Whatcha got - discussion of umpire mechanics

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by shagpal

I think it has its advantages and disadvantages. its great for offline throws that setup swipe tags and hook slides.

But that may give you a limited view or options on a straight in play or when you have a smart catcher (granted, many of them are not) who doesn't reach for a tag

[Skahtboi]

Originally Posted by EsqUmp

Wrong.

I was wondering how many posts it would take for someone to catch that.

[shagpal]

it also can give you a better look at OBS and ATR or not with respect to positioning of the runner and catcher. if catcher doesn't reach for a tag, then its a matter of blocking the plate.

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

But that may give you a limited view or options on a straight in play or when you have a smart catcher (granted, many of them are not) who doesn't reach for a tag

[EsqUmp]

Another clinician and I spent a 1/2 hour last night at a nearby clinic demonstrating calling positions for plays at the plate. We explained when should we use 1BLE and when should we use 3BLE; where we need to be in order to be able to adjust to either of these positions.

I am a big proponent of 3BLE. The number of times a catcher swipes a tag far outnumbers how many times she has the ball and the runner slides in. I have the numbers and photos to prove it.

With that said, even I wouldn't use 3BLE in this case. I would have been in the wedge and then rotated out two steps to get onto 1BLE. If there were to be a swipe tag possible, it would have to be on the runner's backside, which 3BLE is not designed to cover.

[AtlUmpSteve]

Originally Posted by shagpal

I like 3blx. that is my preferred default.

Originally Posted by Big Slick

Unfortunately, no softball organization supports that.

Originally Posted by EsqUmp

Wrong.

Originally Posted by shagpal

I work 3blx for college ball.

While you may use 3blx for college ball, the initial statement in this thread was using it as a preferred default. That (as a default) is NOT supported by the NCAA, and Big Slick is correct in his statement.

The NCAA mechanic is point-of-plate as the standard default, and then adjusting to the play to use whatever positioning allows you to see what is necessary.

As others have noted, there are times when 3blx is clearly NOT the place to be, when the catcher is set up to block the plate and the runner slides straight in; you cannot see if the runner reached the plate, and even have a poor position to judge obstruction (if contact occured before about-to-receive). On the other hand, 1blx is a bad place to be when the throw pulls the catcher deep and the runner then slides to the front side; and is weaker than 3blx when the runner slides to back door.

Each play is different; point-of-plate allows the most adjustments as the play develops.

[KJUmp]

Originally Posted by azbigdawg

That's fairly accurate...it just looks bad...a couple of deliberate steps would have made a better impression. He is usually not that casual moving around....

What I was really trying to/should have said in my post....so thanks for saying it better than I did.
Trust me, any time I'm able to catch a live stream replay of any of my college games I always see myself having had a couple of "WTF were you thinking/doing on that play" 'cringe' moments that make me say to myself, "I've got to work on/not let that happen again." You hate watching yourself at times but that's the beauty of video as a tool to catch your missteps.

[KJUmp]

Originally Posted by Manny A

And this is just me, but I feel umpires should strike a balance between hustling to get into positions to make expected calls, and casually moving to preserve stamina when no call is likely, particularly when conditions dictate, like in the Arizona heat.

Considering where the ball was hit--in right center to the fence--the PU had no real reason to move out with any urgency. The likely plays here would either be at home on R2, or on the BR at third base. Why should the PU hustle into the HA to watch touches of third, and then hustle back to prepare for the play at home?

Young pups love to bust everywhere on the field. That gets old fast as we get older.

Here's why....

There were runners on first and second, and a hit to the outfield.
In NCAA 2 umpire mechanics, proper coverage has the PU (based on how he reads the play) doing one of the following:
[] "Immediately moving to the holding area in foul territory between home and third base OR
[] If you read that there is no possible play at 3b on the lead runner but a good chance for a play at home plate:
-Move to the point-of-the-plate
-Read the throw and the catcher, adjust to the play".

(P.317 2014 CCA Manual)

Pretty much what has already been posted by BigSlick and AtlUmpSteve.

My 'young pup' days are a long way behind me, but if I feel my age and wear tear dictate that I have to cut some corners on proper mechanics when I work a college DH, then that's when I have to be honest with myself and call it quits working NCAA.

[shagpal]

I prefer 3blx over 1blx the majority of the time.

Originally Posted by AtlUmpSteve

While you may use 3blx for college ball, the initial statement in this thread was using it as a preferred default. That (as a default) is NOT supported by the NCAA, and Big Slick is correct in his statement.

The NCAA mechanic is point-of-plate as the standard default, and then adjusting to the play to use whatever positioning allows you to see what is necessary.

As others have noted, there are times when 3blx is clearly NOT the place to be, when the catcher is set up to block the plate and the runner slides straight in; you cannot see if the runner reached the plate, and even have a poor position to judge obstruction (if contact occured before about-to-receive). On the other hand, 1blx is a bad place to be when the throw pulls the catcher deep and the runner then slides to the front side; and is weaker than 3blx when the runner slides to back door.

Each play is different; point-of-plate allows the most adjustments as the play develops.

[sunitanayak]

But how to recover ?

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by KJUmp

My 'young pup' days are a long way behind me, but if I feel my age and wear tear dictate that I have to cut some corners on proper mechanics when I work a college DH, then that's when I have to be honest with myself and call it quits working NCAA.

How many plays do you miss when you "cut some corners"?

[AtlUmpSteve]

Originally Posted by shagpal

I prefer 3blx over 1blx the majority of the time.

At the collegiate level, where a majority of plays seem to be back door slides, that is a statement with which I could agree. But at an observation and evaluation level, we need to train ourselves to start point-of-plate and let the play tell us where we need to be to best call it.

On this play from the video, I have to believe that 1blx was much more helpful in seeing the ball arrive and the runner's actions going into the collision. If 3blx on this play, you would know the runner didn't change her path, and that the catcher drifted back to the runner's path, but you would then have to see through the catcher to see the arms come up, and have no information if she drove through with the arms or simply used them to protect herself.

I am confident that an NCAA evaluator would tell you that you weren't in the best position for this play if you defaulted to your preference.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by AtlUmpSteve

At the collegiate level, where a majority of plays seem to be back door slides, that is a statement with which I could agree. But at an observation and evaluation level, we need to train ourselves to start point-of-plate and let the play tell us where we need to be to best call it.

On this play from the video, I have to believe that 1blx was much more helpful in seeing the ball arrive and the runner's actions going into the collision. If 3blx on this play, you would know the runner didn't change her path, and that the catcher drifted back to the runner's path, but you would then have to see through the catcher to see the arms come up, and have no information if she drove through with the arms or simply used them to protect herself.

And if the catcher holds the ball and makes the tag, you may not see that from 3blx which is what I have seen that bothers me the most.

[shagpal]

POP is our holding position.

Originally Posted by AtlUmpSteve

At the collegiate level, where a majority of plays seem to be back door slides, that is a statement with which I could agree. But at an observation and evaluation level, we need to train ourselves to start point-of-plate and let the play tell us where we need to be to best call it.

On this play from the video, I have to believe that 1blx was much more helpful in seeing the ball arrive and the runner's actions going into the collision. If 3blx on this play, you would know the runner didn't change her path, and that the catcher drifted back to the runner's path, but you would then have to see through the catcher to see the arms come up, and have no information if she drove through with the arms or simply used them to protect herself.

I am confident that an NCAA evaluator would tell you that you weren't in the best position for this play if you defaulted to your preference.