2 person q - fed
 

Watching a game and seen this.
Low inside pitch that appears to bounce under batters feet and not hit her. Batter says or acts like nothing happened to her, plate ump says ball. In comes base ump, telling batter to go to first. Is this ok for the base ump to come in and say ball hit her, take first? Plate ump did not ask for help. Coach did not ask for help.
Thanks

Absolutely not. Plate umpires call and no umpire is to give input on another umpires call unless asked by the calling umpire.

Agree w/ RKBUmp.

Double agree!

^^^^This....

I would call time, give the "I have information" signal, and come over to the plate umpire. If he chooses to accept my information, and use it, OK. If not, I go back to my position.

Ideally, this should be something discussed in the pregame conference. In reality, U1 sometimes may have a better look at a pitch hitting the batter, than HP, especially if the catcher is crowding the plate. Thus, HP needs to be ready to receive input on a play like this.

I am not familiar with the "I have information" signal. Can you describe this?

You would approach the PU without his requesting you to visit?

It's the partner block on the assigning system.

In NFHS baseball, the umpire taps his chest 2 times. It was added to the 2019 rulebook and mechanics manual. Before that, there were several different signals, including folding the arms in an "X" shape in front of the chest, taking off the hat, tapping the chest, and motioning to the other umpire(s) to call him (them) over.

Perhaps softball umpires use a similar signal for communication when there is a situation where they need to communicate (dropped ball, pulled foot, swipe tag, foul ball vs. foul tip, 3rd strike vs foul ball, caught vs uncaught 3rd strike, possible HBP), and an umpire has information to contribute. This would definitely be a situation where the umpires need to get together, since a hit batter would require a stoppage in play and a possible award, depending on the situation (did the batter attempt to avoid the pitch). Even if no hit-by-pitch is ruled, the umpires have nothing to lose by discussing the situation and conclusively reconstructing it, so they can explain to either coach what happened, if a coach asks them about the play.

No, softball doesn’t have a signal like this. I’ve worked FED baseball and am familiar with its use there.

But are you using it correctly? There’s a huge difference between giving this signal, then waiting for your partner to come to you if he chooses, and giving the signal then just heading straight to your partner without being asked. You seem to indicate that you would do the latter. I believe that proper procedure is to wait until you’re asked.

If you’re giving the signal and then running in to offer your opinion, unsolicited, then what’s the point of even having the signal?

First, I give the signal so my partner notices that I have something different. Then, I come in after he notices that I give the signal. I don't give the signal and immediately go in. If I give the signal and call time (in either order), then my partner should know that something unusual has happened.

This was my first thought.

However - -

If I'm base ump and I DEFINITELY have a pitched ball hitting a batter, I am going arms "DEAD BALL" immediately.
Then PU can call award, or moved into pitch, or called strike, or swing strike, or whatever.

But bottom line, IF I have a dead ball, I call dead ball.

We do not have a signal for announcing lack of partner credibility. :rolleyes:

And what happens when the coach notices that signal and the PU ignores it knowing full well s/he had the call correct?