Jax St v. 'Bama
 

First base umpire just made a great call on the Tide's runner leaving early at 1B.

I'm sure the 'Bama coach thinks differently, but it was a good call.

One thing I noticed, and this is a mechanic I've noticed before, but on a bunt or throw coming from near the plate, the first base umpire is getting really deep into the IF, about 90 degrees to the play. Only one problem, and it happend in the 2nd inning. The umpire was so far in, when F3 came up to throw to 2B to check the lead runner, the umpire was nearly in the middle of the play.

I watched that game until the back-back-back HRs, then I lost interest!! Good call on early leaving. They want you 90 degrees to the throw...on the bunt you have to get in the basepath, which like you pointed out sux. However, on the play you were talking about, I couldn't figure out why she came inside the diamond to make that call, she had help ahead and had to get to HP to cover that. Didn't understand why she didn't stay in foul territory, which they allow in NCAA.

Don't know about you, but I thought the PU strike zone was, shall we say, not very good. Those outside pitches she was calling were WAY outside. And she wouldn't give the J'ville pitcher a single inside pitch.

what did you think about her zone.

Dod she turn strikes into balls? If she did, that's not a good zone. :eek: ;)

agree - and she was overly robotic I thought ..... she needs to relax a little !!! :rolleyes:

No, but the 10U player did that to you in the other thread. ;)

I don't think Sally's zone was bad. Remember, the angle at which we are seeing it isn't a very good one. And you are correct, she wasn't giving anyone the inside.

Also, she is a slight individual and always looks stiff, even when standing still. She makes every effort to get her arm as high as possible. Nothing wrong with that.

I agree with you Mike. The angle can be very deceiving. I thought she was solid.

I wasn't meaning to be overly critical of her zone...I mean she was extremely consistent with them, just thought they looked way outside. Thought the J'ville pitcher didn't use that outside the way she should have, since PU was giving that call.

I commented to my wife too about her looking like a robot. She needs to try to make it look a little more casual, lack of size or not. Sure she is a good umpire to get there...seems like she did a world series once.

Actually, I believe she has done a few. Her mechanics are her mechanics. They are well within the prescribed mechanics of all associations of which I am aware. Who are we to tell her she needs to make some sort of change?

That offset angle does take a toll on us being able to get an accurate look at the zone. She was consistant and rock solid with her zone.


As a side note:

Diane did a great job on that leaveing early. Also she did what is preferred by NCAA on the bunt if it is the one I am thinking about.

True, but you cannot get that deep with other runners on base or you may end up wearing a softball. The way she took a quick look over her shoulder when the player looked at the runner on 2nd, I think she may have realized that.

We've all done it before. Concentrate so deeply on the play at hand, then realize, "damn, I don't need to be here right now" and then back out of the play. It's no big deal unless you actually hinder the play.

Thats true too. The only problem with going foul to get that 90 degree is that you loose the depth perception on the ball enetering the glove that you gain in fair but then again if your in the middle of the play thats a bigger deal than depth perception. ;)

Thanks, but I'll stick to the 45 in fair territory and adjust as needed.

That sounds like one of the best possible places to be;)

I was at the game, have a daughter at Bama. Live action I was not sure about the call but after watching the replay at home later it was a good call. I know Sally has done at least one CWS I remember her I think last year. She didn't have a good tournament as I recall. She had a double fair/foul call that was not hers and she fell moving to make a call. I guess everyone has those days but not everyone is on TV. I don't have a problem with her mechanics however, she seems to be a little stiff and timid, does not look comfortable. I don't know her, maybe thats just her way. She had the plate the day before in the Fla State/Chattanooga game as well.