Third base coverage

[yawetag]

Originally Posted by collint1993

For me it all depends on the situation. When there is a R2 and less than 2 outs, I'll normally take the first call and my partner will take the second. And if there is a shot to the outfield and there could be a call at second or third, generally the plate ump will make the call at third.

What mechanics book are you using?

[collint1993]

Originally Posted by yawetag

What mechanics book are you using?

None, Its 12u, 13u, and 14u. And it has always worked for me. It may not be correct for high school or higher levels, but I am 18 and I'm not old enough to do those. One ump can't be in two places at once, and if there isn't going to be a play at the plate, and there could be a play at 2nd or 3rd/1rst or 3rd mine as well help the bu.

[yawetag]

Originally Posted by collint1993

if there isn't going to be a play at the plate, and there could be a play at 2nd or 3rd/1rst or 3rd mine as well help the bu.

And if the play at 3B ends up having the ball thrown away toward the fence/dugout and you have a close play at home, who's there to make the call?

Originally Posted by collint1993

One ump can't be in two places at once,

You're right. But with proper positioning and movement, a base umpire should be able to cover any area he would have primary responsibility for covering. An umpire should be sure that he's not moving to a play until such play is going to be made.

Originally Posted by collint1993

It may not be correct for high school or higher levels, but I am 18 and I'm not old enough to do those.

That doesn't mean you shouldn't learn proper mechanics. Learning them now prevents breaking bad habits when you are old enough for the higher-level assignments.

All this said, I completely understand if you're plugging a hole for a partner who is lacking in his mechanics. However, I don't see this being the case in your posts ("I'll normally take the first call and my partner will take the second" and "generally the plate ump will make the call at third"). If your ultimate goal is to work higher-level baseball, then you and your partners should start studying proper mechanics and learn them now. You'll be amazed how efficient your movement will become and easier it will be to umpire your games.

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by collint1993

None, Its 12u, 13u, and 14u. And it has always worked for me. It may not be correct for high school or higher levels, but I am 18 and I'm not old enough to do those.

The 2-umpire system is designed to maximize coverage for all possible outcomes, including the ones that wouldn't occur to you. If you're old enough to work with a partner, you're old enough to learn the right way.

I worked a game last weekend after a 16 year-old umpire working by himself for a different league. He had the most remarkable array of bad habits, from signaling strikes with his left hand on down. I thought: here's a kid who will have worked maybe 150 games before he turns 18, and he'll be useless to the association because he'll be so hard to retrain. What a shame.

Baseball is baseball, and umpiring is umpiring. It's not too late to get yourself some proper training. All your future partners will thank you.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by mbyron

The 2-umpire system is designed to maximize coverage for all possible outcomes, including the ones that wouldn't occur to you. If you're old enough to work with a partner, you're old enough to learn the right way.

Yep, and it's also a series of compromises to get an umpire to the best position position possible, not the best possible position.

Sometimes, the BU needs to earn his money.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Bob is absolutely right. The BU needs to earn his money. The partners I work with know that as the plate umpire, there are only three occasions when I will be at 3rd base:

1) Runner going to 3rd base and throw from the outfield is also going to 3rd base on 1st and 3rd situation.

2) R1/R2, and R2 tags up and advances on a fly out to the outfield.

3) A rundown occurs between 2nd and 3rd, and I can get there before it's all over.

My biggest pet peeve as a base umpire is a PU that insists on creeping up the 3rd base line, like they want to help out or something, like on naked triples. Chugging into 3rd and looking over and seeing the PU standing by the cutout just really gets me mad.

Second play in the infield? That's why they call it the BU position.