No second base - sort of

[EsqUmp]

Originally Posted by chapmaja

It wasn't the base itself, it was the peg and base that holds the base in place. The actual base was sitting in the general area of where second base would be, so nobody thought anything of the situation. It wasn't the base itself, put the peg and base (that the base actually sits on) that were missing.

Also, please note the part about I did check the field I was supposed to be on. I got switched at the last minute before the game so I did not have time to go out and kick the bases like I normally do to make sure they are secured in place.

I see what you are saying now. With that said, I've never kicked bases to make sure they were in place. Seems like an odd practice. I've also never tried to lift up home plate to see whether it moved.

Regarding the check itself though, switching fields doesn't mean we can neglect a responsibility. I've seen umpires walk onto a field and check equipment only to realize they are on the wrong field. That doesn't mean they don't check the equipment when they walk onto the correct field. You just can't have that.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by EsqUmp

I've never kicked bases to make sure they were in place. Seems like an odd practice.

If you're on a field like the one chap was, you get into this "odd practice" as a habit. I always check the bases - my field is like his. There might be three things I ALWAYS do - this is one (checking the bottom of the fence all the way around and looking for gates that could be issues are the others).

Our plates are permanent, so you're right about never checking that.

[chapmaja]

I had another odd one tonight, also involving second base (different league and city). Runner slides into second base, and second base, which I know was secured because I had checked it before the game (and moved dirt to level it) goes flying. I look down and peg is still in the ground. This wasn't the breakaway 16 peg base like the other city uses. The player's slide was so hard that he actually lifted the peg off the base and caused the base to launch into the air. Thankfully I realized what had happened and we quickly fixed the base.

I don't know what the issue with bases and my games are. I had to pull the double first base out of play Tuesday at the same park (different field) that I was at Monday with the 2nd base issue). The orange base was not staying on the 16 pegs it was supposed to hook on to. We had several players slip and fall or nearly fall. I asked the site supervisor to try fixing it, and he can't so he said pull the base out of play and cover the support base and peg with dirt to prevent it from being a tripping hazard.

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by chapmaja

...I don't know what the issue with...my games are....

I don't either!

[LIUmp]

Originally Posted by chapmaja

I had another odd one tonight.

I don't know what the issue with my games are.

I think I do. In math it's called the common denominator.

I'll give ya a guess.

[SWFLguy]

How would you like to go to a "field" and there are no bases? Working a game in a men's fast pitch league in the sticks, the field we were to play on had no bases. A couple of the farmer/players got some burlap sacks and filled them with straw for bases. Took a floor mat out of a truck for home plate and it was play ball. Fun times indeed.