia friends:

I was at a local rules meeting where we got into a mechanics discussion. A couple of umpires remarked that they had recently been to another local association meeting in another city, and they learned "new" mecahnics.

They were told that the BU was never to go into C, and almost every call was to be handled by the PU at 3B. I assume that does not include straight steals of 3B or time plays, but who knows.

Is this someone who is buying into our good friend Carl Childress' Mechanics 2000 material, or are they strictly following the FED Umpires Manual mechaics, which I have not read in a while?

Maybe I'm just an old man, but I still believe BU should carry the BR to 3B, with R2 only BU has the tag and play at 3B on a fly ball, and throwbacks to a play at 3B after a throw to 1B are best handled by the BU, as well as a few other situations.

Any comments? Thank you for yours.

A "couple of umpires" should stay home and learn their own association mechanics.

In your example, R2 only, you would be in C and have the tag at 2B and the play into 3B, if there is one. You also have the catch if it is in the V.

In pregame we would go over when I would cover 3B (as PU).

Not necesarily new!
 

I'm sure there are many other threads on this topic, but basically its not all that new for BU to not venture into C territory.

We still teach our BU to stay in B. Why? Because I belive that its close to 5% of the plays are at 3rd and you still have a better angle to the play from B than C. (of course there has been scores of debate on that but that's for another thread)

As far as BU taking the runner to 3B, that's optional. I personally like as PU to take that call. Especially helpful when BU has to go out also.

Also with R2 on the tag, I like to take that runner as PU, but I call with other guys who like the BU to take it.

With the throw back to 3B that's easier with the BU taking both calls.

Been doing it and teaching it that way for 20 years, so I don't call it "new" mechanics. I call it proven mechanics - it works fine at least it has for me in my games.

Thansk
David

Actually the Fed Ump Manual has you in C for R1,R3, why worry about a double play when you MIGHT get a throw back to F5. Only in Fed land.

The way I do it in 2 man mechanics, BU has all bases all the time except 3 occasions.

1. R1, R2 tag situation. PU takes R2 into 3rd.
2. R1, base hit, PU takes R1 into 3rd only. BU still has touch responsibility at 2nd.
3. R3, R1 same as #2.

You can move for the DP just as easily from C as you can from B.

At one time (and maybe still today), FED had UIC taking BR to third on a triple, R2 to third on a fly ball (R2 only or R1 and R2), R2 to third on a ground ball (second play in the infield), R1 to third on a base hit (with R1 only or R1 and R3).

Some of those (second play in the infield, for example) have been back and forth throught the years in OBR mechanics as well.

Either way is workable, as long as all umpires are working the same mechanics.

Use the mechanics that your associaton wants you to use.

I don't understand this. Are you saying that with R2 only you have BU in B? I don't agree that with an attempted steal of third in this sitch you can get a better angle from B than from C. I can't imagine that could possibly be the case.

What if one of those 5% of plays is a steal of third in the late innings of a tight game? That's a pretty important call, right?

That's a long hard argument - but simply you do have a great angle from B, its personal preference I know.

As far as a call in the late innings, that's coach talk. The call in the second inning is just as important as the one in the ninth inning.

Only fans and coaches give it any more weight.

Thanks
David

I respectfully disagree.

All of my calls are important, but a play at the plate to end a State Championship game has a heck of a lot more riding on it than one at first base in the first inning.

I guess its personal opinion then
 

I've had both calls! Last season, final out was a passed ball play at the plate for 1A state championship and sure it was a big call! (would have tied the game)

However, in the second inning with no one out we had a banger at first followed by a return throw to 3B. This was 3 man mechanics so position should not have been a problem; however as PU I could see the the tag was late, runner was called out.

The next batter hit a HR! That team lost by one run.

It might seem one call was more important, but in reality I felt bad for the losing team.

Thanks
David

Thanks For your thoughts
 

I was interested in your responses, because I was not just at the meeting, I was the local rules interpreter at the meeting.

Also, I experimented for a season, even on the college level, with staying in B. It is a bad mechanic, and all the reasons for doing it are bad. Not bad in themselves, but they are always the second-best way to do things. If they were better the PUC would be using them.

Thanks for showing me that while there are some people who want to do things diferently, most of us still find the older ways are the most reliable.