LL ump in bad position but got it right

[Dan_ref]

Watching the LL tourney on espn, Ma vs Wa. Bases loaded for Ma, 1 out, blooper into short left that the shortstop makes a nice over the head catch on. He turns & fires to 3rd to pick off the runner who did leave early, but just barely. The ball beats the runner, ump at 3rd calls him out on the force (ie no tag applied to the runner). Good call, IMO. But on replay it is painfully obvious that the ump at 3rd had his back to the infield watching the catch & had no idea when R3 left the base. MA coach had words with the ump at 3rd and I can just imagine what he said. Here's the question: what do you guys call in this sitch? What do you, as the ump at 3rd, say to the coach? If you're the plate ump & see the entire play do you offer help if your pard got it wrong?

[mick]

Originally posted by Dan_ref
Watching the LL tourney on espn, Ma vs Wa. Bases loaded for Ma, 1 out, blooper into short left that the shortstop makes a nice over the head catch on. He turns & fires to 3rd to pick off the runner who did leave early, but just barely. The ball beats the runner, ump at 3rd calls him out on the force (ie no tag applied to the runner). Good call, IMO. But on replay it is painfully obvious that the ump at 3rd had his back to the infield watching the catch & had no idea when R3 left the base. MA coach had words with the ump at 3rd and I can just imagine what he said. Here's the question: what do you guys call in this sitch? What do you, as the ump at 3rd, say to the coach? If you're the plate ump & see the entire play do you offer help if your pard got it wrong?

Clamdigger,
Coupla things possible.

There was a left field ump right behind U3, (Covering his back) U3 coulda gone to Foul territory inside the bag, lined up on the runner and the catch to watch the tag and catch. In this case there is no question about being on the tag.

There was a plate ump (Obviously covering U3's back) that more than likely had lined up the runner and the catch
(or said he did) and probably had the final say that the runner left early. In this case U3 shoulda pointed to PU and asked "Did he leave early?" before he signaled.

That said, U3, like many of us do from time to time, got lucky, but looked real silly, like many of us do from time to time.

U3 clearly reacted to the defense throwing to third and had no idea of what was going on with regard to the runner.

It is possible, in my mind, that R3 did not leave early, but after tagging, decided that he would be gunned down at the plate, or tagged out at 3B, which would explain his haste in diving back to 3B.

mick

[David B]

this is a trouble ball and while the U3 should have let his LF umpire make the call, since he did go out, then PU takes the tag at third.

In our leagues we always have PU take the touch and tag at third anyway even with the U3 there since most of the time, U3 has other responsibilities and is moving into the infield or outfield.

But since U3 made the call it stands. If he would have been thinking he would have asked PU, then made the call as suggested above.

Thanks
DAvid