right or wrong?

shipwreck · #1 (**permalink**) Wed Sep 12, 2001, 11:25am

Last night I worked a varsity Fed. game. Here is the situation. I am PU. Runner on second. Girl hits ball on ground to first baseman. She picks up the ball with her glove, turns and takes the ball out of her glove with her bare hand. She then tags the runner going to first with her glove but no ball in it. I immediately call the girl safe. My partner has to wait for the runner on second to clear him before he can get into position. I knew he was shielded from seeing the tag. (with only the glove not the ball) He couldn't have seen her change the ball over so he would think it was a routine tag out so he wouldn't have asked for help. The first base coach also was shielded from the play by the runner so he wouldn't have asked for my partner to ask me for help. Is it ok to do this or is that always the BU call and PU only intervenes when asked? Is it the same also if the PU sees a tag put on a runner going to first and call it then? Thanks, Dave

bluezebra · #2 (**permalink**) Wed Sep 12, 2001, 03:14pm

All the mechanics I've worked has PU taking tags up to 1B. Your call.

Bob

Skahtboi · #3 (**permalink**) Wed Sep 12, 2001, 04:50pm

Unless your taking the tags up the first base line was discussed with your partner during the pre-game, then I would say that it is the BU's call all the way.

What I can't figure out from your post is why the BU had to wait for the runner to clear before he could get in position to make the call. If he was in the proper position using proper mechanics, then he should have been in position to make the call already. Remember, if the ball stays in the infield, the umpire stays on the outside of the diamond, if the ball is hit to the outfield then the BU would come inside.

If for some reason he is still out of position to make what should have been his call, then he could always ask you for help. Barring him coming to you for help, or some kind of arrangement between you two at the beginning of the game, though, it is still his call.

shipwreck · #4 (**permalink**) Wed Sep 12, 2001, 04:55pm

When I said get in position , I should have said, the runner on second going by him occurred at the same time as the girl fielding the ball so he needed to move a little to get a good look at the play, which was shielded from him. Dave

Steve M · #5 (**permalink**) Wed Sep 12, 2001, 08:24pm

This replay is over on McGriff's,too. Standard softball mechanics say that the tag/no tag responsibility belongs to PU up to the 3 foot lane and after that, it belongs to the BU. Dunno where this play occurred from your description. Cover this in your pre-game. Whatever you & partner agree to in your pre-game will be what you go with.

whiskers_ump · #6 (**permalink**) Wed Sep 12, 2001, 09:33pm

Dave,

As Steve stated in his reply, Standard softball
mechanics are that the tag/no tag responsibility
belongs to the PU up to the 3 foot lane and there-
after to the BU.

See ASA Section 2 [Plate Mechanics] Leaving the
Plate Area Left of Catcher and Trailing the Batter-
Runner Toward First Base page 202 Official Rules
of Softball 2001.

glen