Positioning question

[Tksjewelry]

Sorry this is in the wrong section, it won't let me get to the right one. I'm one umpiring a 10u game. Runners at first and second, two outs. Right handed batter, High and away pitch comes in, which the catcher misses. Runner takes off for second, I take off into the foul side library up third for the play, there was a swipe at third which I couldn't see as r6 was blocking with his body. I left the runner safe, coached asked, and I said tag was blocked (no gripes). I didn't think going into the fair library was good as the catcher was on the fair side trying to get the ball for a throw. I'm trying to see second and third because I don't know which base he's going with it. Is there a better position than up the library like that?

[labguy1971]

One umpire?  If so, I think you did all that you could do.  I had one similar to your situation last week and went just where you went.

[Tksjewelry]

One umpire? If so, I think you did all that you could do. I had one similar to your situation last week and went just where you went.

Fixed, yeah, I was alone. I felt horrible, as he probably had the tag but I just couldn't see it.

[labguy1971]

 

One umpire? If so, I think you did all that you could do. I had one similar to your situation last week and went just where you went.

Fixed, yeah, I was alone. I felt horrible, as he probably had the tag but I just couldn't see it.

 

Can't see everything in a 1 man CREW    , don't beat yourself up.  You got in the best position you could and made the call.  Most coaches understand you are giving your best and it sounds like you did with your movement.  That is really all you can do, move and work hard and the coaches will most likely give you the benefit of the doubt.  Keep working hard as it seems that you are.

[Richvee]

Rule of thumb when I'm working alone..If the throw beats the runner, and the fielder has the glove near the runner, I've got an out. Especially on steals, advances on PB's/WP's. Hustle, get to the best spot you can (you did). make a call. This is probably the one exception to the rule  "you can't call what you don't see" . The other bit of advice is take your time with the call. Don't rush. See if you can pick up a clue from the runner or fielder as to weather the tag was applied. Sometimes the fielder will reach again for a tag, or the runner will show disgust in his face knowing he was tagged. 

[labguy1971]

Rule of thumb when I'm working alone..If the throw beats the runner, and the fielder has the glove near the runner, I've got an out. Especially on steals, advances on PB's/WP's. Hustle, get to the best spot you can (you did). make a call. This is probably the one exception to the rule  "you can't call what you don't see" . The other bit of advice is take your time with the call. Don't rush. See if you can pick up a clue from the runner or fielder as to weather the tag was applied. Sometimes the fielder will reach again for a tag, or the runner will show disgust in his face knowing he was tagged. 

Good advice, like the picking up a clue from the runner or fielder.

[Out&UglyToo]

Best position you could have gotten. +1 to Rich and Labguy. Swipe tags where my view is blocked - that is tough. If the ball gets there first AND THE TAG IS DOWN, I'll call him out, but I do mention that in the plate meeting when working one man games.

[BuckeyeMike]

I definitely have (and encourage you to) discuss this exact scenario at the plate meeting. 

 

"Guys, I'm not gonna have the angle or distance on these plays, and as a general rule, if the ball beats the runner and the tag is down, i'm calling him out."

 

Let these coaches know right up front.     Another thing I throw in when solo is: "if my back is turned, there's no play".   This comes into play when you're jogging back to HP, primarily.  

[Tksjewelry]

I definitely have (and encourage you to) discuss this exact scenario at the plate meeting.

"Guys, I'm not gonna have the angle or distance on these plays, and as a general rule, if the ball beats the runner and the tag is down, i'm calling him out."

Let these coaches know right up front. Another thing I throw in when solo is: "if my back is turned, there's no play". This comes into play when you're jogging back to HP, primarily.

I did this today and still got ripped. Some coaches just don't listen.

Steal to second, pitcher is set at the rubber, hears going, and yanks the ball to second. I make a dive out to first baseline extended (and out slightly) just in time to see F4 lay down the tag. Easy out, wasn't even close for a third out (HC saw it my way who was on third). AC, coming from coaching first walks across by the mound ripping my a** loudly and pointing by the pitchers mound. "You need to be out here on those plays!" I'm thinking: you want me to truck the catcher and your batter (whose still in the same place he was to bat) to get out to the mound to see a play while I'm still moving cause there no way I'm getting that far before the ball gets there? How's that going to work? *shakeshead*

[BuckeyeMike]

Hmmmm.........

 

1) an AC giving me sh!t about anything is a red flag

2) I'll be damned if an AC is going to POINT and make a scene

3) ripping me about "where I should be" when solo" ???!!!!

 

These qualify as ejection-worthy.

 

I learned in basketball, the only EJ (or Technical Foul) you EVER regret, is the one you didn't make when you look back.     It's not the one's you DID make.....it's the one's you DIDN'T make. 

[Tksjewelry]

Hmmmm.........

1) an AC giving me sh!t about anything is a red flag

2) I'll be damned if an AC is going to POINT and make a scene

3) ripping me about "where I should be" when solo" ???!!!!

These qualify as ejection-worthy.

I learned in basketball, the only EJ you EVER regret, is the one you didn't make when you look back. It's not the one's you DID make.....it's the one's you DIDN'T make.

I should have ejected the lot today (except home HC). Those lists of 20 baseball myths, yeah, I think these coaches pretty much covered the whole list of them today. It went down hill quickly after I asked the visiting teams batter to tuck in his underarmer shirt or take it off.

[ricka56]

AC, coming from coaching first walks across by the mound ripping my a** loudly and pointing by the pitchers mound. "You need to be out here on those plays!"

 

Umpire: And you need to be out there (pointing to the parking lot) for all the rest of the plays.

[noumpere]

I definitely have (and encourage you to) discuss this exact scenario at the plate meeting. 

 

"Guys, I'm not gonna have the angle or distance on these plays, and as a general rule, if the ball beats the runner and the tag is down, i'm calling him out."

 

Let these coaches know right up front.     Another thing I throw in when solo is: "if my back is turned, there's no play".   This comes into play when you're jogging back to HP, primarily.  

And, FWIW, I strongly DIScourage anyone from mentioning it at the pregame meeting.

 

The ones who will understand don't need reminding.  The ones who won'y understand won't hear the reminder.  And, there's no sense in puttinhg the "I'm likely to miss some" bug in anyone's ear.

[maven]

And, FWIW, I strongly DIScourage anyone from mentioning it at the pregame meeting.

 

The ones who will understand don't need reminding.  The ones who won'y understand won't hear the reminder.  And, there's no sense in puttinhg the "I'm likely to miss some" bug in anyone's ear.

Agree. Maybe even more strongly.

 

Saying "I might miss some" is a form of what cognitive scientists call "priming." By calling something actively to mind, it primes the brain to watch for certain patterns, in this case, missed calls. By priming coaches to watch for missed calls, they're more likely to see some (more likely than if you say nothing).

 

Priming also explains why projecting "tough guy who won't take any sh!t" often backfires. That attitude primes coaches for conflict instead of a good, competitive game. So when the opportunity for conflict arises, in their minds the fight with those umpires is already several steps advanced.

 

The plate meeting is not an opportunity to try to prevent every possible problem, disagreement, or conflict. That's impossible anyway, and really not the purpose of the plate meeting. It's a meeting, and you're there to meet people: what would you think of someone you met at a party who immediately said, "Look, we're not going to argue about politics tonight, do you understand?!?"

 

Professionalism, positive attitude, and respect are all you need at the plate meeting. The content is simple: legally equipped, lineups, take us around, good luck. After that, let the game come to you.

[BuckeyeMike]

@maven and @noumpere, I respect the hell out of you guys, but I politely disagree.

 

I believe you absolutely need to cover the aspects of what I said earlier (when SOLO) at the pre-game meeting.   And the pre-game meeting is NOT just for cordial pleasantries.........it's to cover ground rules.   And one of which, when you're alone, is to cover your ass about plays when your back is turned.   The other is to cover your butt for plays where you're 60 feet away on a tag play.     

 

I respect your opinions, but I really DO think this needs to be covered at the plate meeting, as a CYA for later.

[BillKen]

 

One umpire? If so, I think you did all that you could do. I had one similar to your situation last week and went just where you went.

Fixed, yeah, I was alone. I felt horrible, as he probably had the tag but I just couldn't see it.

 

Did the ball beat him and was it a quality throw and effort by the fielder?  If so and you are blocked...he's out.  If the fielder doesn't make an honest effort to apply the tag after receiving the ball in plenty of time, then I might go safe.  When I get blocked like this, I just ask myself what did it look like from the backstop?  With one umpire, I'd get the out on a whacker like this so I could be done with my solo!

[ZebraStripes]

 

I definitely have (and encourage you to) discuss this exact scenario at the plate meeting.

"Guys, I'm not gonna have the angle or distance on these plays, and as a general rule, if the ball beats the runner and the tag is down, i'm calling him out."

Let these coaches know right up front. Another thing I throw in when solo is: "if my back is turned, there's no play". This comes into play when you're jogging back to HP, primarily.

I did this today and still got ripped. Some coaches just don't listen.

Steal to second, pitcher is set at the rubber, hears going, and yanks the ball to second. I make a dive out to first baseline extended (and out slightly) just in time to see F4 lay down the tag. Easy out, wasn't even close for a third out (HC saw it my way who was on third). AC, coming from coaching first walks across by the mound ripping my a** loudly and pointing by the pitchers mound. "You need to be out here on those plays!" I'm thinking: you want me to truck the catcher and your batter (whose still in the same place he was to bat) to get out to the mound to see a play while I'm still moving cause there no way I'm getting that far before the ball gets there? How's that going to work? *shakeshead*

 

Send his butt to the parking lot.

[Tksjewelry]

One umpire? If so, I think you did all that you could do. I had one similar to your situation last week and went just where you went.

Fixed, yeah, I was alone. I felt horrible, as he probably had the tag but I just couldn't see it.

Did the ball beat him and was it a quality throw and effort by the fielder? If so and you are blocked...he's out. If the fielder doesn't make an honest effort to apply the tag after receiving the ball in plenty of time, then I might go safe. When I get blocked like this, I just ask myself what did it look like from the backstop? With one umpire, I'd get the out on a whacker like this so I could be done with my solo!

It was a quality throw, beat the runner, and he was out by a foot on the slide. It wasn't blocked from where I went to.

About half, maybe more, of our games are solo's.

[ZebraStripes]

 

 

 

One umpire? If so, I think you did all that you could do. I had one similar to your situation last week and went just where you went.

Fixed, yeah, I was alone. I felt horrible, as he probably had the tag but I just couldn't see it.

 

Did the ball beat him and was it a quality throw and effort by the fielder? If so and you are blocked...he's out. If the fielder doesn't make an honest effort to apply the tag after receiving the ball in plenty of time, then I might go safe. When I get blocked like this, I just ask myself what did it look like from the backstop? With one umpire, I'd get the out on a whacker like this so I could be done with my solo!

 

It was a quality throw, beat the runner, and he was out by a foot on the slide. It wasn't blocked from where I went to.

About half, maybe more, of our games are solo's.

 

Coach pitch is the last time we have solo's scheduled.