Being "hung out to dry"

[soundedlikeastrike]

Collegiate summer ball.
2 man.


R1, R2, no outs. I am in C. My partner and I communicate: INF in effect, I've got the V, flyball PU has the tag of R2, base hit U1 staying home, we are tight.

This is the first time we had worked together and we normally work for different associations. We had a very thourough pre-game.

Batter sends a flair to short LC, no way is this an INF too deep and certainly not routinely catchable.

R2 is yo-yoing about 1/2 way to 3rd, R1 is nearing 1/2 way to 2nd.

I'm sliding towards B to get an angle on the Catch no catch as I'm staightlined by the SS angling out towards CF. SS lays out, ball in and out, I signal "safe no catch".

R2 is now about 10' from second, and is now scrambling towards 3rd and R1 is digging hard for 2nd. SS cat like scoops up the ball. I am anticipating a throw to 2nd for a force on R1. SS fires to 3rd, it looks like a pretty close play from periphial view, with a good hard slide by R2. As I wait, and wait, for a call, I get that really eerie feeling that everyone is looking at me.

As I ever so slowly turn and look for my partner I can't see him, I feel my self turning more and more toward HP, finally I spot him, maybe 10 feet from HP, guess what? He's looking at me too. I had a really "great feeling" that the throw beat the runner for the force at 3RD, but I was really "focusing on" watching R1's touch, then checked BR. I really was "confident" my partner was at 3rd.

So, I really didn't see an out, did F5 touch the bag? So, "Safe" I signals.

D asks for time, hustles on out and asks very politely I'll add, "hey, I think we got him there at 3rd on the force, would you mind asking for help on that one?

Now, I'm knowing it's my call as defined by the "robotic" theory of coverages in the 2 man game, so, I'm thinking "no I won't ask", but then, that fair play and getting it right thing, springs into my head, plus I kinda wanna talk to my partner anyway. So, I confer with my partner.

"Hey, pard, were you enjoying the show back there? Were ya just to busy to help me there? He say's "hey, the first play on the infield is yours".

I say "yeah, ok, but did ya happen to see the play at 3rd, I really felt your presence there, and thought you had it, and I really didn't see it?

He say's "oh yeah the throw beat him by 3-4 steps, he was out by a mile on the force". "Thanks" I say's. Stand tall "out at 3rd I say's".

Now here comes the O skipper. I know, he knows, "out" was the right call, but then, instead of coming over to me, he tracks after U1.

I'm thinking what the? Coach says to U1. "If your gonna change that call, I'd appreciate it if you'd at least hustle up there to make the call". Turns and walks away.

So, who was hung out? Guess we both were. I felt hung out by my partner not reading and reacting to the developing play.

He felt hung out, cause he got a butt chewing, on my behalf.

I sent this out for an "un-scientific" poll on another site. The consensus: I was the one hung out. I can't argue that outcome....

I only share this one, because of the (IMO) necessity of Umpires to "read and react". I too felt hung out, I only say this because of my experiences of when I am U1 in similar situations.

I mean what else am I gonna do back there on this type play?
1) I've already got the tag up of R2.
2) I'm moving up the 3rd base line to assist on the catch no catch, if needed.
3) R2 is hung out, so I know I've got no (very unlikely anyway) chance of a play at the plate, and I recognize there may very likely be a play at either 2nd or 3rd.
4) The most convincing in my mind, is I would have been communicating to my partner, hey Bub, I've got 3rd if he comes.

In our post game: I said where were you man? He says, "I gotta stay home on a base hit there for a play at the plate, and you have the first call on the infield.

I say "didn't you feel the need to react because of the developing play and do to my position".

"Nope", he says, "that was yours all the way".

So, I now, always, bring up the topic of "read and react" at pre-game discussions.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by soundedlikeastrike

"Nope", he says, "that was yours all the way".

I agree with your partner, but he should have comunicated that he was staying / returning home.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

I agree with your partner, but he should have comunicated that he was staying / returning home.

Me too. It belongs to the base umpire, but the PU could've communicated better.

[soundedlikeastrike]

Hung out, then, strung up..

LL, 60' diamond.
I'm U1, partner in C with R1 & R2.
Pitch in the dirt right at the RH batter, he jumps over the ball, I see no contact, "ball".

O Manager asks for time and from the dugout steps says "the ball hit him on the foot". I ask the Batter, "that hit ya?" He give's me that beautifully innocent pre-teen, shrug of the shoulders. "Nope", I says to coach.

SUDDENLY, like a white knight, my hero partner, comes running in from C, shouting and flailing his arms, "it hit him, it hit him".

I confer with him, and he say's "oh yeah, it him on the bottom of the foot."

I ask, "man, you sure?" "I saw him clearly jump over the bounce".

"Oh yeah, right on the bottom of the foot".

"Well, okay, I says, thanks a bunch for your help", but do me a favor, and don't offer that type help unless, I ask ya, okay?"

"Sorry skipper, guess I missed that one..."

I award the batter 1st base on the HBP, notify the scorekeep, we had a HBP.

Now, D asks for time, and I feel an explaination is in order. He comes on out, my partner kinda lingers there, guess he wants to here the splain-n?

Coach asks "why did you change your call"? I say, "well coach I didn't see any contact on the pitch, but my partner, clearly saw the pitch strike the batter on the bottom of the foot, so, we have a HBP".

Coach ask's my partner, "you saw that from clear out there, when this guys two feet away from it?"

My partner, says, "yeah, I'm "PRETTY SURE" it hit him".............

Ever have that "kicked in the gut feeling" as your being held under the water?

After a bit more interrogation of my partner, in private away from the coaches, (I wish Guantanamo had been available then), it is clear that,

no he did not clearly, unquestionably, willing to die by the call, see the ball strike the batter, the best I could get out of him was, it "looked like it might of", or "I think it hit him".

I really couldn't take this as definitive any more than the coach coulda.

I chew my partners A.. best I can on a 60' diamond.
Explain to the O manager, that my partner wasn't absolutely clear on his call, that I was right on top of it, and I am bringing the Batter back, and that is my final answer, sorry about the confusion, let's play on.. errrrrrr, grrrrrrrrr, #$%@&@!!

[DG]

If I was PU I would have been about half way up the line in case you needed me, but it's your call at 3B in this play. R1 touching is not as important on this play as a potential throw to 3B, and in fact irrelevant since it was a flair and both runners were well off their base.

Now if it was a routine fly ball with catch and throw to 3B I would expect my partner to be at 3b for R2 advancing, and I cover this in pregame. But not on a flair.