Fair/Foul with R1 coming home

[MNBlue]

This was on the baseball board:

With the bases loaded, the plate umpire will give up fair/foul decisions outside the circle to the wing umpires so he can prepare for a possible play at the plate. This is an advanced 3- or 4-man mechanic.

It happened in a MLB game with a slow roller near the line as the runner was coming home.

Thoughts about giving up fair/foul in FP?

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by MNBlue

This was on the baseball board:

With the bases loaded, the plate umpire will give up fair/foul decisions outside the circle to the wing umpires so he can prepare for a possible play at the plate. This is an advanced 3- or 4-man mechanic.

It happened in a MLB game with a slow roller near the line as the runner was coming home.

Thoughts about giving up fair/foul in FP?

Yes. I wouldn't. IMO, Ttere is a much better possibility of being blocked from the field then from the plate area.

[Andy]

Speaking for myself, since I rarely have "wing umpires" in a fastpitch game, I would not give up a fair/foul call with a runner coming home.

[MNBlue]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

Yes. I wouldn't. IMO, Ttere is a much better possibility of being blocked from the field then from the plate area.

The play in question on the baseball board shows exactly that. F5's glove blocked made it impossible for the umpire to see the ball and it was so close to the line he couldn't guess. Problem was R1 - PU couldn't see the ball either because of the position of R1.

[MD Longhorn]

I can see the utility of this SOMETIMES on a 90 foot diamond. I don't think things move slow enough to make this effective on a 60 foot diamond. Also, I think the amount of "preparation" needed by PU for a play at the plate is way less than those BB guys are imagining. OTOH, I believe the MLB umpires are trying to move almost 135 degrees around the catcher to make this call, when the normal mechanic on a small diamond is only 45 degrees ... a step or two tops.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by mbcrowder

I can see the utility of this SOMETIMES on a 90 foot diamond. I don't think things move slow enough to make this effective on a 60 foot diamond. Also, I think the amount of "preparation" needed by PU for a play at the plate is way less than those BB guys are imagining. OTOH, I believe the MLB umpires are trying to move almost 135 degrees around the catcher to make this call, when the normal mechanic on a small diamond is only 45 degrees ... a step or two tops.

You cannot compare a response to what happens in MLB. Those fields ALWAYS have lines. More than 75% of my games, FP or SP don't have lines and when they do, they are usually off center

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

You cannot compare a response to what happens in MLB.

Well that's rather confusing... I can't compare a response to what happens in MLB, when the topic of this conversation is an advanced mechanic used by MLB and our opinions on whether it would work in softball?? Huh? What did you think this topic was about, Mike?

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by mbcrowder

Well that's rather confusing... I can't compare a response to what happens in MLB, when the topic of this conversation is an advanced mechanic used by MLB and our opinions on whether it would work in softball?? Huh? What did you think this topic was about, Mike?

I'm talking about the comparison between baseball and softball. The question was for thoughts on giving it up. Only an example of the play in question was offered at the MLB level.

My thoughts are based on the reality many of us deal with daily. Many, if not most, do not have the luxury of perfect lines on a field 50% larger. To include MLB makes for a lopsided comparison.

Edited to add: MLB, with very few exceptions, has an umpire on the line for all plays which is another luxury that we in softball do not have on a regular basis.

I just don't believe you can use MLB as a guideline for standard softball mechanics which would exclude a fair comparison. Sorta like when fans at a HS football game doesn't understand why they cannot review the play which denied their child a touchdown since they do it on the Sunday football games (and yes, I've actually heard people voice such a complaint). Then again, I'm not in Texas where they probably do have enough cameras at some games to make that accommodation