Fly Ball Coverage SNAFU
 

It was almost a year ago to the day, in a fall tournament, that a similar breakdown in fly ball coverage bit me in the butt. This one got pretty exciting...

I'm on the plate. My base umpire was a fairly new guy with terrible mechanics. His usual move on fly balls to the outfield was to just stand there and watch the ball, completely ignoring the batter-runner or any other runners he was responsible for.

As horrible as that is, it might not get you in trouble 99% of the time. It's that 1 in a 100 that's going to kill you!

We have a runner on second, one out, base umpire is in "C". Batter hits a sinking line drive to straightaway center. F8 comes running in to try a shoestring catch.

I get into the infield just short of the pitcher's plate. Base umpire just stands there in "C", watching the ball...like he's been doing the entire game.

To me, it looks like a trap and I immediately give a safe signal and loudly shout, "No catch!".

Simultaneousy, the base umpire signals a catch and yells, "Out!". The runner was in between second and third. F8 throws it to second, second base is tagged, the BU calls another out and the runner begins walking off the field. Somebody yells for her to get back on base and she does, never having been tagged herself.

Defensive coach is quickly out of the dugout asking me what happened. I told him that I had a trapped ball, no catch. He's complaining- rightfully so- that the base umpire signalled an out. I told him that it was the plate umpire's call, I did not have a catch and that the runner was safe at second.

He's climbing me bad, and his assistant is now chiming in (along with the entire bench and all of their fans). I figure that I'm going to let them vent a little bit, within reason, since an umpire error was at the heart of the confusion. But I finally get them settled down and we're about to get the next batter going.

That's when my partner jogs in tells me that this was his call because "he was closer to the play". I was probably still a little amped up, since I had just taken all of the heat for his double call, so I was a little short with him. What I basically said was, "Fly balls to the outfield are the plate umpire's call, unless you go out. Standing still in "C" position is not going out! If you want to go out, then get out to the outfield. That ball was hit all the way to the centerfielder and if you were going out you should have at least made it to the outfield grass! And, if you did go out, then you shouldn't have been calling the tag play at second, because once you go out, you stay out, and the infield reverts to one-man mechanics".

The guy gets all offended and won't speak to me the rest of the game. After the game, I tried to smooth things over. Before mentioning this play, I pointed out some of the good calls he made and talked about those. He's still acting pissed. Then, before getting into the fly ball play, I apologized to him if I seemed a little ticked when I talked to him during the game, but said that he had to realize I just had two coaches giving me hell because he made a call that wasn't his to make. I really didn't want any hard feelings, so I apologized again for my tone. He just grumbled something like, "Whatever", and walked away.

As the next game is getting started, off in the distance, I can see him talking with the UIC, who was stationed just beyond the outfield fence.

My next game ends, and the UIC comes over to me. He tells me that my partner was pretty mad! Then he tells me that he was watching the play and that he told the base umpire he had no business making that call while standing in the "C" position and that it was the plate umpire's call all the way. And, he also told me that from his angle on the play he thinks it was a catch!

I told him that I can handle that. I moved out where I was supposed to be, got the best view of the play I could get and made the best call that I could. But what I couldn't handle was another umpire poaching the call he had no business making.

i love it, in general, when someone messes up and when confronted with the news they messed up, instead of apologizing, they get angry.

The next game after this one, I had a new partner come in. With the events of the previous game fresh in my mind, and with a little time to spare between games, I figured that we'd have the most thorough pre-game possible.

The next guy was just as green as the first guy. I had never met him before, so I asked him about his experience doing softball. He tells me that he's pretty new to it...but for the past three years he has been doing a lot of Little League Baseball! :eek:

At least the guy was open to suggestions and seemed enthusiastic about being out there. So, our pre-game was pretty in-depth. When we got into fly ball coverages, I tried to explain every possible scenario. I told him that if he wanted to go out on a fly ball, he should make it obvious that he's going out, as opposed to just standing in one spot and watching the ball. I also told him to yell something like, "I'm going!", or "One-man!" if he did go out. We also covered, among many other things, who has "fair/foul" responsibility and when.

First batter of the game...batter hits a blooper down the right field line. Base umpire doesn't budge from the "A" position, says nothing, makes no movement toward the outfield, ignores the batter-runner heading to first and then makes a strong "foul!" call as the ball lands a few feet foul.

So much for the thorough pre-game...

After the first inning, he comes in to talk to me and says he has a question. He wants to know when it is okay for a runner to leave her base on a pitch and asks, "Is it when the ball reaches the front of home plate?". :confused:

man, sounds like the training for your assn in your area could be a tad better.

Where could you have gone to get a better view of this catch/no-catch? ;)

Maybe off to the side more, to get a little more of a "cross view" instead of being straight on. As it was, I was about even with the left side of the pitcher's circle and maybe 3/4 of the way to the pitcher's plate. That's about as far as I could get before I had to get set to make the call.

Our UIC was out in the right field corner...much farther away, but he had an almost 90 degree angle across the path of the ball and the path of the fielder. He said that he had a catch on the play...and also felt that it was tough to get a better angle when coming out from behind the plate.

Anyhow...we survived this game and made it to the next day. The next day I'm scheduled to work with a very experienced umpire who has done college ball, whom I have never worked with before. We are doing our pre-game and the subject of fly ball coverage comes up.

This is when he tells me that (in two-man) an umpire should NEVER go out on a fly ball unless he has started in the "A" position.

I questioned that. I said that as a practical matter, you might want to avoid going out if you're in "B" or "C", but that it is a permissible mechanic.

He was adamant that "our umpire manual (ASA) says to NEVER go out from "B" or "C".

Not wanting to get off on the wrong foot, I told him that I would not go out from those positions today...but that we both should probably double check our umpire manuals after our games were finished.

You mentioned that he said he does college.
Did he skip over Pg.266 of the Manual that addresses the proper coverage in the two man system when the BU chases from B or C?

From you first game...I agree that the shoestring catch by F8 coming straight in is one of the toughest calls for the PU to get an angle on and to see clearly.

We were doing an ASA game, so I would hope that any discusion of "our" umpire manual would be about the ASA manual.

When I said that I didn't think he was right, he immediately dug in his heels and stated again that "it's in our umpire manual". Then he told me that I'd better check with "Kathy" (not her real name), our local UIC...as if dropping her name somehow made him more correct.

I could see this was going downhill fast, so I dropped it and just told him I wouldn't go out from "B" or "C". Then I smiled and changed the subject to our coverages at third base...

Didn't ASA's own video show the BU go out from B?

I once had a UIC tell me I should never be any closer than 18 feet on ANY call, PERIOD. That included tag plays. He was adamant that it was in the Umpire Manual.

We all know that's not in the manual... but it's not a horrible bit of advice. Angle is more important than distance, and TOO close can often be a problem. 6 yards is really not that far from a play and lets you see everything (most of the time). Closer and you're cutting down on periphery --- not always bad, but often bad.

That said ... I think PU would have to move backward without looking to reach 18 feet on the typical PB/play at the plate - not something I'd think a UIC should be advocating! :)

PS ... ANY call? Hope he calls his balls and strikes from less than 18 feet away!!! :)

It's not terrible advice, but claiming that 18' on tag plays is found in the manual? No, it's not.

I'll put it in more specific context. He asked me how far away I should be on a play. I asked, "tag or force?" He said, "doesn't matter." I responded, "well, the book says 10-12 feet on a tag, and 18-21 feet on a force."

He said, "no, the book says no less than 18' feet on all plays."

I understand if that's his perspective, and from that moment on, that's exactly what I gave him for the rest of the tourney. But claiming that the book backs him up? No. Not good.

Coincidentally, I was the second person to whom he'd asked that question, and I was the second person who gave the exact same answer. That should have told him something.

You know that's when I pull out the book and play stupid. Sorry mr/mrs UIC I am confused. After we talked the other day I went back and double checked the book and here on page XX it says 12-15 feet on a tag play, you were telling me at least 18 feet....I'm confused can you go over this again? I'm missing something.

That way you don't even tell your UIC they are crazy, but you get them into the book (and some of them need it as much or MORE than the umpires they are directing) and also gets your point accross without being a smarta** well that is if you do it right, takes a little acting to seem honest in the 'trying to learn' approach and not the here it is in the book moron that it can come accross as.

I wonder if this umpire confused this with the 18'-21' beyond 1B when working the line with how far one should set up for a play.

Unfortunately, it is not unusual for people who don't routinely attend clinics to hear somethings. If they do not follow up, it seems some of these people get a number in their head and hang their hat on it, right or wrong.

At a clinic last year, one of the instructors chided me because when I was in the "A" position and walking the line, I took two steps instead of one. He actually made a big deal out of it, stopping the drill we were doing and pulling me aside so that he could show everyone "the right way".

At another clinic, we were doing plate work. I set up with my eyes at the top of the strike zone. One instructor told me that I was setting up too low. Later that day, another instructor told me I was setting up too high! :confused:

I wasn't going to sweat it, as I knew I wouldn't see him again. I just hope I planted the seed in his head that multiple umpires might not be wrong when they're all saying "10-12 feet on a tag play."

I got another newsflash from an expert umpire last weekend...

He and I were the base umpires in a three-man crew for the championship game on Sunday. As U1, whenever he counter-rotated off the line he came all the way around to the "C" position.

When I mentioned to him that he really only needed to be in "B", he went into a longwinded explanation of how he had worked college games the day before and that was the "new" mechanic they were using.

Then he dazzled me with his insight about the new college "delayed dead ball for leaving early rule" and how they work "the rim/outside the diamond"...and how ASA would be adopting both of these next year!

Sounds like he was wrong a lot. But he might be right on the rim in specific situations - I had an assignor / UIC tell me the same regarding 2-man mechanics on a steal of 2nd, especially one that is not drawing a throw.

Mike - I'm confused :confused: On a steal of second, you already stay outside the diamond and move parrallel with the runner to make the call at second.

I had some conversations with some vey upper level people in ASA this past summer that have led me to believe it will be a looooong time, if ever, that ASA will adopt the working outside mechanic for BUs. Just my opinion, I have zero inside knowledge.....

ive never understood the whole walking the line concept

from pg 246 of the 2011 ump manual

"walk the line by taking one or two steps toward home plate, pushing off with your left foot to move off the foul line when the ball is batted"

for groundballs to an IFer, why do i have to walk 1-2 steps down the line then move into position to make the call at 1B? why not just move into position right away?

I believe that the idea is for the umpire to have a little momentum built up, making it easier, or quicker, to move into whatever position you might need to move into depending on where the ball is hit.

Maybe that seems a little redundant on a routine infield ground ball. But before the ball is hit you don't know it's going to be a ground ball! It could very well be a fly ball to the outfield where you're going to be pivoting inside. So it would be impossible to make "walking the line" situational- because you don't know what the situation will be.

Personally, I don't have a problem getting to where I need to be from a set position. Of course, when working games where that is the mechanic, I do it. If there is any advantage for me at all, it does seem to get me into rythym and that might help my mental focus a little bit, compared to just standing in one spot.

That loooooong time is (at least) as long as the term of the incumbent Supervisor. Not going to happen during his regime.

Sure... but what do you do when it's a SB/PB and there's going to be no play at 2nd, but possibly a play at 3rd. I've seen both inside and outside approaches at clinics, and I'd say most I've seen teach inside - whereas I prefer outside. I'm told outside (rimming) might become more preferred ... who knows if what I'm told is right though.

In my opinion (with admittedly VERY little experience), this should be the plate umpire's call at 3rd. If the BU is set up outside of the diamond and 10-12 feet back, they've got very little chance of getting to 3B and getting set to make a tight call, especially on a fast runner with a quick defense.

Anytime I've got runners actively running the bases, my mask comes off and I move away from behind the catcher, even if it's just a single runner stealing 2nd. In the case of a runner stealing 2nd (and not a D3K situation), or even a ball 4 situation, I do move up a the 3B line a little and watch the play. There's no reason for me to park my butt behind home plate.

with no other runners, I agree with you - although I normally pregame this.
Anytime I've got runners actively running the bases, my mask comes off and I move away from behind the catcher, even if it's just a single runner stealing 2nd. In the case of a runner stealing 2nd (and not a D3K situation), or even a ball 4 situation, I do move up a the 3B line a little and watch the play. There's no reason for me to park my butt behind home plate.[/QUOTE]With no one on, I agree. However, R1 on third, and you're coming around waiting for the PB to be played to F2 - BU is all alone out there with the other runner.

Also - this is one of the items we discuss at pre-game, especially when working 5 or 6 games or in 100 degrees.

Well, with multiple runners, the BU is going to be in C anyway, so they can usually cover someone stealing 2B or 3B. So I guess my question is... Why shouldn't this be the PU's call at 3B with a runner stealing from 1B to 2B and subsequently to 3B?

You walk the line to stay up on the balls of your feet and already in motion when it comes time to move to your position.

Please note that "walking" the line only includes a very short step or two. Don't over read into this, it helps you stay on your toes.

Not to mention that it gives the appearance of "being in the game."

I liked that song... ;)

LOL... good call.

Perhaps around here it's not always PU's call because with 5-6 games and 100 degrees we try to limit our PU's having to run around in the gear where possible.

While the default coverage is the lone runner belongs to the base umpire, the standard expectation is that PU will call off BU with "I've got 3rd!!" any time possible. It isn't default to PU because PU must also be sure to clear the catcher and not interfere with the play, which isn't always possible in a timely manner.