PU Positioning

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by johnnyg08

Unless you're doing professional baseball where you can have legal collisions at the plate, you will see most amateur umpires who know what they're doing take plays at the plate from third base line extended.

Not from left field or 3rd base!

[CT1]

Originally Posted by mbcrowder

Not on throws coming from left field or 3rd base!

Fixed it for you.

[BigUmp56]

I've seen MLB umpires step into fair territory from time to time to take a play at the plate. This isn't something that's been taught at any camp or clinic I've attended. I'm curious if this is an advanced mechanic some of you might use. If so, what would dictate you moving into fair territory?

Tim.

[Steve Meyer]

Originally Posted by BigUmp56

I've seen MLB umpires step into fair territory from time to time to take a play at the plate. This isn't something that's been taught at any camp or clinic I've attended. I'm curious if this is an advanced mechanic some of you might use. If so, what would dictate you moving into fair territory?

Tim.

And I've seen them sell the crap out of an out call at home when the throw sailed clear to the backstop.

The mechanic has been out for a while. I'll use 1BLX until I'm mandated to do such. MLB has pristine fields. Most fields I've been on aren't that way. Can't see a damn thing with dirt flying everywhere from 3BLX.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by mbcrowder

Not from left field or 3rd base!

Yes, you do.

There is only one play that should be taken from anywhere other than 3BLX and that is if F2 is blocking and the runner appears to intend to go between his legs.

Even from the left side, taking a play from 1BLX will cause the runner (at least) to be between you and the tag.

[johnnyg08]

Originally Posted by mbcrowder

Not from left field or 3rd base!

Those are the most important times for you to be 3blx.

[johnnyg08]

Certain clinics try to have "the answer" but you will be in the right place more times than not if you take the plays at the plate from 3BLX and on a block, rotate up in to fair territory that way you can also see if the ball comes out.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by johnnyg08

Those are the most important times for you to be 3blx.

Yes, taking the runner and the throw at a 180 angle is a great idea. That's why we call steals of 2nd base from center field, right?

[Matt]

Originally Posted by mbcrowder

Yes, taking the runner and the throw at a 180 angle is a great idea. That's why we call steals of 2nd base from center field, right?

Do I have to enumerate why this post is so stupid?

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by Matt

Do I have to enumerate why this post is so stupid?

Sure... although I'm not sure "stupid" is appropriate to the new and improved kindler gentler forum.

Seriously, my comment was somewhat tongue in cheek ... but in every tag play you're trying to get an angle where you can see the ball coming in, the runner coming in, and then the tag when it happens (along with the base, obviously).

3BLE on a throw from F5 or F7 is going to leave you blocked from the tag very very often.

[dileonardoja]

1BLX gives you zero options, meaning your stuck there so if the play gets weird such as throw slightly up the 3B line and runner going inside you are completely straightlined. 3BLX gives you the best angle for any swipe tag and the option of rotating to either 1BL or going to 1BLX for an angle on any other play.

In my association if you go to 1BLX you are going to be dinged hard on a eval and not going to move up to. You'll be working JV for life.

[MD Longhorn]

Time after time, I come on there, see one guy defending this position or that, despite the fact that 4 or 5 (or 10 or 25) people are telling him he's wrong. The man stubbornly insists he's right, slicing and dicing rules or quoting this book or that ... referring to instructions received at the I'm Famous So I Have a Clinic - Clinic.

I (and the 4 or 5 or 10 or 25) come to the conclusion that Don Quixote is an idiot. Even if someone tries reasoning and tells him to ask his clinician, he stubbornly stays on his spot like the North-Moving Zax.

Looks like I'm the stubborn Zax here. So I'll bow to the majority and admit I may have been taught wrong - and will definitely bring this up at the next clinic.

[johnnyg08]

Originally Posted by mbcrowder

Yes, taking the runner and the throw at a 180 angle is a great idea. That's why we call steals of 2nd base from center field, right?

Call 'em how you want. But nobody who's been trained recently takes many plays, if any from 1BLX anymore.

Good luck to you, you call 'em your way, I'll call 'em mine.

[jicecone]

Originally Posted by johnnyg08

Call 'em how you want. But nobody who's been trained recently takes many plays, if any from 1BLX anymore.

Good luck to you, you call 'em your way, I'll call 'em mine.

No One?



Baseball Video Highlights & Clips | SD@LAD: Padres plate a pair on surprise steal of home - Video | MLB.com: Multimedia

[johnnyg08]

Originally Posted by jicecone

No One?



Baseball Video Highlights & Clips | SD@LAD: Padres plate a pair on surprise steal of home - Video | MLB.com: Multimedia

Read my entire post. Carefully. And on this play the positioning still wasn't that great, but he might have been pinned. I haven't seen this clip for a few weeks.