I always thought the working area was only used (meaning occupied by BU) when the ball was batted to the outfield. Otherwise, step up, turn, and face the ball.

Nice post Garth, I like it!

I've never understood how anyone could get straightlined on a play at first from any position on the infield. Even if for some wild reason a fielder jumped right in your line at the last second on a banger, a simple lean and look will give you the view you need to make the call.


Tim.

Lots goes into the claim that you shouldn't need to get help.

Ideally, you shouldn't.

But, we aren't all fast, quick, and agile.

Players do the wrong thing sometimes.

Players sometimes indicate they're going to do one thing and then do another.

Umpires sometimes misread a throw.

F3 isn't always well trained or adequate to the job.

Lots of umpires (particularly those who have worked pro ball) never, EVER ask for help on a pulled foot or swipe tag.

Certainly it's good to work hard to be in position for any play. And asking for help doesn't guarantee the correct call. You can be uncertain and correct on a play, while at the same time your partner can be certain and wrong.

These are simply competing philosophies in which neither side is 100% correct. In some leagues, asking for help is a good game mangement tool. In other leagues, asking for help is a game management disaster.

But, anyone who has worked at least 1000 games of the 2 man system at the HS level and above, and says he's never asked for help because he was never in his life straightlined (and by that I mean that your angle to the play was so acute or so obtuse that you didn't get a good look), has my complete and unrelenting disbelief.

To say you didn't need to ask for help is supportable, to say you've never been straightlined in a career that meets the previously mentioned criteria is unbelievable.

All that said, the big difference to me isn't whether you make mistakes, because you do, but whether you're willing to live with them in the quest to become better. Those that never, EVER ask for help are, in my experience, not only better, but they keep improving at a faster rate because bad calls are professionally embarassing. Since they alone bear full responsibility, they work harder not to make them.

Garth excellent post but IMO, the culprit is today's baseball.

It depends upon where you work and the "brand" of baseball.

Example: R2 one out. Ball is hit to the left side of the infield.

Let's freeze R2 should not be going anywhere so one can use your analysis above. But even Derek Jeter the other day committed a 'cardinal sin" when he was on second and the ball was hit to F6.

I do not see baseball played "the right" way so to speak in today's climate. Plenty of times you will see R2 take off for third base when the ball is hit to the left sie of the infield. The BU in a 2 person crew has the FIRST play at third so if R2 takes off for third (the BU has to be in good position for that call FIRST, then if F6 doesn't play on him or thinks he can't get him, fires to first to try and get the BR.

The aforementioned is when you as BU (because you were in position to make the call at third) are most vulnerable to the Pulled foot / swipe tag play at first because by getting in position for a call at third, you are now not in the optimul position to see the pulled foot / swipe tag.

Also, in a 2 person crew the "advanced base" is the most important base meaning if we are going to "kick one" it's better at first base then 3rd base or home. That does not "excuse" us but it is a fact.

In Summary: Your analysis above is an excellent tool provided the game is played the 'right way". In a 2 person crew we go to where the play is most likely to be. Also, I think the main thing to keep in mind is: The defense screwed up by not making a good throw whenever we do have a pulled foot / swipe tag play.

Pete Booth

Hmm,
 

To the best of my memory I have not been "straight lined" since 1968 . . .

No wait!

I wasn't straight lined then either.

39 years and counting.


Regards,

Garth - if you read my post, I indicated that it was possible to tell where the fielder was throwing it. What I was saying that the situation itself did not give an answer as what the play WOULD be, only what the fielder would do when he got the ball. This is a time I think it would be beneficial to get to the working area to work OUT of, not from. From this area you can quickly a get an angle on any base. That was the point of my post.

The working area is a concept to use on occasion, but I don't reccommend staying there to do your work. Using it as a tool to get close to a position you can see everything, and then adjusting to make a call with 5 steps or so, can be beneficial, which I felt your post left out.

And I did so intentionally if we are still referring to the first play on the bases.

And,
 

I agree with Garth.

We will now teach to stay out of the "working" area, on the first play in the infield, as does the PBUC.

Regards,

No worries, I just was confused a bit and thought your OP made it seem like you should never go to the working area, and that it shouldn't be used anymore at all. Just wanted clarification to make sure this isn't what you meant (in all situations). Good post and an interesting concept of space and time I can work into my basework for sure.

Yeppers, that's the thing, Garthie must be playing in the big leagues, anyone who claims never to have been straightlined is, let me say this gently, lying.

I agree that this has little relevance to 90% of the working umpires in the world. But it does make for good hypothetical conversation.