Kind of a funny steal situation

[wadeintothem]

I'm BU at 18G last weekend. There is a steal and I'm in great position for the play. The throw beats the girl by a lot (apparently the runner slowed up).. the glove w/ ball was down waiting for the girl.. and the girl slides directly into the glove.. but wait.

My mind thinks "the tag missed her! wtf?!?! how the heck did she do that?". The glove kind of appeared to miss her by less than an inch.. but did it?!?!

I'm on a 90 behind 2b, the play, F6 is tagging in front of the runner.... my mind is kind of fizzling because despite the obviousness of the can of corn tag play.. my brain thinks it might have saw a safe.. so obviously, I do what any good umpire would do, I sell it out. I mean, it has to be an out right? she slid right into the glove.. it coudnt have missed.

I think all is well.

The girl gets up and starts saying "she totally missed me" and gesturing at her coach. She goes to the dug out. Now I'm thinking.. oh crap, she really did miss her! Some miracle safe. No one else says a word except good throw, etc to the catcher.

We go on with life and Soon the inning ends, I'm near their dugout at 1B.. and here comes the coach from the 3B box yelling into his dugout.

He starts mocking her about how she runs slowly, gets thrown out by 10 feet, slides right into a tag, and dares to suggest she was safe. He goes on and on verbally beating her in a nice coach way for a few minutes.

It was kind of funny.. but I think I blew that one... I dont know how I would have explained in any decent manner a safe call.. but I think she may have been telling the truth. Only me and her know, thats for sure... cuz no one else saw that.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by wadeintothem

It was kind of funny.. but I think I blew that one... I dont know how I would have explained in any decent manner a safe call.

Hey, real simple. "Coach, she missed the tag".

[MichaelVA2000]

I've had plays where the runner slides, reaches over the glove and touches the base before making contact with the glove during the slide. Everyone is watching the ball beat the runner to the base, the fielder lay the glove in front of the bag and don't understand my safe call.

Chat with DC goes something like this:

DC: Safe? How can she be safe? You had to see her slide into the tag!

Me: Yes the runner is safe. She's safe because the runner reached over your fielder’s glove that was in front of the bag and tagged the base. You're right coach, I did see the runner slide into the tag. Right after the runner reached over the glove and grabbed the base, she slid into the glove.

[NCASAUmp]

Originally Posted by MichaelVA2000

I've had plays where the runner slides, reaches over the glove and touches the base before making contact with the glove during the slide. Everyone is watching the ball beat the runner to the base, the fielder lay the glove in front of the bag and don't understand my safe call.

Chat with DC goes something like this:

DC: Safe? How can she be safe? You had to see her slide into the tag!

Me: Yes the runner is safe. She's safe because the runner reached over your fielder’s glove that was in front of the bag and tagged the base. You're right coach, I did see the runner slide into the tag. Right after the runner reached over the glove and grabbed the base, she slid into the glove.

Sounds like a Wall Street moment. You sell, sell, sell and hope they buy, buy, buy!

[ukumpire]

Originally Posted by MichaelVA2000

Everyone is watching the ball beat the runner to the base

So Typical - Cannot tell you how many times I have Called Safe on various missed tags, and had an earful from coaches.

[mick]

Originally Posted by wadeintothem

.... I do what any good umpire would do, I sell it out. I mean, it has to be an out right? she slid right into the glove.. it coudnt have missed.
....

Whether the runner was tagged, or not, the vicinity out call lives on and is accepted by many as a fact of second base.
With the glove waiting for so long, the big sell isn't even necessary, cuz it "should not have been close".

[wadeintothem]

Originally Posted by mick

Whether the runner was tagged, or not, the vicinity out call lives on and is accepted by many as a fact of second base.
With the glove waiting for so long, the big sell isn't even necessary, cuz it "should not have been close".

You been hanging out them baseball boys upstairs again mick?

A play like this you would lose credibility on both sides because both sides saw the out.

But the official forum softball umpire stands firm.. and calls the safe and stalls the game and argues with coaches and stutters and puts around and gets called stupid by both sides of the stands... One side patting the other side on the back "hey he screwed ya outta that one, sorry".

Lucky for me I'm not smart or quick like these guys or I woulda been in a lotta trouble instead of that runner...

[mick]

Originally Posted by wadeintothem

You been hanging out them baseball boys upstairs again mick?

A play like this you would lose credibility on both sides because both sides saw the out.

But the official forum softball umpire stands firm.. and calls the safe and stalls the game and argues with coaches and stutters and puts around and gets called stupid by both sides of the stands... One side patting the other side on the back "hey he screwed ya outta that one, sorry".

Lucky for me I'm not smart or quick like these guys or I woulda been in a lotta trouble instead of that runner...

Yes, indeed! That's a funny happenstance of the same rule in different games.
Maybe it's because baseball games are so long.

[wadeintothem]

Originally Posted by mick

Yes, indeed! That's a funny happenstance of the same rule in different games.
Maybe it's because baseball games are so long.

Yeah that could be it. You cant let an out sneak away during a 3.5 hour game...

[mick]

Originally Posted by wadeintothem

Yeah that could be it. You cant let an out sneak away during a 3.5 hour game...

...Or maybe it's a safety issue, in baseball, to prevent the middle infielder from getting a hand ripped up. The same play occurs on a force out where the fielder doesn't have the bag and the ball at the same time.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by wadeintothem

A play like this you would lose credibility on both sides because both sides saw the out.

Not necessarily. How many times have you heard, "doesn't she have to make the tag?"

There was a good one in the Phillies-Braves game Monday. Play at the plate, ball beat the runner by three strides. Runner when down low and the catcher did not get the tag down quick enough and when he did, the runner was already on the plate. Ball beat the runner, so I'm sure there were a bundle of people out there saying, "boy, he blew that one. The ball beat him by a mile." That is until the replay shows the late tag, the umpire pointing at the plate making some goofy-assed motion and coming up with the a big "SAFE".

Yeah, Bobby Cox came out and probably said, "How can he be safe, the ball beat him by a mile?"

I will hold the umpire who makes a tough call correct and accuratly, no matter how unpopular it is, in higher esteem than I will the "go along to get along" umpire.

If all the calls were obvious, they wouldn't need umpires. The reason we are on the field is to make the decisions on the tough plays where the outcome isn't so obvious that the drunk in the centerfield bleachers could make it.

[wadeintothem]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

Not necessarily. How many times have you heard, "doesn't she have to make the tag?"

There was a good one in the Phillies-Braves game Monday. Play at the plate, ball beat the runner by three strides. Runner when down low and the catcher did not get the tag down quick enough and when he did, the runner was already on the plate. Ball beat the runner, so I'm sure there were a bundle of people out there saying, "boy, he blew that one. The ball beat him by a mile." That is until the replay shows the late tag, the umpire pointing at the plate making some goofy-assed motion and coming up with the a big "SAFE".

Yeah, Bobby Cox came out and probably said, "How can he be safe, the ball beat him by a mile?"

I will hold the umpire who makes a tough call correct and accuratly, no matter how unpopular it is, in higher esteem than I will the "go along to get along" umpire.

If all the calls were obvious, they wouldn't need umpires. The reason we are on the field is to make the decisions on the tough plays where the outcome isn't so obvious that the drunk in the centerfield bleachers could make it.

I agree, you gotta make the tough call.. I'll be ready next time..

Sung to the tune of "if a tree falls in the forest.."

If you make the tough call and no one else on earth knows it was the tough call.. did you really make the tough call or just blow one?

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by wadeintothem

I agree, you gotta make the tough call.. I'll be ready next time..

Sung to the tune of "if a tree falls in the forest.."

If you make the tough call and no one else on earth knows it was the tough call.. did you really make the tough call or just blow one?

Hang on! I'm not disagreeing with your call. How often have you heard, "if you have to think about it, it isn't"?

I'm just talking to your concern about the reactions if you made a call of which that only you and the participants are aware of the fact. A lot of times when such a play happens, everyone argues, but the player involved. There's a case where silence is a telltale sign.

If you see something unexpected and are sure of it, a good step toward the play with a point to the general area with a strong "NO....NO TAG! SAFE!" with signal works great.