First Game of the Year: Brutal.

[AtlUmpSteve]

Originally Posted by SRW

[*]With R on 2B, ground ball to F6, errant throw to F3 drawing off to her left. F3 caught the ball. I hold at HP a second to watch for pulled foot or swipe tag, and just as F3 caught the ball and was pulled off, F2 stepped in my way. My partner didn't make any call, just quickly came to me with "was there a tag?" Hell, I couldn't see a damn thing so I came up with a strong "no". DC decided to talk to us about that one.

I was waiting to see if anyone else would comment, but no. Personally, I completely disagree with an umpire that doesn't make his call as required by the mechanics.

Bottom line is simple; that play at 1B belongs to the base umpire. Make a friggin' call!! Your call, your responsibility, make it!! If you think you need help, you can get it, but MAKE YOUR CALL!!

This play is the perfect example why. The call belongs to BU; PU has "help" responsibility for pulled foot and swipe tag. Primary, secondary. Primary now reassigns the call to secondary who was blocked. WRONG!! Secondary now has to answer why he didn't see what wasn't his primary responsibility, while primary gets away with reassigning his responsibility?? Bull$hit. Make YOUR call. If there is help, you can get it, if there isn't help, it was your call.

In my postgame, that would have been said in spades; and you are buying the beer (and that can be expensive when I'm drinking). Do it a second time, and my answer isn't "no tag", my response is "YOUR CALL!!".