Worked at the PFX tour this weekend - Part I: The Ugly

[Al]

[QUOTE=Julio Caliente]I use a "weak" safe call when something like this happens. Basically, I do not verbalize safe and its kind of a half-hearted motion. In my opinion she had "attained" the plate. Her entire body (legs, feet, and all) had passed the plate before they was an attempt to put her out, actually there never was an attempt to put her out. I signaled safe and that point it was up to the defense to either tag her or appeal. I treated it the same way I would have if a runner had "attained" first base (entire body past the bag) before the throw arrived, but didn't tag the base. In that situation I would wait to make sure that the runner did not hit the base with their trailing foot, make a weak safe call, and then wait for a live ball appeal. If the runner comes back and retouches first before the live ball appeal then there can be no appeal.

In all my little-league, major, pony, high school playing in the catchers position I do not remember an umpire calling someone safe who didn't touch the plate, even if the runner clearly beat an attempted tag. I remember umpires making no call and that usually alerted the coaches, or the catchers to try to tag the runner out before he does touch the plate. In those more rare times when a runner misses the 1st base bag but clearly beats the throw a safe call would be made and if no live ball appeal comes before the runner retouches there remains no more appeal available. Is a missed plate in softball treated the same as a runner that misses 1st base? Are we to call the runner safe when she missed the plate just because no tag was attempted? I ask for more comments and direction from the board to help clear up my understanding. I have two years under my belt umpiring and three years coaching but the more I think I know the more I realize I have a whole lot to learn. .. Al