Critique Please - Topic 2: Out to the bases

[lawump]

I don't want to comment on the second play too much, because, frankly I have no idea what the proper mechanics are for working a "1 man".

With that said, I can comment on the first play, because a "first-to-third" rotation happens all the time in a "two-man". So here goes:

(1) In the very first picture, F5 is applying the tag...but you appear not to be set. (Your left leg is bent, but your right leg is straight out). You need to be set at the time of the tag attempt.

(2) You need to be a little bit further right (more toward the center of the cutout and away from the foul line). To do this, you may have to run a step or two LESS up the line, before you break in to get your angle. (In otherwords you'll be a step or two further away from the base, but you'll have a much better angle. Remember, angle over distance!)

(3) Your set position (pictures 2/3) looks very good.

(4) (I'll probably get ripped on this board for saying this, but...) your out mechanic looks too "mechanical". It looks "amateurish" (saying that is what will probably lead to me being ripped). But anyways...it appears that your fist is even with your right ear when you are signalling "out". This is way too far back. It needs to be out in front of you more (but not in front of your eyes!).

I almost always tell students NOT to watch MLB umpires (for any number of reasons). But this is one specific thing that you CAN watch. Watch some games and look at their "out" mechanic (especially the first base umpire on ground outs). Their out mechanic is almost always projected strongly and decisively...something your mechanic is lacking.

Also, you need a "whacker" out mechanic. That is an out mechanic used only to sell a really close play that is different from the out mechanic you use for 95% of the plays. (And you may have one, and just not used it here because the play wasn't close...I can't tell from the pictures.)

Here's a picture of MLB Reserve umpire Dusty Dellinger. While this picture caught him on the tail end of his out mechanic (his right arm is on its way back down to his side) you can clearly tell that he had his right arm and fist out in front of him.

http://www.umpirepictures.com/Pictur...6_15%20030.htm

Here's another routine out mechanic by a AAA guy:

http://www.umpirepictures.com/Pictur..._3-4%20178.htm

And one more (notice how late (TIMING!!!) he calls it). The runner is out of the picture, and the first baseman has come up with the ball and is out of the frame tossing it around the diamond.:

http://www.umpirepictures.com/Pictur..._3-4%20222.htm