Great 3b line extented position

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by NCASAUmp

Looks to me like 1B extended would have given the umpire a better angle on this particular call. The catcher's body blocked the umpire's view of much of the play, and 1BE would have, in this case, given the umpire a good 90 to the tag.

This was part of the debate before. 3BLE isn't a "bad" position if the runner cooperates and approaches the plate from an outside path. However, if the runner comes straight into a catcher attempting to block the plate, instead of catching a making a swipe tag, the position sucks.

This umpire moved to his position at the behind the LHBB and never adjusted. This is why we tell umpires the prescribed postion offered in our mechanics is a starting point and you have to allow the developing play take you into the proper position.

Some MLB crews changed up last year and had the PU moving toward the front of the LHBB on a play like this to give them a better angle. Apparently, this guy's crew was not one of them.