Getting the call right

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by SamG

There's no specific play here, and I'm just a fan who's interested in the answer.

There's been a couple posts recently about "backing up your partner". It SEEMS like the thought process is to not say anything if you see a wrong call made, sometimes even if questioned by a coach. Now, maybe that's the way the rules are set up.

That is not being said. What is being said is there there are priorities and procedures in place to accommodate possible errors.

But I don't understand why the rules are set up that way. Let's be honest... EVERYONE makes mistakes at times. Why not be able to correct that mistake? It happens in football... one official sees a catch, but another official (with a different angle) saw the receivers foot out of bounds. They get together and make the right call (most of the time).

That is football, where both feet in play means it is a good catch on a live ball, but has no bearing in baseball or softball. The point is those officials are given areas and prescribed mechanics to be in position to make those calls. Areas do overlap.

What's strange is there's at least one instance a PU will ask a BU what he saw... a check swing.

Yeah, when asked to do so. The BU is specifically directed to not respond to anyone other than the PU.

So why not do the same on some "bang bang" plays?

They do as I just described

What makes you think the other umpire is going to have a better view and the this view is more accurate? What happens when this umpire comes running up saying, "no, no, no, the foot was in there, safe", when in fact that umpire did not see F3 tag the runner's hand on the other side of the body?

Umpire mechanics are not something someone dropped from a high window of an ivy-covered tower. They have been worked, developed, tested, worked, tweaked, tested, worked, etc.

If you lurked here, and paid attention, you have read the instances when players and coaches ask for an "appeal" (intentional misuse) of a play to another umpire. Guarantee, games will end due to lack of players more often than now because they WILL be more confrontational on the field and WILL NOT shut up if they do not get their way.

There are certain methods and procedure that affect everything you do in life, from the manner in which you dress yourself to the manner in which you approach a customer or boss.

Would you like to know how many times we have all had players or coaches come out, scream and holler, jump up and down, put on a nice little show, but never tell me why they thought I missed a call or asked me to check with my partner. Can you imagine how contentious things would become if umpires got involved in eash other's call every time someone complained?

Like you said, we all make mistakes and there is a prescribed method to approach the situation. Ever play in a tournament that every player was an umpire? No, really, we used to have a regional umpire tournament that to play, you had to be a registered ASA umpire in your local association. It was fun, but as the umpire, you did not want to screw up. Luckily, we knew how and when to approach things so, at least with us, it did not get out of control. I have, however, seen games get out of control simply because umpires have tried to be accommodating to teams (GAGA-go along to get along).

Do I go for help every time I'm asked? Nope. I will go every time there is something that I could have possibly missed and my partner may have had a better view or more information that could help.

I'm trying to just start a discussion, not an argument, I swear.

Too late to make excuses now, Bubba!