When to ask for help?

[Patrick Szalapski]

Hello all, been too busy to post much here recently, but I had a question.

SITUATION: Working the bases in C, R3 and R1, catcher attempts a pickoff at third right after a pitch. Throw is a little high and wide, and the runner slides feet first as the fielder swipes the tag.

I pause, read, react. I have no clue. The throw beat him, but did the tag get on him? I needed to see through the runner's body, which I can't do yet.

I call him out. Dugout behind the play goes nuts.

Speaking to my partner after a inning or two, he said that he had a tag as well.

I should have pointed to him and asked, "Tom, do you have a tag?" I didn't do it right in the 1.0-1.5 seconds I had to decide what to do. I needed about 5 seconds on that one.

Now I know. So my question:

"Do you have a tag?" and "Did he hold the bag?" are two times we can/should ask for help before the call. What are the other situations where we will need to ask before the call?

P-Sz