Tenn v. Bama

[chapmaja]

The Michigan-ULL game had a similar fly ball caught, not caught issue. I don't remember if it was game two or three. Michigan's batter hit a fly ball to CF that had a diving attempt made on. It was very clear watching on TV that the ball dropped in for a base hit. The umpire (I'm not sure which one), made an out call on the play, which was obviously not correct. The ball bounced up under the CF's chin, until she picked it up and threw in.

The umpires got together, and made the correct call on the play.

I thought it was the 3b umpire that made the reversal call on the play.

My potential issue with this entire sequence. This was a ball hit toward Left Center field, with the CF coming in at an angle. The way the CF dove, the plate umpires view might have been blocked, but the 3b umpire should have had a decent view (assuming he started near the 3b line, which I don't recall because I wasn't watching them closely).

Assuming this was a missed call by the plate umpire, wouldn't the plate umpire be the one to change his call after consulting with the other umpires? I have always been under the impression, that when umpires get together to talk about a call, the original calling umpire makes the final call, using the information gained from the other umpires as needed.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by chapmaja

Assuming this was a missed call by the plate umpire, wouldn't the plate umpire be the one to change his call after consulting with the other umpires? I have always been under the impression, that when umpires get together to talk about a call, the original calling umpire makes the final call, using the information gained from the other umpires as needed.

I didn't see the play you refer to. But one thing that bugs me (and a lot of umpires) is that from 8U to 18U Gold, from JH to Varsity, from NAIA to Div2, from MiLB Rookie to MiLB AAA - both softball and baseball, we are all taught the protocol for changing a call on the field, and it is exactly as you describe.

Yet they throw out that training at the highest collegiate level and highest professional level - so people who know no better think that umpires over-ruling other umpires is the norm - because they see it on TV. You are exactly right about how this SHOULD be handled - and if everything you said in your post happened as you said it, those umpires did all of the rest of us a disservice.

[Andy]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

I didn't see the play you refer to. But one thing that bugs me (and a lot of umpires) is that from 8U to 18U Gold, from JH to Varsity, from NAIA to Div2, from MiLB Rookie to MiLB AAA - both softball and baseball, we are all taught the protocol for changing a call on the field, and it is exactly as you describe.

Yet they throw out that training at the highest collegiate level and highest professional level - so people who know no better think that umpires over-ruling other umpires is the norm - because they see it on TV. You are exactly right about how this SHOULD be handled - and if everything you said in your post happened as you said it, those umpires did all of the rest of us a disservice.

As far as I can tell, it was never clear which umpire made the erroneous out cal in the first place. I did not see the play, either, but from the description and depending on the placement of runners, it is entirely possible that U3 chased on this call, made the out call based on what he saw, then got the crew together, got more information and reversed his own call. Which would be the correct procedure.

Basically what Steve said.....

[AtlUmpSteve]

Originally Posted by chapmaja

The Michigan-ULL game had a similar fly ball caught, not caught issue. I don't remember if it was game two or three. Michigan's batter hit a fly ball to CF that had a diving attempt made on. It was very clear watching on TV that the ball dropped in for a base hit. The umpire (I'm not sure which one), made an out call on the play, which was obviously not correct. The ball bounced up under the CF's chin, until she picked it up and threw in.

The umpires got together, and made the correct call on the play.

I thought it was the 3b umpire that made the reversal call on the play.

My potential issue with this entire sequence. This was a ball hit toward Left Center field, with the CF coming in at an angle. The way the CF dove, the plate umpires view might have been blocked, but the 3b umpire should have had a decent view (assuming he started near the 3b line, which I don't recall because I wasn't watching them closely).

Assuming this was a missed call by the plate umpire, wouldn't the plate umpire be the one to change his call after consulting with the other umpires? I have always been under the impression, that when umpires get together to talk about a call, the original calling umpire makes the final call, using the information gained from the other umpires as needed.

Given that you didn't see where U3 came from, nor did you indicate what runners may have been on base; and since you appear to be relying on what the announcers were saying ....

My suspicion is that U3 made the call because it was U3's call all along; everyone else was focused on something/someone OTHER than U3. If a double call because PU didn't read U3, it is still U3's call.