Running Lane - Whose Call?

[tcarilli]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Not everyone subscribes to the same mechanics manuals or has the same philosophy about what to call and not what to call.

No doubt, but I know of no mechanics, that are widely used, that give running lane responsibilities to the the BU.

Originally Posted by JRutledge

if the goal is to "get the play right" which I seem to read all over this board, then it would only make sense that both umpires would have an angle to get this play right.

Get it right is an ex post philosophy, ie, the umpire whose responsibility it is for a call may ask the other umpire(s) if he missed some important aspect of the play that may change his judgment on that play. It is not an ex ante philosophy where all umpires can call all things and then hope there aren't opposite calls on any particular play. So I think your use of the get it right philosophy here is a red herring.

Originally Posted by JRutledge

And in three person especially the BU is not always has only responsibility with the runner as they might have to be up the 3rd base line on a batted ball. They might be pulled away from only looking at the runner in the running lane.

In 3-man mechanics on a ground ball to the infield there is never any reason for the PU to head to third, he does not have responsibility for runners at third base when the ball does not leave the infield.

Originally Posted by JRutledge

all I ever do is watch the fielder play the ball and when they come up throwing I take my eyes off of them

So, you are reading that at least there was a throw. Reading a true throw allows the BU to come set in a timely manner. If the throw isn't true the BU has to be prepared to adjust. That is the purpose of reading the throw.

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I can tell you with confidence I am not going to go where that MLB umpire did and not see a first baseman off the bag by 3 feet. That is never going to be my position so I think I am confident if I a runner is out of that lane I will be on top of it.

Not sure what the first has to do with what we are hashing out here, but OK. The play you are alluding to happened because the throw was not true and the BU prepared for the play at first as if the throw was true. As for the second part, the ball and runner are coming from different areas so seeing both at the same time is very difficult especially if the focus is on the first base area because the first base area is not moving, but the runner and the ball are.

RLI has to do with the position of the runner as it interferes with F3's ability to catch a quality throw. I don't think a base umpire can determine those things at the same time in 99% of the cases which is why the plate umpire has responsibility for RLI in nearly all mechanics.