2-man umpiring mechanics b and c

[Guest Scott]

I always thought that the base umpires was in B position ONLY if there was a runner on first base and no other bases. That is how I remember umpiring while I was in Arizona. I recently moved to St. Louis and have umpired with umpires from Illinois that were in B position with runners on first and second, with runners on first and third, and with a runner on third only. This confused me so I asked them. They said that different umpires do it differently. I googled it to see what the standard is. I found that in Georgia they have base umpire in the B position with a runner on first only or with runners on first and third. Massachusetts Umpires Association requires B position for 1st only, 1st and 3rd, 2nd and 3rd, 3rd only, and bases loaded.

Is there an NFHS standard mechanic for this?

[Guest James Clark]

Help me out on this fellas. I did High School, California Interscholastic baseball and softball  (CIF) for 8 years in the 90s. Then went to Korea for 7 years and now for the past 10 years in Europe doing NFHS ball for the U S Dept of Defense schools. I learned with no one on and a ground ball to the infield move out of the A position to make the call with your angle at first. One of my fellow umpires is an OBR....(Europe only) and he likes to come up the first base line when in this situation and no one on. Twice this year the ball gets away from the 1st baseman and the runner takes off like a rabbit to 2nd. I was taught on the plate to come out and up towards the pitchers mound to get the angle and if the ball gets away to take the runner to 2nd. I am now 56 and no way can I take off like a rabbit like a 17 year old boy to make that call at 2nd when I am the Field Umpire. Who is right? Thank God both times there was NOT a close c

all at 2nd as NO ONE was there to make the call. 

[grayhawk]

As the base umpire from the A position, you have all calls on the BR at first and second if you don't go out on a trouble ball.

On batted balls that stay in the infield, the plate umpire should trail the BR up the line as far as the play will allow (up to the 45' line) to help with a pulled foot or swipe tag. If there is an overthrow, then PU needs to watch for it going out of play, or for spectator interference, etc while the BU busts ass and takes the BR to second (and third).

[noumpere]

If BU gets pinned, then PU can and should take the runner to second while BU stays with the ball.

 

This should only happen if F4 moves hard to his left to field the ball -- maybe once every few games.

 

A 56-year old PU should be able to get close to second on this play.

[SpartacusBlue]

One replaced knee and the 2nd will be replaced in July due to injuries during Desert Storm. Used to be able to do it when I was 35. I think the PU if coming out towards the mound actually gets a better view and angle of 1st base in case of a pulled foot. My partner says he was staying with the ball, yet the play was over at 1st. Next action was going to be 2nd or 3rd depending on how many bases the runner was gonna go for. I have always as the PU come towards the mound and have made calls at 2nd on a pass ball by the 1st baseman.

[maven]

If BU gets pinned, then PU can and should take the runner to second while BU stays with the ball.

 

This should only happen if F4 moves hard to his left to field the ball -- maybe once every few games.

 

A 56-year old PU should be able to get close to second on this play.

 

A propos of the last remark: if you're on the other side of the mound from where you started, you've got an angle and reasonable distance to make the call at 2B.

 

If you can't get 70 feet in the time it takes a kid to overrun 1B, read overthrow, and get to 2B, then you might consider working a smaller diamond. I make that to be about 4.7mph, or a light jog.