simple question, no one on

[Gfoley4]

I've heard when the BU is in A position, he takes any fly balls from the CF to the right field line. Is this right? In the case of a can of corn (i.e. not a trouble ball) what should the BU do? Pivot in and keep watching F9 and PU take the B/R touch of 1B or the opposite?

[Stk004]

When in A, the base umpire has the CF straight in, straight back, and anything else to his left all the way to the right fielder moving to his left. If it's a can of corn, without a F/F decision needed, the BU comes in and pivots to take the BR while the PU assumes responsibility of the catch. That said, the BU should know where the ball is at all times. 

[noumpere]

BU oes out (and has the ball) only on TROUBLE BALLS that are also IN HIS AREA.  Both conditions must be true.

[maven]

23 minutes ago, Gfoley4 said:

I've heard when the BU is in A position, he takes any fly balls from the CF to the right field line. Is this right?

No. He takes fly balls in that area ONLY when he goes out, and he goes out only on trouble balls (4 kinds).

Otherwise, BU will come into the infield, pivot, and take the BR. In that case, PU has fly balls to RF.

BU should watch the ball until his other responsibility (seeing the action around 1B when the BR arrives) takes him off it. Watch the ball, glance at runners.

[Gfoley4]

1 hour ago, maven said:

No. He takes fly balls in that area ONLY when he goes out, and he goes out only on trouble balls (4 kinds).

Otherwise, BU will come into the infield, pivot, and take the BR. In that case, PU has fly balls to RF.

BU should watch the ball until his other responsibility (seeing the action around 1B when the BR arrives) takes him off it. Watch the ball, glance at runners.

Ah, thank you. Makes sense 

[JHSump]

I have a related question. When I discuss this coverage in a pregame I will say BU in A has all trouble balls involving F8 running in/out hard, F8 converging on F9, F9 running in /out hard, any ball on the RF line or near the DBT line/fence, and BU should go out in those cases. But sometimes my partner will say he thought it was only F9 running in/out hard, the foul line and DBT. Is that another option? Is that an older system? Or, am I just saying something wrong that confuses my partners?

[BrianC14]

9 hours ago, JHSump said:

I have a related question. When I discuss this coverage in a pregame I will say BU in A has all trouble balls involving F8 running in/out hard, F8 converging on F9, F9 running in /out hard, any ball on the RF line or near the DBT line/fence, and BU should go out in those cases. But sometimes my partner will say he thought it was only F9 running in/out hard, the foul line and DBT. Is that another option? Is that an older system? Or, am I just saying something wrong that confuses my partners?

 See the post above by @maven 

Edited May 22, 2017 by BrianC14
Clarity/correction

[ElkOil]

In my association, we tend to say in the pre-game, "I'll take both lines unless I see your back." That way, as PU, we take our lead from BU. If he goes out, we follow the runner. If not, we take the catch/no catch.

[LRZ]

9 hours ago, JHSump said:

I have a related question. When I discuss this coverage in a pregame I will say BU in A has all trouble balls involving F8 running in/out hard, F8 converging on F9, F9 running in /out hard, any ball on the RF line or near the DBT line/fence, and BU should go out in those cases. But sometimes my partner will say he thought it was only F9 running in/out hard, the foul line and DBT. Is that another option? Is that an older system? Or, am I just saying something wrong that confuses my partners?

If it is indeed wrong, it (going out on trouble balls to charging F8 and F9) is an older system, now perhaps out-of-date. I was taught that about 35 years ago.

[White47]

 

Ditto on What everyone said. I'll add to error on the side of going out. It suck when you come in to pivot and then you see F9 laying out to make a catch.

[Richvee]

On 3/23/2017 at 5:13 PM, maven said:

No. He takes fly balls in that area ONLY when he goes out, and he goes out only on trouble balls (4 kinds).

Otherwise, BU will come into the infield, pivot, and take the BR. In that case, PU has fly balls to RF.

BU should watch the ball until his other responsibility (seeing the action around 1B when the BR arrives) takes him off it. Watch the ball, glance at runners.

 

8 hours ago, JHSump said:

I have a related question. When I discuss this coverage in a pregame I will say BU in A has all trouble balls involving F8 running in/out hard, F8 converging on F9, F9 running in /out hard, any ball on the RF line or near the DBT line/fence, and BU should go out in those cases. But sometimes my partner will say he thought it was only F9 running in/out hard, the foul line and DBT. Is that another option? Is that an older system? Or, am I just saying something wrong that confuses my partners?

 

8 hours ago, BrianC14 said:

Only F9.    See the post above by @maven 

Maven was saying "no" to going out on EVERY flyball. BU most certainly goes out on F8 charging hard straight in or straight back, or converging with another fielder (F9 or F4 for example).  

[noumpere]

1 hour ago, White47 said:

 

Ditto on What everyone said. I'll add to error on the side of going out. It suck when you come in to pivot and then you see F9 laying out to make a catch.

"It's better to be out wishing you were in than in wishing you were out."

And, that applies to umpiring as well. 

 

[noumpere]

On 3/23/2017 at 4:07 PM, noumpere said:

BU oes out (and has the ball) only on TROUBLE BALLS that are also IN HIS AREA.  Both conditions must be true.

I should amend my answer, and say that it applies on "regular season" mechanics.  If you are doing lower-key, summer ball, you *can* modify this --  BU still goes out on trouble balls.  But, on the routine plays, BU can skim the outfield side of the dirt.  PU then only needs to come up the line to watch BR touch first (if the ball is dropped).  BU can take any plays on BR back into first or at second from the outfield side.

The coverage isn't as good as the standard mechanics.  But, it saves everyone a few steps (and the steps can be slower), and the risk/reward structure is different in the summer.

8 hours ago, BrianC14 said:

Only F9.    See the post above by @maven 

Disagree.  It applies to F8 as well.  BU is going to have a  better angle on the play in front of F8 than is PU.

[BrianC14]

Edited my post for clarity / correction.

[LRZ]

9 hours ago, JHSump said:

But sometimes my partner will say he thought it was only F9 running in/out hard, the foul line and DBT.

I meant to add, in my earlier post, that I think you, JHSump, are right and this is wrong, as the BU has a better angle on F8 coming in and would be closer, as well. So maybe not out-of-date. As PU, I tell partners when we pre-game that I'll key off them--they go out, I'll take the BR; if they come in, I'll take the catch. I also conclude that we'll be ok as long as we communicate.