What's wrong with the two-umpire system?

[MichaelVA2000]

Originally posted by FUBLUE
I worked a national recently and we worked 2-person all the way through the tournament. I saw many situations where two person mechanics fail to get the best coverage. I was wondering what you all have found to be faults of the two-person system and if you have suggestions to correct the coverage.

Here's one: R1 on 2B, line shot to F9 with possible throw to F3. BU is watching the play at first, PU is watching the hit ball. Who's watching R1 touch/miss 3B? (A coach in this area teaches his kids in this situation to miss the base by about 3 feet on this situation because he knows no one is looking at the runner).

FUBLUE,

If the line shot is near the line then PU's first responsibility has to be fair/foul and then catch or no catch. If the shot becomes playable then the BU should pick up the BR and the PU should be moving a few steps towrds third and picking up R1.

You post states a "possible" throw to first and that the BU is watching the play at first. In your description, there is no play at first base as a play requires there to a runner and the ball.

Michael