Appeal play in Texas

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by topper

How about 3BLE? He would have to have been much closer and looking over the top to have from 1BLE to see the touch and/or swipe tag.

Not a favored mechanic and is only applicable when the runner comes wide and the catcher draws the tag directly to the plate. In this case, it may have helped him see the plate better, but as an overall mechanic, you have just a good a chance of being blocked out by the catcher as an umpire late to retreat from the holding zone could be by the runner. Over the past couple of years, I've even noticed some MLB moving away from that angle as the standard. If the catcher drops to block the plate and you can only see part of the plate from behind the catcher, you would be guessing. I prefer being between the two players. I will start around the back of the RHBB and then adjust as the throw, runner and catcher converge to the point of where the tag will most likely take place.

May not have made a difference, but maybe a verbal "no tag" along with the safe signal? Seems more correct for this play IMO.

If the ball had beat the runner and the catcher just missed the tag, I agree. But I don't think that was the issue with the play as I think it was obvious the tag (had there been one) was chasing the runner and would have been late.