PU Coverage of Third?

[tankmjg24]

19U summer game with about half the players being just graduated high school seniors and half just finishing their freshman year of college.  Two very good teams with a handful of exceptional athletes on each team.  I am PU and there are 2 outs with R1.  Batter (who is a big left handed power hitter) hits the ball between F3 and F4.  F9 was playing the line so he had to kind of go at an angle towards the fence to field the ball.  I immediately start towards third thinking that there will be a play here as R1 was speedy and F9 had a good arm.  I am about halfway towards third in foul territory and R1 is about halfway to third as well when I notice F9 had bobbled the ball in trying to pick it up and the third base coach is starting to waive R1 home.  By this point, I am still about halfway to third and R1 is on third starting to round towards the plate.  I stop and start to go back to the plate thinking that I will now have a play here.  BR is heading toward second on the throw from F9 to F3 (who is the relay man for the play at home) and my partner is going with him.  By this point I am back at home and R1 is about 1/3 of the way to the plate.  F9 makes an amazing throw to F3 and R1 decides he should go back to third.  F3 relays the ball to F5 who applies the tag to the sliding R1.  In seeing this, I manage to get about 5 feet into fair territory just off the dirt circle to signal the out.  It was a close play, however no one said anything as both sides were too busy commending F9 on his good recovery.  

 

So what should I have done differently on the above play or should this have been my partners call.  Upon heading towards third I verbalized "Hey Fred I got third if he goes" and upon realizing the play was going to be at the plate I verbalized "Hey Fred, I am going home".  In our postgame, my partner said that after I vocalized that I was going home he should have slid over and taken the call at third, but since he did not I did a good job making the call.  In my mind, this would still be my call as he is around B position and is watching the BR but I am uncertain what I should have done differently to get the best angle on the play.  Ultimately, the call was correct, I just think the execution looked sloppy. 

 

Thoughts?

[UmpJM]

tank,

 

To me, this sitch is all about the "read" - you read that the play was going to be home. If my partner tells me he's going home, I'm taking the play at 3B. (Assuming I heard him, of course.)

 

Maybe take a little more time with your "read" before you "react". It's counter-intuitive, but you have a lot more time to get in proper position if you take the time to get a good read initially, than if you rush the read and start the wrong way.

 

JM

[mstaylor]

So initially read the play and start to third in foul, you did this. Go to the library and and reread the play. The library is the spot in foul, so named by Jim Evans, that you read the play and decide to go fair for the call or return home for the play, Sounds like you did this too. once you announce you are going home, do it. Your partner was correct, he should have slid over and take his read, then decide to commit to third or second. 

[zm1283]

tank,

 

To me, this sitch is all about the "read" - you read that the play was going to be home. If my partner tells me he's going home, I'm taking the play at 3B. (Assuming I heard him, of course.)

 

Maybe take a little more time with your "read" before you "react". It's counter-intuitive, but you have a lot more time to get in proper position if you take the time to get a good read initially, than if you rush the read and start the wrong way.

 

JM

 

This is exactly what I was going to post.  In 2-man games as PU I've been working on reading the ball off the bat more which saves steps as well.  If you initially read that R1 is going to make it to third base easily, then don't go very far and just communicate to your partner that you're staying home so he knows to take everything back into third base.

[Jocko]

Look at it from the perspective you would have, had you been the BU. Your partner lets you know he's covering 3b, then announces he's going home . Where would you expect him to be? Adjust accordingly.

[SAB_UIC_TX]

Nothing, you played it right, your read was right, the runner changed his mind. As long as you tell your partner you are going home, third should be covered. Just because the play went down at third after you went home on your initial read doesn't mean you made a mistake.

[Texas Manny]

Nothing, you played it right, your read was right, the runner changed his mind. As long as you tell your partner you are going home, third should be covered. Just because the play went down at third after you went home on your initial read doesn't mean you made a mistake.

 

X2...You did right. Just make sure you tell your partner, "I'm going home, I'm going home.", so he knowns. Communication is always key!

 

Manny

[umpstu]

I think you got it right and your partner should have read it a little better. I generally point at the PU when I hear him tell me he's at third or when he decides to go home. Not sure how others do it. I pregame that technique with my partner. Listen to Manny. Ha