runover by F1
 

Something painfully interesting happened to me yesterday. High School Play-offs, I'm BU, no runners on, no outs. Deep hit to left, I start in to the infield, like I've done a thousand times before, I look at the runner advancing, glance over to the ball, look back at the runner .... BAM! the first baseman knocks this 280 pound ex-Marine on his butt. That's right, I collide with F1. I have never seen a first baseman in that move in that area before, which is why we set up and run where we do. I am not kidding I was easily 20 feet from first base and about five feet in front of the first-second base line when we collided. The girl's head hit my collar bone (which is still sore today) and her knee hit me in the upper thigh. The girl was unhurt, as I am not a rock hard as I used to be,( yea, there are a few soft spots on this overweight body).



Any you guy ever collide with a player before?

First baseman is F3. I've come close a couple of times, brushing a second baseman who was backing up a throw from F5 to F3. As I came inside to get the 45, she cut right in front of me, once almost obscuring my view of the play at first base. After the second time it happened, I talked to the coach about it and said if she was blocking my view of the play, I'd have no choice but to rule the runner safe. That fixed it.

Also had another semi-collision with a catcher after a throw from the outfield took a weird bounce off the backstop. He thought it was going to go in a certain direction, but apparently hit a post and went somewhere else. He almost took me out trying to retrieve the ball.

Ted

Another reason to work the "rim" instead of button-hooking in.

Knock yourself out. I'd rather be in the best position for all possible plays and do the complete job for which I am being paid.

Thank you.

I cut my fastpitch teeth on a Cuban men's league in Tampa in the early 90's. In the second or third inning of my very first game, there was a bunt. I was in "A" and moved to position to make the call. F4 was coming over to backup the throw from catcher and ...

He was 130ish and I was 250ish. We were both watching the ball and never saw the collision coming. I made the call and then helped him off the ground. :o

Yep. Story told here.

The short and curly of the story is that it was a 155-pound runner versus a 220-pound BU. BU 1, runner 0.

What? Like keeping all elements of the play in front of you? :D

Any you know as well as I do that this is a myth of working the rim. It sounds good, but is a selling point that doesn't exist.

Years ago, as BU in B position, moving inside for a hit to RF, collided with the pitcher. He ended up with a knee injury, out for the season I heard.

Sorry, didn't have a scale with me. :p

I have tried it lately with success on hits to left or left-center. The advantage is if the BR does not go to 2nd. But I cut behind the runner in time to be inside for a tag at 2nd or any attempt at 3rd.

And at what point did you have the ball, base and runner in your vision at the same time?:rolleyes:

Only after the runner passed me, which means depending on my partner to watch the runner before that, if discussed in pre-game.

And your partner is going to do that how while watching for fair/foul, catch/no catch on the ball to left field especially near the line?

He has 2 heads. :D

Seriously, I didn't say it works all the time or not. I said I tried it with success. Of course, if the fair/foul occurs at the same moment as OBS by F3, the PU probably will miss the OBS. I also did not say I was ignoring the BR, just not having all in front of me at the same time. Like watching multiple runners touch each base, the magic word is "swivel". The BU does not need the ball in view for fair/foul, catch/no catch every instant; which means I can "swivel" watching the BR while moving. I certainly lose sight of the ball in left field while doing a buttonhook, but on "the rim", I get a better idea of the depth and timing of the outfielder.

Also, I agree with your premise about working as prescribed, but all mechanics allow deviation.

This was my only question. The premise that is used to sell the "rim" is keeping the elements in front of you and it just isn't true.

I have worked this numerous times and had some serious discussions with HP when in Plant City with him. In a 3-umpire system with experienced crew, the "rim" can work quite well as long as everyone is on the same page and no one falters, physically or mentally.

Though it should not being a main reason for a mechanic to be put into place, I have found being inside the diamond places partners in a better position to adjust should a partner not get to where then need to be for any reason.