ISF Mechanic
 

No runners on base. Easy single to left field. No umpires go out. 2BU buttonhooks inside the diamond.

Why are we buttonhooking? Do we prefer to run pointlessly? Do we like to put our back to the ball? Do we like to cut the potential path of the runner?

Or because it places the BU into the best position to react and get a preferable position for a call at any base with minimal effort.

It would only be pointless if the umpire didn't know what s/he was doing.

there are 4 umpires.

I apologize IrishMafia, as a softball umpire legend, I thought you knew that they use 4 umpires in the World Cup of Softball.

Now you're just being a douche for the sake of being douchey.

(Nothing new there...)

Where in your post does it state that this play was occurring in a World Cup game?

Or that is was a 4-umpire system. And that does make a difference.

Only one problem, ISF may not provide a mechanical scenario for the play you are describing.

If it is a fly ball to LF, U3 chases and U2 stays outside. There is no scenario provided for any other option, but it would make sense that U2 stay outside if to LF, come inside if LCF to RFL.

Do you know where the umpire is from and what direction they were given in the pre-tournament clinic?

How many systems other than 4 umpire have a 2BU? I guess 6 umpire does too. Read the entire post.

Well, that would be U2 and no, I'm not assuming anything. AFAIK, he could have been referring to the umpire @ 2nd base which could be in anything other and a single umpire system.

But I really don't care, KR could have instructed them to do anything on that play especially since there is no published mechanic (at least, not at the ISF Umpire School)

Yes, Mike, there is a published mechanic. There PDF can be found here. I found this last June, I think on a site from New Zealand or Australia. As you can see on the cover, it was updated in 2010 by the director of ISF umpires.

Specifically, the play is described on page 6.

But as you said (and I've said if before), the use the mechanics that the UIC tells you to.

Brian,

I've got them. These are the mechanics on ISF Umpire School. Don't know how much they would appreciate someone else making them available elsewhere.

However, you might notice there is no scenario, including on page 6, for a ball to the left field and no umpire going out. That was the play noted in the OP and to which I am referring.

Who said anything about a fly ball? Pay attention.

Not me. There is no mechanic for any ball going to LF with no one chasing.

The only time I mentioned a fly ball is when I citing the one mechanic where a ball to LF is mentioned, but in that case an umpire goes out which does NOT meet the specs of the OP.

Maybe you should try paying attention.

Isn't this a bit moot, as World Cup is organised and officiated by ASA rather than ISF?

The WCOS is played under ISF rules and mechanics. Of the 8 umpires, 3 were from the US.

And ASA does not utilize a 4-umpire system.

One thing I noticed in several different games with different PU, was the liberal granting of TIME to B.

Is ISF different than ASA in this regard?
A couple of years ago, we were instructed that P gets 20 seconds and we are to give her every bit of that, unless B is in some sort of distress.