2 umpire mechanics

[AtlUmpSteve]

Can't say you did anything wrong; may have started too deep, I try to be no more than a step and a dive away from F6. With R1 running, and knowing I have first play at 3B, as well as a play back to 2B if R1 stops, not sure I move in toward first until I see the play develop there. If I do move in, and play goes straight to 3B, I am straight-lined; if R1 stops, I'm in the basepath of her return. Once play goes to 3B, I move parallel to the baseline, as I would on a steal.

The kicker here is that the runner went outside unexpectedly, rather than straight in on a slide. If you are too deep, you can't get the angle; if you were more shallow, maybe a quick step inside as the play/tag develops gets you the angle.

It's easy to blame PU; his answer is all wrong, of course. But, not his call, and he would likely be straight lined, too, because his path to the holding zone in foul territory up the third base line puts F5 between him and the attempted tag. This is one where you can each only adjust to the angle of the play, if you can, and rule on what you see. PU would have to bust into fair territory to see it, and BU has to make the adjustment inside, if possible.

My only other comment is that I probably have need for less "preponderance of evidence" to ring this out. Gut call is out, unless both players reveal the miss. Ball beat her, positioning was right, didn't slide, bad base running to go third, possible call of "out of base path to avoid the tag", etc.