Having done my first slo pitch games last night I was paired with a partner that wasn't the most mobile person in the world. Stationed herself in front of 2b and stayed there all night. Said her legs wouldn't hold up anywhere else. Of course, she told me she made her living umping and did it every night.

Needless to say, the mechanics were really confusing because she had "her" way of doing it.

Are the base mechanics in SP such that you never go to the C position? The PU handles everything at 3b except BR?

Stationed herself in front of 2B all game? Tisk-tisk. I believe this year, the ASA mechanics dictate that the BU should start in the B position behind F4.

To answer your questions, though, yes and pretty much yes. I would say that if there is a rundown between 3B and home, the BU should probably take any calls at 3B. I'm sure I'll be corrected if I'm wrong.

No C position in SP..... Base umpire handles all but batter runner..but in specific situations that changes....are you still coming to Phoenix for the school?

Tell her to back to school to learn the new machanics!!!

If I remember correctly, standing in front of 2nd is an old USSSA SP mechanic. :>(

Actually, the USSSA SP mechanic at this position is just to the left of 2nd, about 5-10 feet off of the bag. Though most folks that I know who do SP actually stand pretty well behind the baseline, mostly out of fear of those "come-backers" up the middle coming off of these new, hot, high tech bats!

actually standing inside anywhere is kinda nuts anymore. the ball is moving kinda quick, and even though you can avoid most of them, its just too much of a risk for little reward.

Amen to that. Doesn\'t U-Trip or another organization have a mechanic that wants the BU inside the diamond? With these lethal bats, I think it\'s scary being inside for BB. No way would I want to be inside in the softball games I work.

Maybe I should have added that I saw many USSSA umps here in Atlanta Metro standing in front of 2nd and this was in the 80\'s.

Do you mean plate "umpire handles all but batter runner" at 3rd?

Yes. There is no c position in SP, so the PLATE umpire has to actually get off his can and make calls at third.

Well, this isn\'t Hertz, so the answer to this is "not exactly".

If there are multiple runners and there is a possible play at home, the PU must stay at the plate and the BU has all other runners at every other base.

Also, the BU has any call at 3B on a steal.

What about "first play in the infield"?

What about it?

I did slow pitch for years before I did fast pitch..when I went to fast pitch, and heard the "first play in the infield junk", I thoght FP mechanics were nuts... now I KNOW they are..they dont quite split the field enough....HP catches a break a little too often...example runners on 1st and 2nd..hard hit shot to short lf....left fielder fields and throws to 3RD!....if youre in C..you have ALL the bases? makes no sense...PU should come up and catch that callfor you, and the better ones do