Getting the call right

[ronald]

Originally Posted by argodad

"They didn't overrule me Coach. They offered me a veritable plethora of information which I did not previously possess."

i am taking this one.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by SamG

Now I'm curious... when do you ask your partner? Before or after a call?

Never before. If I am that blocked that I cannot make a call based on what I could not see, I "give up" the call to my partner. That is not that same as going for help. Once I give up the call, I have no input in the decision making process. As an umpire, you try to recognize the possibility of being blocked-out and adjust, but sometimes you just cannot predict the movement of the fielders in time to make the appropriate adjustments.

If I see the play, I make the call based upon my observations. If there was a pulled foot or any other "issues", I do not assume something happened, I, well my brain makes the call based on what my eyes thought they saw.

Enter the coach. If I believe his argument that something occurred which I could not see, I will go to my partner in a heartbeat. If I am in position to see the entire play and/or there is no possibility my partner had a better view, I'm declining the request.

[SamG]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

Never before. If I am that blocked that I cannot make a call based on what I could not see, I "give up" the call to my partner. That is not that same as going for help. Once I give up the call, I have no input in the decision making process. As an umpire, you try to recognize the possibility of being blocked-out and adjust, but sometimes you just cannot predict the movement of the fielders in time to make the appropriate adjustments.

I know I'm throwing a lot of hypotheticals in, and I apologize. I'm just trying to picture this all. Say you're blocked from a call. If I understand you correctly, you don't make a call at all, but let your partner make the call. What if they were focused somewhere else?

I hope I'm not making anyone upset. I'm just trying to educate myself more in the sport.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by SamG

I know I'm throwing a lot of hypotheticals in, and I apologize. I'm just trying to picture this all. Say you're blocked from a call. If I understand you correctly, you don't make a call at all, but let your partner make the call. What if they were focused somewhere else?

Well, that is why there are mechanics. I know where my partner is supposed to be and what his/her duties are on every play.....in a perfect world.

Since we do not live in a perfect world, I look first before going to a partner. If s/he is not available, I have to evaluate the entire situation and render a call.