Going Solo

[johnnyg08]

you're not going to call anything that you can't see anyway...I understand why you'd do this while working one man...it's a bit risky, I know, but where I work, the players pretty much get the fact that when a play is over, it's over and when my back is turned to the field of play, I'm not making any calls either way...so I don't always call "time" but I can see where your plan is probably better than mine...but it seems to work for me...

[CO ump]

Originally Posted by johnnyg08

you're not going to call anything that you can't see anyway...I understand why you'd do this while working one man...it's a bit risky, I know, but where I work, the players pretty much get the fact that when a play is over, it's over and when my back is turned to the field of play, I'm not making any calls either way...so I don't always call "time" but I can see where your plan is probably better than mine...but it seems to work for me...

By not making a call what do you mean?

Sit. 1

Your near the mound after a bases empty single. F2 has the ball. You turn to return to HP. F2 snaps a throw to F3 because R1 went brain dead and was already off the bag. You hear the roar of the crowd and realize there's something happening. You turn just in time to see the ball roll into DBT. What do you do?

1. If you say award bases, how many? your back was turned, was f2 on the rubber or not?

2. Based on where F2 was when you turned your back you decide to award 2 bases. Now defensive coach comes out and he's pi$$ed. Apparently (at least according to def. coach) R1 deliberately interfered with F2s throw and needs to be called out. Hearing this argument 3rd base coach comes running in saying there was no interference, F3 was blocking the bag without the ball, he obstructed and my guy had no place to go.


I'm not sure what the disadvantage of calling time is when you turn your back, but I know what it can be if you don't.

[johnnyg08]

I got nothing...I don't disagree with you...but at my pregame, I tell the mgrs, that there's only one of me out here...whenever possible I try to not turn my back on the field...but in the sitch you describe, I call nothing...my back was turned, there's one ump, the play was over.

You're right there's not a disadvantage...as I said earlier, I should do it more, but it does seem to slow the flow of the game...in my expereince anyway...your way is probably the right way to do it...your points are all excellent

[GarthB]

Originally Posted by johnnyg08

I got nothing...I don't disagree with you...but at my pregame, I tell the mgrs, that there's only one of me out here...whenever possible I try to not turn my back on the field...but in the sitch you describe, I call nothing...my back was turned, there's one ump, the play was over.

You're right there's not a disadvantage...as I said earlier, I should do it more, but it does seem to slow the flow of the game...in my expereince anyway...your way is probably the right way to do it...your points are all excellent

When I worked a few one-man games back in the day, I agreed with you. Calling time does delay a game. Players hear time and wander. Coaches begin communicating with players....people just relax and then take time to get focused and back in position when play is called. The less often time is called the better.


In the extremely rare situation that something happens when your back is turned. Stop it and put it back where it was. No problem. If you are hustling, no one is going to b!tch. If it happens and you're strolling, then they will, and you'll deserve it.

This is what Frosh? JV? And one-man to boot. He!!, keep it going.

[CO ump]

Originally Posted by GarthB

When I worked a few one-man games back in the day, I agreed with you. Calling time does delay a game. Players hear time and wander. Coaches begin communicating with players....people just relax and then take time to get focused and back in position when play is called. The less often time is called the better.


In the extremely rare situation that something happens when your back is turned. Stop it and put it back where it was. No problem. If you are hustling, no one is going to b!tch. If it happens and you're strolling, then they will, and you'll deserve it.

This is what Frosh? JV? And one-man to boot. He!!, keep it going.

Garth am I reading this right? You're endorsing turning your back on a live ball.
Are there any other live ball situations that you endorse "do overs"

What if:
R2
sharp grounder to F6 he gloves it pump fakes to first, umpire swivels head to first, split second later realizes no throw was made, turns back to F6 and realizes he's missed a play on R2.
Should umpire stop play and put everyone back "sorry, do over, I missed it"
This case and above situation are both screw ups and umpire misses the play in both cases.
Why is one a do over and the other isn't?

[johnnyg08]

it's not a do over...it's understood where I work anyway, that with one man, when the play's over, it's over...watch any baseball game and there's "that down moment" where you walk back to your postion...you get caught turning your back during a play...that's a different story...it's not a do over...like I said before...if you want to call time, call time...there's nothing wrong with it...how much 1 man do you work??

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by CO ump

Garth am I reading this right? You're endorsing turning your back on a live ball.

This ties for the dumbest post on the internet.

Garth says: "If you screw up, here's how to deal with it."

CO Ump says: "So Garth, you're endorsing screwing up?"

Sheesh.

[CO ump]

Originally Posted by mbyron

This ties for the dumbest post on the internet.

Garth says: "If you screw up, here's how to deal with it."

CO Ump says: "So Garth, you're endorsing screwing up?"

Sheesh.

Mr. Byron,

Comprehension is everything

Garth said:
"In the extremely rare situation that something happens when your back is turned. Stop it and put it back where it was. No problem."

If time is called when you turn your back nothing can happen. Therefore it seems to me he is endorsing turning your back on a live ball.
Also he doesn't say it's rare to turn your back on a live ball, he's saying it's rare that something happens when you do turn your back.

The last line of his post is "He!! keep it going"
In context with the rest of his post one can only deduct that he means don't call time keep the ball live. Again this would be an endorsement of turning your back on a live ball.

If you think the only point of his post was how to deal with a screw up I ask you what screw up would that be?
That screw up would have to be turning your back on a live ball. The balance of his post does not at all indicate that he considers this a screw up, rather an unfortunate result of a conscious decision to keep the game moving by not calling time.

Hence my question:
Garth are you really endorsing turning your back on a live ball?