It should be common sense, but...

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

That's not normal... but in any case, it's the PLATE umpire's responsibility to watch BU at the beginning of a fly ball to the outfield to see if he's going out. Many partners will say something if they go out, but that's often not heard anyway. YOU have to watch. If he goes out, he's got the fly ball and you've got, well, what you didn't get.

And this is even easier if you come from behind home plate. Unfortunately that is what I do not see enough of from the PU in these cases.

Peace

[Matt]

Originally Posted by Rita C

Everyone is reacting oddly to this one.

Do you really expect BU in A to cover the centerfielder moving back on the ball?

Rita

That is the one ball that BU has to get. PU will have F8 between him and the ball.

On just about any other trouble ball, if BU has a brain fart, a crew can fake the funk. On this, there's no way.

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

YOU have to watch. If he goes out, he's got the fly ball and you've got, well, what you didn't get.

But that's just it. Since I thought that ball was mine the whole way, I was watching F8 and the flight of the ball as I moved out towards the right side of the mound, assuming (incorrectly in this case) that my partner was going to button-hook in to take the BR. I didn't see my partner moving out until after the BR was on his way to second.

I guess Boo on me for not knowing the proper mechanic.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by Manny A

But that's just it. Since I thought that ball was mine the whole way, I was watching F8

Yes, THAT is just it. Even if you thought the ball was yours, you watch your partner (heck, I glance at him by habit now, even if the ball is on the wrong side entirely). When partner turns his back, it's over - he's got the fly, you've got everything else.

Live and learn... that's part of what's great about this site.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Manny A

But that's just it. Since I thought that ball was mine the whole way, I was watching F8 and the flight of the ball as I moved out towards the right side of the mound, assuming (incorrectly in this case) that my partner was going to button-hook in to take the BR. I didn't see my partner moving out until after the BR was on his way to second.

I guess Boo on me for not knowing the proper mechanic.

Wouldn't you still look at your partner and check to see if he went out? You do not need to watch the flight of the ball the entire way. It is going to take a few seconds for the ball to get out to the fielder even in the close play that was a line drive. And even if he buttoned hooked into the diamond, you still should be out behind home plate anyway. The only problem I have ever had not knowing what my partner was not going out is when they would do that teetering on the dirt and grass and that is why this is usually a pre-game item when I have not worked with someone. I tell them that if they go, goooo so I know what to do. This usually solves the problem and I cannot think of too many times where I did not know what my partner was doing. This is why a pre-game is valuable as you could even tell them what your expectations are before the game. Even if they followed the mechanic perfectly (which they did according to your post) you still can give situations that might help coverage and interject some philosophy into why you would want something done. And even if your partner did something not 100% right, you should not be so locked into the flight of the ball (which I almost never watch) that you cannot know what to watch based on the actions of your partner.

Peace

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

Yes, THAT is just it. Even if you thought the ball was yours, you watch your partner (heck, I glance at him by habit now, even if the ball is on the wrong side entirely). When partner turns his back, it's over - he's got the fly, you've got everything else.

Live and learn... that's part of what's great about this site.

It's similar to what happens in three person -- one person reads the ball and decides what to do, and the other umpire reads the first and reacts based on the first umpire's decision.

If both go out or both come in, it's the second umpire's fault.

[GA Umpire]

Originally Posted by Manny A

One that happened to me recently was when I had a two-man partner who covered catch/no-catch from the A position on balls hit from F8 all the way to foul territory. He caught me totally unaware as I tracked a ball going deep into center that F8 failed to catch at the fence. I didn't see him until the ball landed on the ground.

Thank goodness that the defense didn't appeal the BR's touch of first base, because I had no clue.

Did you cover him at 2B? I would think you were at least halfway to 2B by the time the ball touched the ground. You do go out to the mound (or as far as you can get) on fly balls to the outfield with no runners on base. Don't you?

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by GA Umpire

Did you cover him at 2B? I would think you were at least halfway to 2B by the time the ball touched the ground. You do go out to the mound (or as far as you can get) on fly balls to the outfield with no runners on base. Don't you?

Yes, once I finally saw my partner, I did take the BR.

[Steven Tyler]

Originally Posted by Manny A

Yes, once I finally saw my partner, I did take the BR.

Partner should give a verbal, "I'm going out". Always helps. Depends on who I'm working with if I go out on a deep trouble ball to almost straight away CF. We generally work F9 to foul area most of the time.