Kevin_K

So when F1 engages the rubber with his pivot foot parallel to the rubber with runners on base comes set at the belt, and then steps towards 1B that's not a balk in FED?

Since @Tborze and @MadMax may have overlooked some of the words in my post, I shall reiterate that "Home plate is 17 inches wide. Use it as a guide like Tim McClelland did in the Pine Tar game and I'd bet you get a similar reaction" Perhaps I should have included the or ?

No foreign substances can be applied to the barrel more than 18 inches from the end of the handle. NFHS 1-3-3 NCAA 1-12-3 OBR 3.02 Home plate is 17 inches wide. Use it as a guide like Tim McClelland did in the Pine Tar game and I'd bet you get a similar reaction. Don't go looking for a problem to try to solve. Use the rules to solve problems not create them (Thanks @JonnyCat)

Was this a night game?

At the risk of offending.... @MadMax, you ignorant slut

I have never turned my back on F2 throwing to 2B when I am in B or C. It seems as though this is also the case with BU in this scenario. Turning away from where the ball is would be the first step in having a throw planted in your temple. Keep your chest to the ball and have your head on a swivel. While BU may have some information that may help, PU needs to own this call.

Interestingly, and perhaps not coincidentally, this week's "You Make the Call" is on a runner legally contacting a middle infielder on a force play.

@MadMax is going to be shocked by this....... NJ requires base coaches to wear helmets as well

This. It's a judgment call. Your judgment. Like any judgment call, teams are free to disagree or agree as they see fit. If the HC comes out to talk to you about the call and you aren't certain of what you saw, you could call a crew conference to seek any additional information that might help you in your decision making on your call. Yelling across the field to your partner puts them on the spot for making a call that they should not have to make. Those calls, typically a pulled foot, belong to a base umpire. If the umpire is not sure on the call, see above.

Think of all the times you may have heard players be advised to lower their bats when ducking out of the way when a pitch is up and in. Would it be a foul/fair ball if the pitch hit their bat?

Consider the situation where PU has dropped back on 1BLX...... Fly ball is beyond 1B when F4, F3, F9 and BR are all either on the line or converging on the line. PU is potentially looking through F2 and all the above to try to determine whether or not the ball has landed fair or foul. Without moving off the extension, it is likely that his view is, at best, compromised, or, more so, blocked completely. The status of the ball is always the first priority. If PU moves up the line to a place where his view of the ball is far better, his credibility and accuracy will both be improved significantly. Our priorities, as I have been taught, are in this order: Fair/foul Catch/No catch Out/safe Everything else The tag at 3B clearly is less important than the status of the ball.

Remember the priorities we have: Fair/Foul Catch/No catch Tag/no tag PU should stay on the line and let his partner know that he has the line. While PU typically has the tag at 3B, the priority is elsewhere on a fly ball down the 1B line. If the play is up the line some, PU needs to get some distance from HP to make sure he has a good look at the play. PU can grab a peek at R3 after the ball is touched if it's possible. If there is a potential for a play at HP, PU needs to get back to the plate. BU should shift priorities when his partner is pinned on the line. Some BUs will drift (?) toward the baseline between 2B and 3B in order to get eyes on both runners when the ball is touched by a fielder. Some BUs will peek at 3B a split second after the ball is touched. Knowing the situation and communicating what you are doing is critical for not only the PU, but the BU as well. If there is an appeal play, both umpires should make eye contact with one another and if one is certain about the situation they should communicate it first by signaling their partner with something like a chest tap as if saying "This is mine!" If there is no certainty, PU has the call and if things go sideways, the crew should get together to offer whatever information they have.

R1 and R2 with F3 playing in front of R1. BR hits a fly ball hugging the 1B line beyond the grass/dirt line of the outfield. It is a blustery day with the wind blowing from left to right. As F3 turns to pursue the fly ball, he runs into R1 who was about four feet off the bag. F4 and F9 are also converging on the line. The ball lands just foul with F4 and F9 about 5 feet from the ball. As F3 cleared R1, he came within about 10 feet of where the ball landed. As the play developed, I judged that F3 would have the best chance to field the batted ball and called R1 out for interference. It was the third out of the inning and the teams switched sides. As I ran the play over in my mind, I began to question whether or not any of the players had any legitimate chance at fielding what ended up as a foul ball. Then I began to think that perhaps I may have made the wrong call. How much does the real ability of the protected player making the play on this fly ball affect the interference call that we might make a such a play?

The NCAA rule also says that anyone leaving their position to potentially (emphasis added) participate in a verbal or physical confrontation shall be ejected. Seems like more than 11 did