Great call at plate by Jeff Nelson
 

I don't have the link for it, but it was the play they will be showing on Sports Center and all the other highlight shows. Look for it. Jeff Nelson was nominated as one of the game MVPs on the post game show, the first time an umpire has had that honor. The call was that good.

Maybe one of the linkmasters here can get the video up.

Play was two Padre runners, one about ten feet behind the other, coming into home as the throw came into Giants catcher Benji Molina. First runner slides, Benji dives and lays the glove with the ball next to the plate, first runner's foot misses the glove by about two inches and grazes the 3BL side of the plate, Benji is rolling over on his back as second runner leaps over Benji and his teammate, and gets tagged in midair. Runner #1 tries to retag home, Molina tags him before he can, but he's already safe. PU Nelson is about three feet away, down 1BL, with bodies sprawling all around him, looking down on the plate, and dramatically calls runner 2 out, points to runner 1, then to the plate, and signals safe. A call of beauty.

Not to quibble, but the first runner, Adrian Gonzales (although already safe), retouched the plate before being tagged and Nelson pointed to the plate (to indicate he touched the plate the first time through) after he gave him the safe sign. Yes, a true call of beauty.

If admiring a great call is sniffing, then pass me the jock!:rolleyes:

Since you requested it:

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NUZ_fM-TQK...McCainJock.jpg

Here's the video:
Double call by Nelson

Thanks for the video mbyron!

Great positioning - great call!

It was an outstanding call by Nelson. Almost same type of call John Hirschbeck had a few years back in the first round of the playoffs involving the NY Mets.

it was great to watch how he slowed the play down in his mind and just watched it all play itself out.

This is Major League Baseball. Why WOULDN'T the trail runner be allowed to leap over the catcher? He would be just as allowed to run right through him.

Wow!

Awesome play, great call.

Now, about that smock he's wearing...:eek:

That is just a FED thing isn't it? Too many dang rule sets. Check that...wasn't a dive.

are you talking about his wind breaker jacket?...

8-4-2b-2:

Runners are never required to slide, but if a runner elects to slide, the
slide must be legal. (2-32-1, 2) Jumping, hurdling, and leaping are all
legal attempts to avoid a fielder as long as the fielder is lying on the
ground. Diving over a fielder is illegal.

Legal play in FED

-Josh

thx jd

Positioning
 

:confused:Wow - great call and patience. It seems he was already anticipating this as he viewed the scene unfolding in his mind looking down the third base line. My question, as I try to improve on mechanics and angles, is this, why was he on the first base side vs third base base? It seems if he was on third base side he may not have had a clear view of the slide and missed tag. What is the proper protocol for positioning at the plate or does it depend on the play? Thanks in advance!

swipe tags...third base line extended...

It has to do with working the point of the plate, and then reading the play and swinging left or right to find the window that will allow you to best see the tag applied. If you can read the PBUC blue book or the CCA on the subject it would help you.

It takes a lot of skill to swing the correct way to read the play...at least for me it took me a while to be confident taking a play third base line extended versus 1BL extended...in the Nelson play, the throw was coming from right so somebody less experienced might line up w/ the throw and be 1BL extended and could've possibly missed the touch by the first runner...unfortunately it's not an exact science...seems as though there's a bit more art to reading those plays than science...others may disagree

Nope you are right, there is a lot of art to it, and the only way to get it right most of the time is to have a lot of practice at using it. It is a feeling thing and insticts that helps you find that window.

As far as positioning goes, this was a no brainer! Two runners coming in like this -- you know there is going to be a tag, so you have to go 3BLE!

Actually you do need a brain, beacuse the exact location to setup is some where between 3rd BLE and the 1st BL. It depends on how wide the slide is and where the catcher is setup and where the ball is coming from center fiedl tothe dugout. Now for a qutoe of the week candidate: "These types of plays are like Sex! They take a lot of practice to get good at!" :)

What is the big deal?? Two plays and the ump has to stay with the play and adjust his angle. Jeff seemed a bit flustered as he made the call on the second runner first.

I am guessing that he made the out call first on purpose. He pointed at each one so everybody in the stadium knew his call on both runners. I don't think he seemed flustered at all...

He made the most critical call first. His "fluster," as you call it, was his making sure Molina still had the ball, and selling the call. I saw no such fluster and have seen the play from every possible angle. He came back to call Gonzales safe and emphatically point at the plate to indicate that he had it when he went by originally. Great timing, proper sequence, excellent management of a hostile Benji Molina.

Headley knew he was out, but immediately pointed at Gonzales. After the call, both players nodded their head and I saw Gonzales mouthing the words, "good call."

You're right, this technique takes practice. I saw the catcher moving up the 3B line and went to 3BLX twice in my game Monday and got a great angle for the (successful) swipe tag both times. It does work when you do it right.

Do you need Jeff's email to tell him he looked flustered?... Looks like good timing here, but hey how would you have called it?...what would your mechanics been?

No I don't need his email to communicate with Jeff. He would probably laugh with me if I told him that. We have worked out of the same locker rooms way back in the day. He probably will also tell you that he thought he was going to get run over by the second runner.

My comment was based on Jeff possibly being too close to the play. I don't think the two calls were that hard, it just looked hard because he was caught in the middle of the flying bodies.

I had never heard of the sniffer comments but I think the OP didn't need any Vicks nasal inhaler to get fired up over this one.

It might help to stay on the 1st baseline extended just to be on the safe side. Throw from right center field over towards right you could anticipate a swipe tag play and go 3rd baseline extended, but you don't want to get blocked out by the catcher.

Nobody said it was a big deal. It was just an example of a really good call, done properly. It was meant to serve as a model to other umpires. I've made many similarly great calls over my long career umpiring, but mine are unfortunately not available on video as tutorials. Like I said, he made the call in the proper sequence and with purpose, not out of being flustered, or being too close to the play, which he was not, as that is nearly impossible on tag plays.

any one find a link to this video.. I cant find it and wanted to show it to someone. Thanks

Unique call for sure I only saw this once before involving Carlton Fisk but it really wasn't that difficult. First runner obviously safe and the second obviously out. He had plenty of time between calls. Hey he's a professional he should make those calls.