How would you handle?

[rj]

I've been taught the most important thing is to get it right. The players should not be penalized for an umpire not knowing the rules, especially if his/her partner(s) knows the decision is wrong. Another thing I've been taught, NEVER bring a rule book onto the field (coach or umpire). If you're not sure, look it up during your post-game with your partner.

[Dutch Alex]

A good umpire would, if unsure about the ruling, always ask his partner.
If the both of you are not sure, then do what you think is most fair!
The coaches of both teams have the right to protest, if they think you're wrong in your ruling. At that point, don't worry! Others are in charge. They will then with the rule-book in the hand look it up and make the correct call. So you might play it over from a certain point in the game or the complete game. But things can be corrected, afterwards.

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by DUNDALKCHOPPER

Not much of an Umpire if he allowed a mistake to go uncorrected. We see this often in MLB and it drives me crazy.

Actually, he is not much of an umpire if he just charges in to the rescue, either.

Originally Posted by rj

I've been taught the most important thing is to get it right. The players should not be penalized for an umpire not knowing the rules, especially if his/her partner(s) knows the decision is wrong. Another thing I've been taught, NEVER bring a rule book onto the field (coach or umpire). If you're not sure, look it up during your post-game with your partner.

If that is the "most important thing", there is still a process that must be followed.

Any umpire manual I've ever read has been very clear... you do not overrule your partner's call. As Mike said, you can try to get his attention, but you don't go charging in to the rescue without being asked by your partner.

Whenever this topic comes up, many of us seem to ignore the role the coach has to play in this. The coach should know what I said above... one umpire cannot overrule another... and he should know the process to follow to get the other umpire involved. If the coach is convinced the umpire is incorrect in rule application, the coach should protest the ruling. This should result in an umpire conference, where the correct ruling will hopefully be arrived at. Note that this "on field" protest is always available, even when protests to the league, association, commissioner, etc., are not allowed.

The coach, knowing the ruling was wrong, should have done his part, too, to ensure a proper ruling.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by Dakota

If that is the "most important thing", there is still a process that must be followed.

Any umpire manual I've ever read has been very clear... you do not overrule your partner's call. As Mike said, you can try to get his attention, but you don't go charging in to the rescue without being asked by your partner.

Yes, but this same rulebook tells us to correct a RULES mistake. This is not a "call" - this is a misapplication of a rule. Fix it.

[youngump]

Originally Posted by Dakota

Actually, he is not much of an umpire if he just charges in to the rescue, either.

Any umpire manual I've ever read has been very clear... you do not overrule your partner's call. As Mike said, you can try to get his attention, but you don't go charging in to the rescue without being asked by your partner.

I've always understood the call to be Illegal Pitch. The rest of it isn't a call but an enforcement of a rule. And (perhaps mistakenly), if in this situation, I'd want to get with my partner to understand what he was doing. Or conversely, if there was an award to be made, I've never seen a responsibility chart for making the award.
For example, runner on 1st, ball is hit fair and then bounces out of play. PU calls it dead. Runner stops at second. As BU, I'd send her to third because I was there even though the dead ball was the PU's call. Is that wrong?