Mechanics
 

I’m the BU at a 12U tournament Sunday. Runner on 1B, line drive hit to right field. I button hook into infield and cover lead (R1) runner into 2B. Ball gets by F9 and I cover BR all the way to 3B.

After play ends, defense appeals BR missing 1B. I was watching lead (R1)runner touch 2B and did not watch for BR to touch 1st.

Was I supposed to watch the BR touch 1B at the same time I was covering R1 go into 2B?

Yep. Watch R1 touch 2B and then glance back to see BR touch 1B. If R1 is holding half way, BR might be first or it could be close to the same time. I've always been taught that the lead runner is the most important.

What was PU doing while you were doing what you were supposed to be doing?

Thanks, now I know. I was following the lead runner for a possible play at 2B but now I'll try to pick up the BR hiting the bag at 1B as well.

Unfortunately, after I expalined to the Coach that I was watching for a play at 2B, the coach went to the PU to appeal. The PU then told him it was my responsibility to look for the BR to hit 1B as well. So I didn't look too good on this one and the PU didn't help me.

Basically, your partner hung you out to dry here. I would recommend that you go back and have a serious discussion with him. Yes, the touch at first is your responsibility, but if you have a possible play at second, you may not pick up the touch at first. You may or may not choose to explain this to the coach when he asks.

Here is a better way that the situation could have been handled:

Coach: Blue, the BR missed first base.
BU: Safe! (you did not see BR miss first, you may or may not choose to explain why to the coach)
Coach (to PU): How about giving your partner some help here?
PU (should have said): Coach, it's his call and he did not ask me for help, you will need to discuss it with him.
Coach (to BU): Would you check with your partner to see if he saw it.
BU: Sure, coach!
PU and BU: confer, confer, confer......
BU: Stays with or changes the call based on the conference with PU.

Doing it this way shows the coach and team that you are working with your partner to officiate the game. What your PU did to you was allow the coach to split the two of you up. Based on what your partner told the coach, the coach now sees you as incompetent and not knowing how to do your job. He will most likely be on you for any close call that goes against him the rest of the game.

Thanks Andy, that's great advice.

To make matters worse, in this situation the coach didn't ask for time out and approach me one on one. He was yelling from the dugout, and I think playing to the crowd.

I did speak with the PU after the game and told him he put me in a bad spot. He also didn't cover 3B a few times but no plays resulted. He is an umpire who is much more experienced than I.

Looks to me that he's not more experienced but an umpire who's days of glory are long gone. He might be disappointed and/or lazy.
Not helping BU, nor looking at batter-runner to first, not showing up at 3B. What does he do, after the ball is hit? Watch the game and look pretty? :confused:

Those two things don't go together.

This is the key here - if it's a hit to RF; the PU should be already watching the ball getting by F9... and the BR touching 1B is in his line of vision! Sure it's the BU's responsibility to watch for it, but in this situation, the PU has the best view of it.

Like Andy said, make the call first, then go for help...if asked.

BIGSIG
I agree with everything everybody has stated on all of the previous posts.
2nd of all you should never converse with a coach who is yelling at you from the dugout on any subject. All they are doing is trying to show you up to the crowd. Cut it off if it gets to carried away. If the coach won't come to you politely and discuss things then cut it off.
Unfortunately your partner hung you out to dry and sounds like more than once. You said he was more expeienced than you, but at what?
Also the coach can't apeal a missed bag anyway. The apeal has to come from the infield and fair territory.
I also hope he was not conversing with the plate ump about you from the bench, because if the PU was conversing back and saying what was implied on one of your earlier post about you, then he most definately needs a good talking too and possibly "A GOOD KICK UP THE @^st&*.

Sounds to me like this coach knew what he was doing and had the crew pegged.. all of this could have been solved with the sentence "coach I didnt see it that way, lets play ball".

Too bad your partner hung you out to dry, but there was a simple solution to be had, even if neither of you were watching due to one thing or another. its 2 man, not everything can be watches so tough luck for the coach.. but I dont see a need to admit what you werent or were watching at the time something did or didnt happen. The coach saw what you guys were watching and nailed you both. No one missed a base IMO.

I disagree with this statement for the OP's situation.

The coach didn't "peg" the umps - they f'd up themselves. And a justification won't solve it - ever. Proper mechanics will.

2006 ASA Rules, Ump Edition, Page 214: (to paraphrase), with a R1 on 1B, trail the BR up the line, then be aware of the potential play at 3B on R1.

Pg. 239: (to paraphrase), the Base Umpire ascertains that all runners touch second and first bases.

In this play, both pairs of eyes should have seen this. It's the BU's responsibility to turn his head and look as he hooks in. Even if he didn't see it, it's a lot easier to sell than if he didn't even turn his head. Once R1 touches 2B, and heads to 3B, R1 isn't the BU's responsibility anymore (unless she comes back into 2B) - the only one he has to take care of now is the BR. The PU, on the other hand, was/should have been looking down the line, and for him to see the BR touch 1B is right in front of him (about 30-45 feet in front of him assuming he was trailing the BR like a good ump should).

Making an excuse that "gee, coach - not everything can be seen - there's only two of us out here" in unacceptable and inexcusable. The mechanics work well when used properly. And in the OP's situation, there shouldn't have been any reason (other than poor mechanics) for neither person to see the BR touch 1B.

Unless.......the PU had to stay with the ball longer than normal for a catch/no catch or fair/foul. If that's the case, the priority runner for BU would be R1 touching 2B and then BR touching 1B. Though I think it would be a stretch, if there was a play at 3B, the BU needs to be able to adjust and cover it should the PU not be able to get into position in time. This would obviously involve umpire-to-umpire communication, but nothing is ever cut and dry.