Horrible Mechanics

[Rich]

Originally Posted by umpjong

Just be aware that if you are being evaluated, you will be dinged big time for deviating from the prescribed mechanics. The folks that wrote them have been doing this a lot longer than we have. And if you aspire to move up I would suggest you stick with the manuals........ Just a recommendation...

Personally, I don't care about evaluations. I don't have people watching me work around here and I know more than the people they'd get anyway.

I care more when a plate guy has happy feet and feels like he needs to help in places where it's not called for. There's absolutely no need for the PU in this situation once the ball drops. The play is a force play and the umpire is in the working area behind the mound and can adjust and get an angle on a throw to any base. If the throw is bad and forces a tag, it's another step and a lean and a great angle.

However, if the ball drops and F7 kicks it and R2 goes to the plate, now the PU, instead of being at the point of the plate (where he'd be if he went home the second the ball hit the ground) -- now he has to scramble back in fair ground and make a call on the run. Or if the ball gets through F5 towards DBT we have zero umpires that can take the ball to the DBT line, which is fine if it's necessary. Here, it's not.

If a ding would be in order, it would be labeled "false hustle."