DevildogUmp

The mechanic gram doesn't give distance. I agree the manual says that the illustrations do not show exact positions and umpires are to position themselves in the best spot for the call. I still stand by the fact that U1 going foul and shifting BR coverage going to 2nd to the PU puts both umpires out of position for the follow-on play. I'm personally still in good enough shape that I can get pretty close the 45' line on balls to the left of the infield, but I don't think I would get that far on a hit that pulls F4 to the foul line. Even if PU made it to the 45' line, whoever came up with this "mechanic" believes that PU can now cover the almost 100 feet to get from the foul line to the 2nd base cutout before the BR and be set to make a call? (The math puts the 45' mark approximately 100.623 ft from 2nd base). If we go with my thought that PU probably is only getting about 20-25 ft up the line before the play, you are now looking at him having to go approximately 110 ft, chasing a BR only going 90 ft. I think I will stick with the CCA which has the PU responsible for the overthrow and U1 covering the BR. If U1 does end up taking the initial play in foul territory, he is still closer to getting into a position at 2nd base for a play there. If the inside mechanic is referring to cutting in to the pivot point, no I have not seen that covered as standard at a clinic on a ball that remains in the infield. The only "last ditch"/"oh SH*#" mechanic I've seen is for U1 getting pushed foul by F3 and that is to move up to the bag a step or two in foul territory to stay out of the way of the flip from F3 to F1/F4 covering or F3 in a foot race to the bag. Last ditch because your IP for A should be deep enough that F3 can range to the line in front of you and then you can step around him into fair territory while he is moving to the line. I don't think I've ever had a clinician discuss F4 being the catalyst to push U1 foul.

No, but the mechanic gram only shows U1 going fair. Additionally. 5.5 Positioning for Taking Plays tells us that while the manual doesn't depict actual positions, umpires take plays from the position they deem most advantageous without taking themselves out of position for the next play. I submit that U1 going foul and expecting the Plate to take the BR into 2nd (and possibly 3rd) takes both umpires out of position for the next play.

Well, that mechanic isn't listed in the CCA and I've never seen it taught. From a personal perspective, that sounds like a horrible mechanic. PU is trailing the BR on the foul line watching his responsibilities and if he is lucky is maybe 20 - 25 feet up the line when the ball is thrown to 1st base. He then needs to get in a foot race with the BR to 2nd? I wouldn't dump that on any of my partners when working the field. As a standard mechanic, U1 can only go foul for a play at first base in 3 or 4-man where there is no secondary responsibility for the BR advancing. At least that is what I have always been taught. I'm normally only a step or 2 off the line anyway for an infield play at 1st these days. Since I moved from going to the "90" to tighter to the foul line, I don't think I've really ever felt squeezed by F4 ranging to the line.

#1 was explained during the game - when a pitcher is on-deck, at bat, or on base when the 3rd out is made, the umpires have the discretion to provide additional time for the pitcher to warm up.

In NFHS, the grabbing the 2nd out of the B/R is more a penalty out to discourage crashing the fielder at the base. The penalty for 8-2-2 specifically directs the out of the B/R for the runner failing to slide legally or veer and does not allow the umpire to take into account whether a double play was possible: "The runner is out. Interference is called and the ball is dead immediately. On a force-play slide with less than two outs, the runner is declared out, as well as the batter-runner."

@The Man in Blue Can you provide an interpretation where NFHS requires "an effort to prevent a double play" on a FPSR violation? Neither 2-32-2f (illegal slide definition) nor 8-2-2 (FPSR) reference a requirement that the runner attempt to prevent a double play. All that is required is that a force is in effect.

USMC 98-18

According to NFHS official list of "Rules Changes Affecting Risk" (NATIONAL FEDERATION) the double first base option was added to the rule book in 1989.

Asking me as the umpire? Not my place to "give" permission. It is in the rulebook as an option, the NFHS has already given permission to use it and it is up to the state association to say yes or no.

My 2 cents: Sometimes the DA/UIC hosting a state tournament doesn't have a choice on who he/she puts on the game (especially if they are trying to run a 4-man crew). I have seen a drop in umpires willing to travel within their state to support the state tournaments. The last 4 state tournaments I traveled to, there was only 1 other umpire besides me that was not a local guy.

When it rains, it pours: Now we have catcher's interference with both no swing and a batter bailing out of the box!

Just out of curiosity, how are you conditioning the catcher? I sometimes can't get catchers to understand that if they set up behind the outside batter's box, it isn't a strike even though they stuck the straight fastball.

In addition to the above, find a way to see more pitches without game pressure. If you are able, reach out to your local high school, junior college, middle school, or travel program and ask about going in to call cage work. Our local high schools welcome umpires in the preseason during their cage sessions. It gets us back into the swing of things preseason and helps their pitchers working with an umpire making calls.

1. I'm not sure you can line up 1st and 3rd AND judge when the ball reaches the batter. Unless you are way off the line basically in line with 1st and 3rd and with the plate in your peripheral, you are going to be swiveling your head around between the plate and bases to see anything. 2. In this case I am more concerned with distance over angle. Unless the runner at 1st is taking a lead, there is no way from that distance you can honestly say a runner lost contact with the bag early. Leave that to U1 who is right there on that side of the diamond.

I agree, once you have multiple runners, U1 is locked into the working area and just has to the best he can to see everything. This is exactly why this type of situation needs to be covered in your pregame conversation so both umpires are on the same page. In my association, we don't verbally call the ball on a non-trouble ball. The verbal call of on the ball or line cancels any rotation/normal base coverages. Basically, PU is relinquishing all of his base responsibilities except the plate.

Mechanics-wise, I would have liked to see PU come up big and kill the play and call the out. I don't necessarily need a big hook, but I bet no one on that field knew that PU called the malicious contact (especially with the celebrating by R2). Additionally, what are the chances that they put the BR back to 1st since he hadn't achieved 2nd when the contact occurred?

BU. That is why as soon as the ball is not caught, BU is busting back inside the working area.

This is definitely a situation you need to pregame with your partner. My association teaches passing off the tag up at 3rd to the BU - PU calls "I'm on the ball" or "I'm on the line" letting his partner know BU now has the tag up at 3rd. PU - Moves up the line as far as he feels he can go and still retreat to the plate for a possible play. The further out the hit and/or the more athletic a play (full out sprint/diving catch) that the OF needs, the less likely a chance of a play at the plate which could allow PU to go out further (I think the 45' mark would be the absolute farthest I would ever go). As soon as PU has fair/foul and catch/no catch, it is back to the plate while glancing over the shoulder for the throw. BU - Moves deep 'C' into the dirt to get the best view of first touch and the tag-up. It won't be perfect, but nothing in 2-man is. If the ball is not caught, it is an immediate busting into the working area. BU is looking pretty much directly at 1st base, so he has that touch and taking BR into 2nd.

Couple of points: 1. On a force play, no matter where the throw is coming from you want to get off the line to give yourself an angle and the ability to adjust if necessary to the bad throw. Just like we don't stay in our initial position in 'A', a step or so off the line will set you up for a better view of the play. 2. Non-force at the bag, you want to be in foul territory and get in the wedge. You probably will feel like you are boxing out the 3rd base coach (do try not to body check him). Speaking of which, this will probably be the first time these coaches have had an umpire at the bag. Feel free to do a little preventive umpiring and do a quick "hey coach, this area right behind the bag in foul territory is my working area and I need you to make sure you aren't there" for each coach in the 1st may go a long way in keeping the area clear - and you may have to remind them, especially when there are no boxes drawn on the field. 3. Bases loaded - you should not have responsibility of R1 leaving early. U2 has 1st and 2nd in 3-man. With no leading/pick-offs, you don't need to adjust your initial position from Position 1.

Correct, in 2001 they had to add to the rule the requirement for dual ear flaps in order to meet the NOCSAE standard they imposed with the rule change in 1999.

I had to go look it up since I don't feel that old and I used a 2-piece through senior year of high school. The requirement for NOCSAE standard for catcher's helmets was passed in 1999 (my graduation year) with an implementation of 2003. Interestingly, the requirement for NOCSAE standard for batting helmets was passed in 1982 (implementation in 1985), so it took 18 years for NHFS to care about catcher's heads.

It is not an additional penalty; it is a different penalty. When there are runners on base we enforce the balk, not the illegal pitch (advance runner(s) vs ball on the batter)

While my sample set is way too small to be significant, I've only had 2 game this season go over 1:50 and both of those long games were caused by the plate umpire not controlling the game. While I'm fine with tightening up the game with rules, at the end of the day it is on the umpires to actually stay involved and enforce length of conferences, time between innings, time between pitches. For most of my association, I give you a pretty good estimate of what the game time is going to be based on who has the plate (someone who runs a tight game or the umpire who is there to politic and kiss babies).

It would for the game, but I believe the rational is that without the ejection, there is no further penalty of being suspended for extra games.

From the umpire representative to the baseball committee, a summary of the proposed rule changes: #1 - Mandatory double 1st base: 1-2-9 Effective Jan 1, 2027 the double 1st base will be required. fair ball bounds over any portion of the white base foul ball bounds over the contrasting color of double 1st base 2-16-1h batter/runner will use the colored base on the initial play at 1st base once batter obtains 1st base-runner shall only use white portion of the base. on extra base hit, B/R can use either section on the way to 2nd base on tag up or pic off attempt runner can only use white section BB batter can use either #2 Uniform update: Effective Jan 1 2027 players uniform may contain school name, nickname, logo, mascot &/or player’s name #3 Electronic communication: One way electronic communication devices are permissible in coaches boxes or a position player on the field.. —can be on wristband or device No participating player shall wear any audio (microphone) or video camera device during the game #4 Conferences “player to player" is added to define charged conference A player to player defensive conference is a meeting which includes two or more players Each team, while on defense, may be granted not more than 6 charged conferences in a 7 inning ball game without penalty No more than 3 may include a coach or representative without normal penalty-pitching change Each team while on defense, will be granted not more than 1 (one) player to player conference during an inning. Umpire will deny any subsequent requests. #5 Malicious contact Malicious contact defined as contact being the result of intentional, excessive force judged as intent to injure a player #6 Restriction/Ejection 2-27-1a PENALTY--restricting a coach or PLAYER to dugout (added player) 3-3-1 PENALTY-Players violating f(1-5) a verbal or written warning may be issued to player. If written, the player shall be restricted to dugout for the remainder of the game. (Trying to have a lesser penalty than ejection) #7 Designated Hitter 3-1-4b If a pinch hitter/ runner for the DH is used, that player becomes the new DH #8 Balks 6-2-4 A balk is a delayed dead ball 6-2-1j NEW while in contact with the pitcher’s plate, feint a pitch to home PENALTY- (j) an illegal pitch in windup; balk with runners on base. #9 Interference 7-3-5 PENALTY interference on 3rd strike two outs SHALL be ruled if interference prevents double play (8-4-2g, 8-4-2l1) 8-3-3e dealing with spectator interference, runners will be awarded appropriate bases per umpire judgement #10 Random restriction on runner's leading off 8-4-2o runner is out: leading off of 1st, 2nd, 3rd base vertically (toward the outfield) to confuse opponents or make a travesty of the game #29 10-1-4 #11 Meeting between head coach and umpire 3-3-1-L to ask a question about a call on the field, the head coach may only meet the umpire that made the call at midpoint of the respective foul line after requesting and receiving time out. after the start of the game, the head coach shall not enter the dirt circle or area surrounding home plate to ask about a call or make lineup changes Non compliance will result in an immediate verbal warning with dugout restriction, followed by immediate ejection if coach fails to respond to warning due to unsportsmanlike act #12 Batter time limit 7-3-1 ...allow batter 10 seconds (change) to take position in batters box ready for pitch