Field Ump positions

Stat-Man · #1 (**permalink**) Mon Apr 19, 2004, 07:02pm

My first softball game of the year was interesting. I almost ended up JV Head Coach for a day. Luckily the JV assistant unexpectedly showed up, so I was JV Assistant for a day

I happened to notice that in all of the times the home team had runners at third base, the FU (Field Ump, not FUBlue

) never moved past second base but twice the entire game.

I admit I know less about softball mechanics than I do basketball mechanics, but I was under the impression that in an NFHS 2 person crew, the PU was either between second or third or on the 3rd base line when there was a runner at third. How close am I to being to accurate?

For what it's worth we lost 19-0. But seeing only 4 of 11 players have any experience and we hhave a rookie pitcher, we held up well for a first game. I do look forward to going back to varsity scoring next time though

Ed Maeder · #2 (**permalink**) Mon Apr 19, 2004, 07:15pm

Pretty close, whenever there is a runner on second or third there should be an umpire at what is called the C slot which is behind the shortstop. This is so they can be in position for pick off plays and steals. That is when there are two umpires.

IRISHMAFIA · #3 (**permalink**) Mon Apr 19, 2004, 08:06pm

Quote:

Originally posted by Stat-Man
My first softball game of the year was interesting. I almost ended up JV Head Coach for a day. Luckily the JV assistant unexpectedly showed up, so I was JV Assistant for a day

I happened to notice that in all of the times the home team had runners at third base, the FU (Field Ump, not FUBlue ) never moved past second base but twice the entire game.

I admit I know less about softball mechanics than I do basketball mechanics, but I was under the impression that in an NFHS 2 person crew, the PU was either between second or third or on the 3rd base line when there was a runner at third. How close am I to being to accurate?

Assuming your team is playing FP, the BU should be near the SS once a runner has reached 2B.

Ed Maeder · #4 (**permalink**) Mon Apr 19, 2004, 08:33pm

Do you think slow pitch will ever go to these mechanics?

BigUmpJohn · #5 (**permalink**) Mon Apr 19, 2004, 08:58pm

To answer the original question, with a runner on 3B (assuming FP), the BU should be to the left of F6 from the PU's point of view (D position, I believe, if there is one), and, as noted, with a runner on 2B, the BU should be to the right of F6 (C position).

To answer the later question, I'm not really sure of a reason why the BU would be over on the shortstop side. I can only think of two time times off hand that the BU would make a call at 3B: with multiple runners and a play at the plate, the BU would take the trail runners to third, and with no runners on the BU could take the batter-runner all the way to third. I can't think of any others, though.

IRISHMAFIA · #6 (**permalink**) Mon Apr 19, 2004, 09:32pm

Quote:

Originally posted by Ed Maeder
Do you think slow pitch will ever go to these mechanics?

I believe you are referring to the affect stealing will have on the men's SP game.

Right now, the answer is no. To be honest with you, I don't think they ever will.

The SS in SP is usually much deeper than those in the FP game and the C position may cover the rare steal of third, but will really make a play at 1B a really long-distance call especially on a pick-off attempt by the catcher.

mcrowder · #7 (**permalink**) Tue Apr 20, 2004, 09:52am

I suspect we may see some blues trying to work inside now in slowpitch, even in the cramped space. Not sure it will work, but I bet we see it tried.

tcblue13 · #8 (**permalink**) Tue May 09, 2006, 01:11pm

Some folks in our area are teaching that when third is the ONLY base occupied that the BU should position him/herself just to the 3B side of 2B (about 6 feet off) and behind F6. This provides a better view of the play at 1B and a better angle for the attempted pick off at 3B.

Sometimes F6 is playing too deep and it makes a rundown between 3B and HP a little harder to get to. I have tried it and have not really had a problem with it. You do see the play at first better especially if it comes from the left side of the IF.

LIIRISHMAN · #9 (**permalink**) Tue May 09, 2006, 01:22pm

Here on L.I. N.Y our mechanic with 3rd base occupied solely is to be on the second base side of 2nd base. This gives us a good view of the runner at 3rd and the play at 1st base on the B/R

rodan55 · #10 (**permalink**) Tue May 09, 2006, 01:52pm

SP 2 man stealing PU has 3B. NO inside. Seen too many umpires hit doing Red shirt, or as Walt calls it USSR. Stay outside.

Dakota · #11 (**permalink**) Tue May 09, 2006, 01:52pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by LIIRISHMAN

...on the second base side of 2nd base....

Which of the four second base sides of second base would that be, exactly?

tcblue13 · #12 (**permalink**) Tue May 09, 2006, 01:56pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by LIIRISHMAN

Here on L.I. N.Y our mechanic with 3rd base occupied solely is to be on the second base side of 2nd base. This gives us a good view of the runner at 3rd and the play at 1st base on the B/R

Some of our guys use that mechanic as well but some think it is a little far away from classic C position

Skahtboi · #13 (**permalink**) Tue May 09, 2006, 01:56pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by LIIRISHMAN

Here on L.I. N.Y our mechanic with 3rd base occupied solely is to be on the second base side of 2nd base. This gives us a good view of the runner at 3rd and the play at 1st base on the B/R

Are you talking about being in the B position with a runner on third? How can you possibly see a swipe tag that is made on a throwback trying to catch the runner returning to third??? Doesn't sound possible to me.

Andy · #14 (**permalink**) Tue May 09, 2006, 02:10pm

From talking to some baseball umpires over the last couple of years, I have heard that this is something that is being tried in two umpire baseball games.

Runner on third only, the BU will start in the B position.

The reasoning is that with less than two outs, a ground ball to the infield will be thrown to first after checking the runner at third. With two outs, the play will go to first and disregard the runner at third. Having the BU in the B postion puts him closer to the call at first instead of having to make a long distance call from the C position with a bad angle. The trade off is on the swipe tag of a runner diving back to third and the attempted pick off of the runner on third, but it is felt that those plays happen much less frequently than the play to first.

I have no opinion one way or the other since I don't do baseball, just repeating what I have heard.

CecilOne · #15 (**permalink**) Tue May 09, 2006, 06:55pm

1) A basic premise is that the runner at 3rd is more important than the BR at 1st.
2) Most of us have had the call at 1st from the C position for years, primarily because of #1.
3) The D postion is never used in 2 umpire systems.
4) The so-called C3 position with the BU closer to 3rd than to the SS is an over-reaction to #1 and to me is useless.
5) After 5 pickoff attempts at 3rd in one inning this afternoon, don't expect me to support the B postion with a runner on 3rd or 2nd or it rarity. That catcher made 17 pickoff attempts in the game (all bases) and got two outs, both at 1st.