Who makes this call?

[WestMichiganBlue]

This happened in a NFHS JV game tonight, but the mechanics issue s/b universal.

R1 on 1B, I am BU in "B", batter hits squiggler down 1B line, F3 touches ball on line and it heads into foul territory. I no longer have a play at 1B so I am going behind 2B toward 3B thinking I might have a call there.

R1 pulls up and retreats back to 2B as pitcher gets ball. Batter-Runner rounds 1B and steams into 2B. I move back towards 2B as ball is thrown to 2B. R1 gets back in safe and B-R is now heading back to 1B. Throw goes to F2 who is (I think) 5'-8' from 1B. B-R goes past F4 with a belly slide and F4 sweeps the glove down and tag B-R on the legs.

From my position near 2B I have a straight line thru F4 thru B-R - thru 1B. Obviously no angle at all. I saw the tag and looked at my partner but he wasn't making any signal so I finally made the call. Based on the immediate uproar from the offensive side (coaches, fans, players all on 1B side) I suspected that it wasn't the right call.

In the parking lot later he said that he was trying to (discretely) signal me with his arms down, but hands horizontal. I said that he should have taken the call.

So - who's call was it? If mine, should I have pointed and transferred the call to him? Should we have called time to discuss it? (Actually I was hoping the coach would request that I discuss it with my partner, claiming that I was out of position to make that call.)

WMB

[oppool]

By book it is the BU's call as you mention if you knew your partner had a better angle than gave it to him. What I would do must likely since I dont like pointing to a partner and putting them on the spot is make the call then let the coach do his job. As soon as the coach properly ask for me to go to my partner I would then go to my partner and ask for the help if he informs me I blew the call then we change it. No problem. We are not perfect and neither is 2 man mechanics sometimes sh** is going to happen and coaches need to know the right way to handle


JMO

Don

[CecilOne]

It sounds like you are saying that the runner was safe at 1st because of reaching the base before the tag, not the tag was missed. Personally, with that much uproar, I might have asked for help even if the coach didn't. Per oppool "if he informs me I blew the call then we change it". The two plays from last year that still bother me would have been corrected if I did that. Also, in this case, it would be great if the PU stood and stared at you for a moment to give you a hint.

Not to disagree with what you did as I wasn't there, but as food for thought, how about a difference in positioning?
If a BU starts in B and goes to 2nd because of no play at 1st, can the BU go behind R1 and cut inside the baseline? That would have put the BU at an angle to the tag play at 1st instead of being straightlined, especially if far enough from 2nd to observe all the involved players (R1,R2,F6,F1, F4 even F3) and still be out of the way of the throw from F1 to 2nd. Also, that probably would give a better angle for the play at 2nd.

[kellerumps]

Here is how I would have reacted had I been on the plate. Once the ball is put into play I am going to the front of the pitchers circle. As I see the play develope and the runners not advancing to 3rd, I am COMMUNICATING with my partner that "I am behind him at first and will take that runner" while he stays with runner at 2nd.

To take this a little further, should the ball get away and runners advance, I once again COMMUNICATE "I'm going home, you've got 2 and 3."

On this play a little VERBAL communication between the umpires would have prevented the breakdown.

Communication has been something that has been pounded into my(our) heads from day 1. You can get alot of "Ugly" plays covered if you just communicate with your partners.

[CecilOne]

Originally posted by kellerumps
Here is how I would have reacted had I been on the plate. Once the ball is put into play I am going to the front of the pitchers circle. As I see the play develope and the runners not advancing to 3rd, I am COMMUNICATING with my partner that "I am behind him at first and will take that runner" while he stays with runner at 2nd.

To take this a little further, should the ball get away and runners advance, I once again COMMUNICATE "I'm going home, you've got 2 and 3."

On this play a little VERBAL communication between the umpires would have prevented the breakdown.

Communication has been something that has been pounded into my(our) heads from day 1. You can get alot of "Ugly" plays covered if you just communicate with your partners.

LOVE IT ! ! When are you available to be my partner?

[Dakota]

Originally posted by CecilOne
LOVE IT ! ! When are you available to be my partner?

If I remember correctly, kellerumps are a pair. You're probably out of luck.

[CecilOne]

I also like the three-ump system.

[Andy]

Commenting first on what actually happened, I say the BU makes the call to the best of his ability, then goes for help if needed. Awkward situation, but probably the best that can be done there.

My thinking is that this play should have been covered differently. With a runner on first and the BU in B, the PU should trail the BR down to first watching for fair/foul on the ball near the line. Once it is clear that the ball is fair and there is not going to be a play at first, the PU moves diagonally across the infield to cover any play at third base. The BU should basically remain in the B position outside the infield and be prepared for any play at first or second. By staying there, it is only a few steps to have a decent angle at either base.

I am reading your post that you were thinking that you needed to cover third base as well and movement toward third is why you ended up with the crummy position to make the call at first. Let me know if I am completely off base.

[kellerumps]

For the most part Dakota is correct.....We are a pair, but unfortunately when it comes to college ball or tournaments, our assigners split us up quite a bit. So there is still a chance.

We will work the same tournaments, just not the same games. And yes, we do work more 3-Person than the average umpire. In fact this spring I have worked exactly 5 games(4 HS and 5 College) 2-Person games out of approx 50 games. The wife is in the same boat as well.....Hmmm maybe thats why we are split up in Tournaments?????

Anyway, when we are together, we still communicate as though it was the first time we worked together. Once again I will state that little verbal communication(I can't stand secrete signals) on the ball diamond will get you out of alot of crazy situations. Further, when the coaches hear it, they think "Wow......These Umps are on top of things. I better not mess with them." and they will then leave you alone.....Which is good.

[WestMichBlue]

ANDY -

I am reading your post that you were thinking that you needed to cover third base as well and movement toward third is why you ended up with the crummy position to make the call at first. Let me know if I am completely off base.

You read it correct. Once there was no play at 1B I was going around 2B. With two runners converging at 2B, I moved back to take the throw to 2nd. (First play on the infield). F6 tagged the base then tagged R1. I'm thinking "whats the rule? whats the rule?" "No, No she tagged the wrong one." But, by then the B-R was headed back to 1B and I definitely was in the wrong position for that play.

TO CECILONE:

Can't go inside - the ball was inside. I think that Andy had the right answer - I should have stayed in "B".

WMB

[CecilOne]

yeah, I was thinking foul territory past 1st base.

[kellerumps]

It sounds like you did everything you could to make the calls, while your partner stood back and watched which left you hanging out to dry. Remember you are a team out there.

The book is good for routine stuff, but when it gets crazy someone(hopefully the PU) has to take charge to get all of the bases covered.