3 umpire system discussion

[Tru_in_Blu]

One other matter I wanted to bring up was communication when no umpire chases.

I thought I made a comment somewhere in this forum that if no umpire chased, the PU would declare "All in!". Someone claimed to have never heard about that and it wasn't an approved mechanic.

Well, I picked up on it somewhere be it a NUS or an actual National Tournament. I can't remember exactly where I learned it. I don't have the opportunity to do many 3-ump games, but will make that call on occasion especially when one of the BUs declines to chase when they should have.

In any case, it does now appear in this year's Umpire Manual:

USA Softball expects umpires to use all three forms of communication
throughout the game in the Two and Three Umpire Systems. What umpires
specifically verbalize to their partners are up to them if it is clear, concise,
direct and loud enough. If a base umpire chases, they would verbalize,
“going”, “chase” and or “2 umpire” and the other umpire(s) should verbally
confirm. In the three umpire system when no umpire chases, the plate umpire verbally confirms that the crew remains in a three umpire system.
Terms such as “3 umpire”, “all in” etc should be used to do this. If a Plate
Umpire checks with Base Umpire for a check swing, they may verbally ask
“did they go”, “swing”. The ultimate goal is to COMMUNICATE.
Umpires need to understand that not rotating to the proper position in a
timely manner can be a form of a “breakdown” in the rotation. Umpires
that do not commit and move to their position for a play per USA Softball
Mechanics could communicate to their partner(s) that they are NOT rotating,
creating confusion between umpires.