Could we have done this different?

[txtrooper]

I want to throw this out here; the two umpire system is designed to cover 90 percent of the situations that will ordinarily arise. Aside from a pulled foot, bobbled ball, swipe tag or interference with the play at 1st, PU also has responsibility to see any violation of the three foot running lane and it sounds like there was potential in this scenario. R1 was tagged out ½ way between 2nd and 3rd base and the coach claimed that the obstruction occurred at 2nd. The obstruction was not noticed by either umpire. Let’s say that staying with the lead runner is more important for discussion purposes. So we move to the holding zone and observe that R1 is obstructed rounding 2nd and we miss the pulled foot, swiped tag, bobbled ball or interference. Would the coach not be equally upset about an umpire missing this situation? Any one of us could do the same thing and I do not believe that I would have handled it any differently than Hugo. The bottom line is, we can not cover every situation that will occur on the field in the two umpire system. Coach, I really wish you would have hired three umpires today.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by txtrooper

I want to throw this out here; the two umpire system is designed to cover 90 percent of the situations that will ordinarily arise. Aside from a pulled foot, bobbled ball, swipe tag or interference with the play at 1st, PU also has responsibility to see any violation of the three foot running lane and it sounds like there was potential in this scenario. R1 was tagged out ½ way between 2nd and 3rd base and the coach claimed that the obstruction occurred at 2nd. The obstruction was not noticed by either umpire. Let’s say that staying with the lead runner is more important for discussion purposes. So we move to the holding zone and observe that R1 is obstructed rounding 2nd and we miss the pulled foot, swiped tag, bobbled ball or interference. Would the coach not be equally upset about an umpire missing this situation? Any one of us could do the same thing and I do not believe that I would have handled it any differently than Hugo. The bottom line is, we can not cover every situation that will occur on the field in the two umpire system. Coach, I really wish you would have hired three umpires today.

Who said anything about going to a holding zone? No one said not to trail the BR. That doesn't mean you cannot still keep an eye on the lead runner.

No, the coaches should not be upset if they have an iota of game intelligence.

BTW, this conversation seems to be reaching the point that the BU can not possibly make any call other than safe/out at 1B. The field isn't that big and if the BU is doing the job, s/he shouldn't be that far off the play.

[SpringtownHawk]

Was it just me or did the words obstruction at 2nd get mentioned in the description of the play at hand? Seems like a rules test question in that you shouldn't be reading any more into the question than is stated. Now, whether or not there was obstruction at 2nd is a different story all together and unfortunately not uncommon these days.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by SpringtownHawk

Was it just me or did the words obstruction at 2nd get mentioned in the description of the play at hand? Seems like a rules test question in that you shouldn't be reading any more into the question than is stated. Now, whether or not there was obstruction at 2nd is a different story all together and unfortunately not uncommon these days.

From the OP:

3B Coach asks PU why he didn't call Obstruction at 2nd base.
Neither PU nor BU saw the possible obstruction at 2nd

[CecilOne]

Originally Posted by txtrooper

I want to throw this out here; the two umpire system is designed to cover 90 percent of the situations that will ordinarily arise. Aside from a pulled foot, bobbled ball, swipe tag or interference with the play at 1st, PU also has responsibility to see any violation of the three foot running lane and it sounds like there was potential in this scenario. R1 was tagged out ½ way between 2nd and 3rd base and the coach claimed that the obstruction occurred at 2nd. The obstruction was not noticed by either umpire. Let’s say that staying with the lead runner is more important for discussion purposes. So we move to the holding zone and observe that R1 is obstructed rounding 2nd and we miss the pulled foot, swiped tag, bobbled ball or interference. Would the coach not be equally upset about an umpire missing this situation? Any one of us could do the same thing and I do not believe that I would have handled it any differently than Hugo. The bottom line is, we can not cover every situation that will occur on the field in the two umpire system. Coach, I really wish you would have hired three umpires today.

Mechanics, let alone calls, are not decided by whether coaches get upset.
Also, if the PU is really so myopic not to see both, getting the lead runner correct is higher priority.