First Game of the Year: Brutal.

[AtlUmpSteve]

Originally Posted by Andy

Steve - I am going to respectfully disagree with you to a point.

In SRW's play the BU was not giving up his call, he was asking for the last piece of the puzzle he needed to make the call. Coming from C position in a two-umpire system, the angle for that is terrible, as I'm sure you are aware. The BU is asking a yes or no question to get that last piece of information to make the call. This is actually the way that Emily taught me as I was learning many years ago. I understand that the philosphy has changed somewhat as evidenced by the quote from the ASA book.

I completely agree that the BU should not point to the PU and completely give up the call, however, I don't see the issue with asking the BU for that last piece of information needed.

That being said, Mike's point about baserunners still moving around the bases is valid and if that is the case the BU needs to be aware and make a call at first, let the play finish, then go for help if needed.

I'm saying that this method is useful on a case-by-case basis.

If you are coming from the C position, there are ALWAYS other baserunners, so when could you use this without them being affected? There is always the potential for subsequent plays with other runners.

That aside, do you really believe the teams and coaches see this as anything beyond the base umpire having the plate umpire make the call? Do they see this "last piece of information", or completely giving up the call?

Let's ask SRW what happened in this specific case, when the coach decided to converse. I am willing to bet he focused on the PU, whom he saw as missing the call, not the BU whose call it was.