Heard today from a coach
 

Working the plate today, runner coming in to score and beats the throw by 1/2 step (catcher was on the 1st base side of the plate). Im standing 5' from the play at the back edge of the right handed batters box and watch the runner plant her entire foot in the middle of the plate.

After play is over, here comes the DC. "Blue, Id like you to go to your partner for help. She missed the plate and I think your partner had a better angle on the play."

Have a nice walk back to the dugout coach.

Wow!
 

"Sure coach, I'll be happy to ask my partner, who was 70' away, if he/she had a better angle to see the runner touch the plate. I'm sure being 70' away is much better than 5' don't you agree coach?"

What an idiot for even asking!

No coach, I will not go to my partner. I saw the runner touch the plate.

And your question was what? coach. :rolleyes:

I had a coach ask me to go to my partner on a pulled foot at 1B. Not the OC, but the DC. He claimed his player never left the ground (he was a foot and a half in the air). :rolleyes:

Last summer I had a coach ask me to go to my partner and ask him if 'He had a different angle'. I went to my partner and asked that question. Of course I got a yes, and then called the runner our again.

After the game my partner asked me why I had to ask the question, from 40' further away and watching a play at the plate of course he ahd a different angle than me.

I was just trying to keep the coaches happy!:D

Why?

Exercise in futility. They're like my old boss: never happy. Screw 'em.

I think what you probably meant was either "to get them off my back" or "to keep the game moving." Both are quite acceptable, in my book. :D

My point is, though, in a situation like the OP, I would have just looked at the coach, told them I clearly saw the runner touch the plate, and I have no need to talk with anyone else about it.

Point well made and well taken. I'm 110% in agreement with you that this coach is just reaching to see what buttons s/he can push.

To all of the situations above, my response would be "Coach, I will always go for help if there is some part of a play I didn't see. No matter what angle my partner has, it can't make me 'unsee' what I saw. There is no added information needed on this play; a second opinion doesn't change my call."

I told him I was only 5' from the play and saw her foot land directly in the middle of the plate and that I was not going to go to my partner for help. Batter up, play ball.

Damn! You are smooth!

"Coach, I will always go for help if there is some part of a play I didn't see. No matter what angle my partner has, it can't make me 'unsee' what I saw. There is no added information needed on this play; a second opinion doesn't change my call."


Steve, are you saying that regardaless of the information you got from your partner, the call is not changing?

It is possible to see something that did not really happen, i.e. you see a tag but your partner and everybody else including the player who missed the tag did not see the tag.

If you go to your partner and he or she says, the defense missed the tag, are you going to stick with your call? (confused)
Thanks. Ron

There is no second opinion on a judgment call. There can be additional facts that the calling umpire was not aware of, but no second opinion on the judgment.