Angle at the plate

[dash_riprock]

From that camera angle, it's tough to tell how far away from the play PU is, but he may be a tad too close. Being right on top of it usually does not help.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by dash_riprock

From that camera angle, it's tough to tell how far away from the play PU is, but he may be a tad too close. Being right on top of it usually does not help.

Who told you this? He's not to close. Tag plays are not like force plays. Unless you are actually interfering with the play itself, there is no such thing as too close to a tag.

[dash_riprock]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

Unless you are actually interfering with the play itself, there is no such thing as too close to a tag.

Who told you this?

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by dash_riprock

Who told you this?

Jon Bible, Carl Childress, Paul Runge, Mike DiMuro, Eddie Lopez, Mark Hetland....many others. You are supposed to get much closer to a tag than to a force play. Many times, you cannot see a tag from far away. That is why you see umpires right on top of tag plays (8 to 10 feet) and far away on force plays (15 to 18 feet). This is why you run to the cutout to make the call on steals, but stay closer to B or C for force plays.

[dash_riprock]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

Jon Bible, Carl Childress, Paul Runge, Mike DiMuro, Eddie Lopez, Mark Hetland....many others. You are supposed to get much closer to a tag than to a force play. Many times, you cannot see a tag from far away. That is why you see umpires right on top of tag plays (8 to 10 feet) and far away on force plays (15 to 18 feet). This is why you run to the cutout to make the call on steals, but stay closer to B or C for force plays.

8-10 feet on a tag play? Then we're on the same page. To me, the ump in the picture looks closer than that (although parallax can distort things). And yes, you can be too close, and I know you know that. So do your esteemed teachers.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by dash_riprock

8-10 feet on a tag play? Then we're on the same page. To me, the ump in the picture looks closer than that (although parallax can distort things). And yes, you can be too close, and I know you know that. So do your esteemed teachers.

Yes, if you are interfering with the play, you're way too close. It was Carl Childress who said you should get your nose in there on tag plays, but I'm sure he didn't mean between the fielder and the runner!

The guy in the photo is on the grass outside of the cut. That is plenty enough far from the play. He's just fine.

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by dash_riprock

8-10 feet on a tag play? Then we're on the same page. To me, the ump in the picture looks closer than that (although parallax can distort things). And yes, you can be too close, and I know you know that. So do your esteemed teachers.

Agree. Getting too close causes the play to "blow up" on you.

The flattening effect of photographs is not an instance of parallax, which involves shifting viewpoints. Still, you're right to observe that "parallax can distort things."

[yo...blue...]

Try telling a coach, "parallax can distort things"... "I was in the best position to see the play, Coach. Now go back to your dugout."

This guy is toes to the edge of the dirt circle. Aren't we supposed to take tag plays on the bases from the cutout? It shouldn't be any different at the plate.

It's unfortunate that some Umpires always look for the negatives of other umpires. Maybe that's the way they build themselves up. I'm suprised nobody has said anything about the plate umpire's grey ballbags.