Sayhey

New here, so let me know if I am screwing up. Should I start a new post, or can I Segway to another type of tag? Here goes. Ground ball to third. Poor throw to 1st baseman. Throw takes 1st baseman up in the air. Throw is up the line toward home plate. 1st baseman gloves throw and applies tag to batter-runner's back. I pointed with left arm and said, " yes, got em on the back" . Also, I did read poor throw and took an "adjustment" step toward 1st base line. I never got set. My issue is this. I know I have a tag on the back, but I am not sure it happened before the batter-runner touched 1st base. I can not look high for the tag and low for the foot on the bag at the same time. It's like the example play but at a different base. Uic is looking at the tag but has the foot already touched home before the tag? Is this a scenario where you just do the best you can, or do you have some tips.

There was a better looking shirt than Elbeco called a Hathaway.nicer blue and sharper looking. I used to have the laundry press them "military press". I had an umpire at a Memorial Day tournament wearing a flag as a shirt wanting me to wear his other shirt which was camo. The American flag is not a shirt, or a bandanna, or a beach towel. Ever read the American Legion flag rules. How the flag should be displayed and folded? I told him there was no way I was wearing a camo umpire shirt. I thought he was disrespectful to wear a shirt that looked like a flag. There are other ways to honor veterans rather than wearing military looking umpire uniforms and flags as shirts. I wore a black shirt while mr. U.S.A. wore his flag. I was embarrassed to be on the field with him. Thought he looked like a jackass.

If you refuse to work a baseball game one man it will stop. There is no such thing as a one man crew. It is not fair to any hard ball umpire to be required to work a game alone. If you stop the teams will magically find the money to pay another umpire. If it is lack of umpires then recruiting would be helped by a pay raise. If you have a great day behind the plate do you buy yourself a beer? Maybe you work behind the mound.

Back in the day U.I.C. would check for shoe polish on the ball. Use every sense and bit of evidence you can utilize. Post pitch evidence can help. I did not think I had a hit by pitch once until the batter showed me the seams of the ball on his elbow.

Good job keeping your cool. I hope he gets fired. Tell your assignor there is no such thing as a 1 man umpire crew. You need a partner. If there are not enough umpires to put a crew on the field the game should be canceled. Refuse to do 1 man games. If everyone refused to do them they would not exist.

Wow. This is suppose to be fun. I agree that the T.D. should inform the coach of a suspension after the game. T.D. are not always a friend to umpires. They have their own agenda. I agree with no money refunded. That will cause the parents to act. Pack your gear and hit the road and take your potty mouthed son with you. If that is what the man is raising it was just a matter of time before he also went off and was ejected.

Maybe this slide rule discussion will morph into a game management discussion. Thanks for all of the useful strategies and insights. I appreciate all who have responded. Maybe you have been where I was Friday night. Working out of your area. Partner you do not know. Never worked the ballpark before. Only seen the #1 team in town once before. Trying to make a good impression. Do not want to be known as a red ass. Do not want to be known as someone that can be walked on. While it is rather simple to write about clearly defined ejection points or lines in the sand it is not nearly as easy to identify those crossings of the line and act in the moment of the game. This coach argued in a peculiar way. He ran out on the field to second base and did this quick little act. Like an actor in a play. He did get a little demonstrative but he never got personal really. Then as quick as it started it was over and he ran off over to the U.I.C. and the U.I.C. was not taking the bait so he ran back to his dugout. You had to be there really. I am not afraid to eject coaches. I will say that ejections are hardly ever a simple matter. They include reports and for me often criticism of the ejection. I have had my own partner disagree with an ejection. He put me in the position of calling a check swing and then when it lead to an ejection he criticizes the ejection to my assignor. Well, either it was a good ejection or it was not. It definitely was. 3 warnings for arguing balls and strikes and now you gotta go So, I thought I did a good job. I did not take it personal. I stayed calm and said very little. I answered his question with one word. I usually say to much. I stated the rule which answered his question about why did this not go my way. I did not have to ask," what did you see." He told me what he saw and I agreed with him about what he saw.

Jeff Nelson is one one the finest umpires in the game. His plate game is smooth. He steps back as the pitcher delivers. Some "step into" the position. I tried to be a box umpire. I just do not like it. I will say I have taken some wicked shots off the collarbone. The position does expose the collarbone to foul balls.

I am new on here and should listen more and talk less. My negative feelings about Fed. Rules does not need to be an issue here. My apologies. The safety slide rule is a good concept for high school and it is not my intention to speak against it. I thought the Feds had put in a new rule and I missed the memo. Probably an indication of coach ignorance and me only working a few games so far this season. The head coach of the #1 high school in a city of 100,000 was having a tantrum at second base. He wanted retired runner interference and the batter-runner called out for a double play. He never said there was contact because there was not. He never said play was altered or his fielder was hindered. He just kept hammering his point that R-1 slid past the imaginary plane on the backside of 2nd base. When I told him play was not altered the coach began to mock me. He considered my statement to be ridiculous. I am working out of my area with coaches I do not know. This creates some challenges. I thought maybe it was a local rule. Maybe it has become a rule by the way local umpires are interpreting the rule and enforcing it.

Thanks for the input. Good stuff. This coach thought that even though there was no contact and the runner did not alter the flow of play that the runner should be called out. He thinks that a runner who breaks the plane of the back edge of the bag(2nd base) is automatically out. No questions asked. I did not spend much time in the Fed. Rule book this year. I thought maybe I missed something or a new slide rule was in effect because this head coach was jumping around like a rooster and very animated. I just let him go off for 15 seconds and he ran out of material. He kept repeating himself,"he slid past the bag". He asked me,"did he slide past the bag"? I replied,"yes". " why won't you call interference ." My reply,"the slide did not alter play." He did not like my comment and was adament that I call interference. In my N.A.I.A. games the runner can slide through the bag and make contact as long as the slide itself is legal and in a straight line with the bag. I apologize. Too much anger on a sunny Sunday. I get frustrated with High school coaches and the Fed. rule writers. Gotta get back to Sunday night baseball. Enjoy

Friday night I had a base runner slide through the bag with no intent to break up two. The ball was hit to slowly to turn two. The pivot man gave up the idea of throwing to 1st base. The runner made no contact and he did not alter play The pivot man was at the side of the bag and the runner slid straight through the bag. The coach wanted a second out on retired runner interference with intent to break up two. This is a high school game. The visiting coach was adament that I call the rule by the letter of the law. I refused. He plead his case to the plate umpire to no avail. I do not want to call a bull$h1t technical illegal slide rule. The defense did not deser e 2 outs in my opinion. Am I a rebel without a clue? Have you done the same. The Fed. rule book was written by "educators", not umpires. I thought it was weak and pathetic for a coach to beg for an out on this scenario. What do you think?maybe this thread will evolve into a productive discussion on slides and coaches arguements.

That's funny. Of course you are absolutely correct.umpiring is always evolving. We are always learning. Pace of game is a big factor. You can write all these mechanics down and write manuals with diagrams fairly easily. It is another thing altogether to make it happen on the field.

We had a three man crew so I had help. When I called foul my 1st base umpire echoed me. That was helpful. The plate umpire was still trying to figure out what happened. We had a three man crew so I had help. When I called foul my 1st base umpire echoed me. That was helpful. The plate umpire was still trying to figure out what happened.

If my "partner" ever shouted that I was out of position the s.o.b. would finish the game without me. I would drive to a good bar and order a cocktail and try to forget that I had to work part of a game with an asshole.

The C.C.A. manual has two rotations when the ball stays in the infield. R-1 is safe at second on a double play attempt and advances to 3rd base on the throw to 1st. The play at third is the uic's call if you pre game it that way. The other one is R-1 and a ground ball that is thrown to 1st and R-1 advances to 3 rd base on an overthrow. Uic has the play at 3rd base and U-1 has dead ball responsibilities on the overthrow. If there is another let me know please. Most umpires do not use this mechanic nor do they like it. I think it is a good mechanic and I have seen it work well. The arguement goes line this- why would I focus on something that will probably not happen when I could focus on something I know will happen and that is a throw to 1st base and a possible pulled foot or swipe tag or dead ball responsibility in an overthrow.C.C.A. wants uic to go hand to mask, clear the catcher to the left , and move to the third base side of the mound to be secondary coverage on illegal slide into 2nd base and then move toward third base if there is a play there. I have covered third on a bunt when I read R-1 not stopping on the bunt and advancing to third. Some umpires will neve rotate until the ball leaves the infield.

I thought this was settled 10 years ago. Listen up everybody. In the two man system you do the best you can. Angle over distance.-Jim Evans. As the base umpire you are responsible for calls on the bases. Make the best call you can. Stop asking your plate umpire for his opinion. That is not the right mechanic. Make a call. Time can be granted and a head coach can come out and ask you to ask your partner about a pulled foot or a swipe tag. I personally, have never said no. If my uic gives me info that can help me get the call correct I will use it. " the difference between a fair umpire and a good umpire is a good umpire knows his responsibilities and carries them out."- Mr. Jim Evans

High school game. Bottom of the seventh. Tie game. 1 out . Bases loaded. Infield in. 3 man crew I am U-3. I am positioned in extreme C behind the infielders. Pitch and swing. Batter fouls pitch off his thigh and the baseball goes to the backstop. R-3 runs home. Home team is jumping up and down. U. I.C. Has a live ball and game over. How he missed the foul ball is hard to know but he did. The game is not over because an umpire 135 feet from home plate has called a foul ball and time. I was that umpire. Plate umpires make calls at third and first in three man. Plate umpires make calls at second and third in two man. A base umpire can make a call on a pitched ball if he needs too. It's called a crew.umpire like a crew. If you see a batter hit by a pitch and your partner does not react, I am not sure how you rationalize not calling it. If you can call the foul ball why not the bit by pitch. I have never seen it so I think it is unlikely and not something to worry about. if I as the U.I.C. know that my base umpire is wrong and I do not have a batter hit by pitch I am going to overrule him. Getting the call right is more important to me than my partners feelings. Get over it. Stop comming up with wrong calls and maybe your feelings will be ok.

Sometimes at a Jim Evans clinic they will use bases that are 12" high. You have to create an angle to see the tag. I believe that angle is from the B position. I also believe the steal of second base is a priority over check swing help. I was unaware of a C.C.A. manual change to the C position. I do not like being in opposition to the manual but I think I disagree. Is it an option or a mandate?

I will start by saying I blew the call. The baseball Gods were kind because it was 11-1. R-2 only. I am in C and really to deep. I assume he is not stealing trailing 11-1. Assumptions can bite ya in the ass and cause you to look the fool. I would of been buying beer had my partner not brought his wife for dinner after the game. Here we go. R-2.two outs. 10 run mercy rule is one out away. Catcher attempts a pick off throw to 2nd base. I am in deep C and I take two steps backward while facing the ball and I let the ball take me to the bag expecting a play at 2nd base. R-2 took off for 3rd base as soon as the catcher threw and he realized he was a dead duck. The 2nd baseman fielded the throw and threw a strike to his third baseman. This all happened very fast. I was straight lined. Zero angle. I guessed wrong. The runner was out to end the game but I called safe. Blown call. Of course the runner scored and we played another 30 minutes. My partner was cool about it. I owe him a cold one. I learned a lesson. No more deep C with a runner on second base

A good umpire can make either position work. Angle, good timing and judgement are the keys, not where you start from. I am in B with two outs. I am I c with zero or 1 out. I orient my body toward the third base dugout. Chest facing third base dugout from the B position. Umpires love to be the guy in the know. The guy with the answer. It is an ugly part of umpiring that I would like to see gone. Lets stop putting our fellow umpires down and let's all get better together.

Sorry to be confusing. I was reading several different obstruction scenarios and I may have posted on the wrong thread. I was trying to post on the obstruction of R-2 by the ss as the pitcher fiedef a ground ball. My point is the same though, type A obstruction only happens when a play is being made on the obstructed runner

When determining whether obstuction is type A or B you must determine if a "play" is being made on the runner. The word play is used to describe many scenarios on this website, however, a "play" is truly a tag, or a tag attempt of a base, or a tag, or tag attempt of a runner, or, a throw to a base to retire a runner. A run down would be a "play". A throw to a pivot man to try for a double play would be a "play". Also, a balk is a "play". In O.B.R. type A obstuction is an immediate dead ball and the obstructed runner is awarded 1 base. It is type A obstruction because a play was being made on the runner. In Fed. ball and N.C.A.A. ball the baseball game is kept live- play on. In type B obstuction there is no play being made on the runner and the ball is kept live under all codes. You as an arbiter must award the obstructed runner the base or bases he would have got had there been no obstuction. You could award him home plate if you feel he would of scored had he not been obstructed. The ball could be laying on the warning track when the batter/runner is obstructed at first base and then you must determine what base he would have made to nullify the hindrance. If he is slowed by 1 stride at 1st base and is thrown out at third by 15 feet he is obstructed but out because you may have him "protected" to 2nd base but not third base. The ball is live on type B obstuction in obr.and all other codes. In the proposed scenario with the pitcher fielding the grounder and the ss obstructing R-2 I am wondering if it is type b obstruction while the pitcher is fielding the ball and may transition into type A obstruction if the pitcher throws to third trying to retire R-3 at third base. For all you know he may throw to first base. In the this case there is a throw to third base but it may be after the actual obstruction. Question: What if the pitcher throws the ball into d.b.t.? Do not be to quick to call time. In high school ball and NCAA the ball is live. My main point is that it is only type A obstruction when an actual "play" is being made on the obstructed runner. I hope this helps.

I went to a 1 day clinic early this year and the former triple A umpire who is now a Div. 1 umpire and on his way to Omaha soon told us that in 3 man he wants U-3 in the B position for a steal of 2nd base. R-1 only and a steal of 2nd you are deep "B" position. I asked him why some umpires in the show are still in the "C" position. His response was that they were being stubborn. The new thinking is B position for a steal of 2nd in 3- man. I had a high school instructor that was adamant that U-3 should be in the "C" position for a steal of 2nd base. In the c position the shortstop's body can shield you from a good look. You are so deep in B that it should just be a rotation and a step with your body and get set and get your look. Think of creating a " window" to look through

It is not an award. It is a limitation. If backswing infraction occurs during a wild pitch the runners are limited to a one base advance. The runner must "take" the base. It is not an award. The runners deserve the opportunity to move up on the wild pitch. The catcher deserves to be protected from the runners moving up more than one base.

My partner made a good call at third base. The third baseman tagged the runner with his glove but the ball was in his hand. Safe! A home team photographer mocked my partner with his digital photo evidence that my partner was wrong. My partner was already dealing with a head coach arguing the call. The assistant coach was standing on the first base line shouting at my partner to get help. Basically, it was like the circus had come to town. I told the assistant coach to get in his dugout. I then banished the photographer to "somewhere where I can not see you or hear you." He followed us to our car after the game to let us know he was a good guy and he just wanted us to know he had a "replay" for us to look at. Actually he was a prick to was mocking my field umpire and he bad to go. - have you ever had to dump a p.a. Announcer or a photo guy?