New NFHS Two-Umpire Mechanic.

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

I have an intense dislike for the new NFHS Two-Umpire mechanic that requires the BU to be in the "B" position when there are Runners on 1B and 3B. I can truly say without exaggeration or hyperbole that well over 95% of the time I have had this situation, I have only been in the "B" for not more than two pitches because the Offensive Team has its Runner on 1B steal 2B and the Defensive Team lets the Runner steal 2B due to Catcher Indifference. Stupid, stupid mechanic.

I guess I am getting lazy and senile in my old age.

MTD, Sr.

[dash_riprock]

I don't agree at all. The college mechanic has always been B with R1 and R3. Does it bother you to take 4 steps to the C after R1 steals 2nd? The potential steal of 2nd is why you are in B in the first place.

[shickenbottom]

Standard PBUC 2-man has U1 in B with a runner at 1st or 1st and 3rd.

Why did NFHS, ever think that U1 should be pre-pitch positioned in C, I'll never know.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by shickenbottom

Standard PBUC 2-man has U1 in B with a runner at 1st or 1st and 3rd.

Why did NFHS, ever think that U1 should be pre-pitch positioned in C, I'll never know.

there are three "positioning rules" that can be used, and each is "advantageous" depending on the particular play / umpiring ability. Whch is used depends (imo) on what happened "last" to whoever is in charge:

1) Use C whenever there's a runner at second or third.
2) Use C whenever a (single) steal of third is possible.
3) Use B whenever a (single) steal of second is possible.

I started my training with #1. My state uses #2 for HS. I prefer #3.

[REFANDUMP]

You want to call a potential pickoff play at 1st from C ??

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by REFANDUMP

You want to call a potential pickoff play at 1st from C ??

That's where you would be with runners at first and second or bases loaded. So that shouldn't be the deciding factor.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

I have an intense dislike for the new NFHS Two-Umpire mechanic that requires the BU to be in the "B" position when there are Runners on 1B and 3B. I can truly say without exaggeration or hyperbole that well over 95% of the time I have had this situation, I have only been in the "B" for not more than two pitches because the Offensive Team has its Runner on 1B steal 2B and the Defensive Team lets the Runner steal 2B due to Catcher Indifference. Stupid, stupid mechanic.

I guess I am getting lazy and senile in my old age.

MTD, Sr.

I agree with you in youth ball - for exactly the reason you state. But in most High School ball I've done, the steal of 2nd is not a given, and catcher indifference nearly unheard of. And most HS's can get the runner out at home if they try the delayed double steal.

[Eastshire]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

I agree with you in youth ball - for exactly the reason you state. But in most High School ball I've done, the steal of 2nd is not a given, and catcher indifference nearly unheard of. And most HS's can get the runner out at home if they try the delayed double steal.

Most of the HS games I worked, a throw would be made but usually just to try to bait the runner at third rather than an actual attempt to stop the steal.

[Publius]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

And most HS's can get the runner out at home if they try the delayed double steal.

You're comparing Texas HS baseball to Midwest HS baseball, and there's no comparison. In the Great Lakes states, the average HS team has problems getting out of its own way. Making a play requiring an error-free sequence of catch, throw, catch, throw, catch, tag is WAY beyond a good two-thirds of HS varsity teams where baseball weather doesn't arrive until the season is over.

[johnnyg08]

Originally Posted by Publius

You're comparing Texas HS baseball to Midwest HS baseball, and there's no comparison. In the Great Lakes states, the average HS team has problems getting out of its own way. Making a play requiring an error-free sequence of catch, throw, catch, throw, catch, tag is WAY beyond a good two-thirds of HS varsity teams where baseball weather doesn't arrive until the season is over.

Don't speak for us up here in Minnesota.

Our kids can execute that play all day. BTW, I just got 8" of snow tonight. I won't sniff a field for another week.

[Publius]

Originally Posted by johnnyg08

Don't speak for us up here in Minnesota.

Our kids can execute that play all day.

Allowing that things may be different now, when I worked in the Rochester/Albert Lea area in the early '90s, those kids couldn't catch a raindrop in a thunderstorm. Relative to what I saw and see in the South and West, the Midwest kids, on average, suck. I heard things were better in MSP, but never got there; I was only in MN for two seasons.

[johnnyg08]

Originally Posted by Publius

Allowing that things may be different now, when I worked in the Rochester/Albert Lea area in the early '90s, those kids couldn't catch a raindrop in a thunderstorm. Relative to what I saw and see in the South and West, the Midwest kids, on average, suck. I heard things were better in MSP, but never got there; I was only in MN for two seasons.

down there, I don't have any information to contradict what you're saying.

[CT1]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

I have an intense dislike for the new NFHS Two-Umpire mechanic that requires the BU to be in the "B" position when there are Runners on 1B and 3B. MTD, Sr.

Personally, I like it. Gives you the same look on the steal that you're used to seeing with R1 only, plus you're well-positioned to call the back end of a DP. And, if F6 comes to cut off the throw from F2, you're completely out of his way.

Our state, which uses our own manual instead of NFHS, has used this positioning for several years, with no complaints that I'm aware of.

[RPatrino]

The double steal is only just one possibility. There are more things that could happen that makes the B position a more advantageous position than C in the 1st/3rd configuration.

[johnnyg08]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

I have an intense dislike for the new NFHS Two-Umpire mechanic that requires the BU to be in the "B" position when there are Runners on 1B and 3B. I can truly say without exaggeration or hyperbole that well over 95% of the time I have had this situation, I have only been in the "B" for not more than two pitches because the Offensive Team has its Runner on 1B steal 2B and the Defensive Team lets the Runner steal 2B due to Catcher Indifference. Stupid, stupid mechanic.

I guess I am getting lazy and senile in my old age.

MTD, Sr.

B is a super mechanic w/ R1, R3...or R1.

It gives you a super look at swipe tag at 2B.

MLB mechanic, NCAA mechanic, and now FED finally jumped on board.

We agree to disagree.