What do you do?

[MisterV]

Last night our HS coaching staff took our varsity and JV players to our local D-1 nonconference game. We had a situation come up that really got us talking.

Bottom of the 6th, wind blowing out towards left,home team down by one, no outs, runner on 3rd(I think). Batter hits a deep line drive that is hooking towards the line. The ball clears the fence and, from our vantage point, looks clearly fair. It was close, but it looked fair. The third base umpire raised his hands and pointed foul.

Needless to say, the 3rd base coach went crazy, waving arms and pointing in every direction. Crowd gets hostile and things get a little ugly in the stands.

That is when my coaching partner looks at me and says,"I don't know why the home plate umpire doesn't just go and overrule the base ump." Now, I have done a good number HS jv games in my day, and even a varsity game now and then, but I couldn't think of a time when I would go out an "overrule" a base umpire's call. I would give a different call than the one that was made if I was asked for help on a play, but overrule? Never.

I have seen MLB games where a crew chief will confer with his crew about a close fair/foul call and ultimitely change the call. Is that considered overruling? Further, is there EVER a time when one umpire may overrule another? If so, is that covered in any book?

I started to discuss with her the damage that overruling would to to the crew's credibility. And that every call the 3B ump makes from then on would be questioned by everybody. Her reply was that it is the umps' job to get it right, regardless of who has to step in and get it right.

I welcome your respones.