LLWS PU knocked over
 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxzBtKO8pyg

Without bashing the LLWS or its umpires, what do you think of the play?

How about MLU Randy Marsh getting flattened yesterday by Phillies pitcher Jamie Moyer rounding first after the Pirates turned a sacrifice bunt into a "triple" (2 throwing errors, Moyer to third)?

He initially looked up and then looked at the player and then panicked, it appeared.

I was taught not to look at the ball the first day I became an umpire.

And honestly, it would help if he was in a little better shape too.

Peace

looking up momentarily is not his problem here, it's the back peddling that eventually makes him fall over

It seems the general idea is to follow the player, not the ball. We were all taught that.

What's your normal mechanic on a hit like this? I've seen three different "ideas" on this type of play (all assuming you're watching the catcher and not the ball):

1. Don't move until the catcher makes his move.
2. Move the same direction no matter what, leaving the catcher the ability to move straight back.
3. Move the opposite direction the ball was hit, thinking the catcher will move that way.

I've always gone with #1. I stand and see which way he decides to move. Once he's cleared what was my flank at TOP (I'm turning with him, so he'll never see my flank), I move to clear the area. Sometimes it's moving the same direction, but closer to fair territory, but others it's moving to the other side of the plate.

The argument for #2 that I've seen is that the catchers get used to the fact that you always move that direction.

#3 makes sense to a layman, but I can't see how a catcher (or the umpire on some) is going to always know which direction the ball was fouled off to.

What your mechanic here? Is this taught and in a book, or is it something you learn to do?

I was always taught to watch the catcher and move accordingly to get out of their way. Also I was taught to keep on your mask, because it is likely the catcher is going to throw his mask somewhere and you do not want to get hit directly in the face. Now having said that I cannot fault this umpire totally, but I think the fact he looked up he lost his perspective and fell. And I also think that he is not in the best shape which made the fall worse.

Now I have read some of these techniques in some books about umpiring, but I cannot tell you right now exactly where. I think in some books from NASO.

Peace

That I've never heard. It makes sense, but I don't know if I can train myself to do that.

It looked like F2 shoved the umpire out of the way. I would have dumped his punk ***.

Can't be done.

Excellent habit to get in to. My mask in on until the catcher discards his.

My mask is off while I'm opening up the gate to get out of F2's way.

Yep, definitely want to get in the habit of reading the catcher on this one and not the ball...the catcher will find the ball and he'll take you to where you need to be.

Sizzler
 

Me thinketh he needeth to mixeth in a salad once in awhile.....

I was surprised he stayed down that long. Heck of an athletic play by F2