Pulled foot...

[MidAmUmp]

 

 

 

 

 

 

Missed that - thanks.

 

Also, I do think 2SF is a bad place to be when the swipe tag attempt is on the back.  You have no chance of seeing it from that spot, and you're so far in front that a read step won't help much either.

 

I agree with that.  the problem is that spot "A" is right for some calls and spot "B" is right for others but you don't know which play you'll have until it's too late.

 

Defaulting to 2 steps fair is being a spot umpire.  Read the throw.  You should have a fairly good clue if it's a good throw or not out of the player's hand.  If you read bad throw you have to adjust and have ample time to make the adjustment if you have good instincts and you are aggressive in your reactions - that's the key.

 

A lot of guys on here like to talk about thinking outside the box.  Well, here's some outside the box thinking for you...

 

What can happen on a play at 1st?

1. Good throw.
2. Bad throw/pulled foot.
3. Bad throw/swipe tag.
4. Bad throw/overthrow.

That's really about it.

 

We have a couple things ingrained in us as base umpires -

1. You must be "stopped/set" for plays at 1st.
2. You must get the same angle for plays at 1st (some say 90-degree from the throw, some say always 2 steps fair).

However, elsewhere on the field we hear things like - stay on his hip/glove arm & go as far as the play allows. Why can't we apply those 2 principles to plays at 1st?

 

Sometimes the ball is hit so hard/fast that you can't get a true 90.  You might only get a 45 degree angle.  But to also say only take 2 steps fair regardless isn't helping either - you are 3-6 steps shorter from getting in the infield on an overthrow/runner going to 2nd. What if we throw out any degree of an angle for plays at 1st and simply say go as far as the play allows, but no more than a 90-degree angle from the throw?

 

Obviously, you need to be stopped/set for a good throw. That's where your whacker, close play is going to be. Fast runner, good throw, bang-bang play = stopped, set. However, bad throws = making an adjustment. When you make the adjustment you can't always be stopped/set for the play. Just like a play at the plate with a swipe tag, stay on the hip/glove arm of the fielder. The same holds true with a swipe tag on the bases. Stay on the 1B's hip or glove arm (I prefer glove arm because the arm can move w/o the hip). You can make a swipe tag call while moving. I think we all can agree a play at the plate is a "bigger call" than a play at 1st, so why is it okay to be moving/staying on a hip/arm on a swipe tag at the plate, but not at 1st?

 

Personally, I default to about 2-3 steps short of a 90-degree angle.  Why? because if there is a pulled foot, that's where I'd have ended up after my read step. So for a good throw, I'm stopped/set. For a pulled foot I'm stopped/set. For an overthrow, I'm closer to the infield than if I had just taken 2 steps. So 3 of the 4 possible things that can happen (listed above) are covered. Then if there is a bad throw, off the bag, swipe tag, I move with the 1B, staying on his glove arm.

[MidAmUmp]

If the ball beat the runner and you are unsure if the foot was on the bag immediately ask your partner if the foot was on the bag, if he is an position to provide input, because if it was you have an out.

If you throw me under the bus and come to me without making an initial call, we're going to have major problems. I'm very likely to throw you back under the bus and tell you I wasn't watching.

 

I have written this a gazillion times...Make a call!!! It's your call as the base umpire. If someone doesn't like your call, they'll let you know and then we can get together and talk about it.

 

Why do you think I can just kick this down to my partner and he'll make the call? What if your partner is screened out by a runner, catcher or pitcher? Make a GD call with as much info as you can gather. Then we'll get together and talk about it PRIVATELY as opposed to asking your partner in front of God and everyone if he was paying attention.

[BigUmpire]

The second you DO NOT make a call in a game your credibility for the rest of the game is crap.

[Magic]

My 2nd year of High School baseball. Working my 1st Varsity game. I did that exact thing. I went to my partner before I made a call. He politely said "Yes I have a pulled foot. Safe." After the game. He spent 30 minutes reaming my ass about that. Then he got in his car and left. We still laugh about it today, as he became my mentor.

[JaxRolo]

I missed something! Who got ejected here?

[JaxRolo]

Never-mind! I searched!!!

[Forest Ump]

Wow, that was entertaining. It took about five pages and one ejection ( a good one no doubt) to get to the bottom line of the OP. MidAm Ump and Big Ump nailed it. Some credit to a few others that also mentioned it. ALWAYS MAKE A CALL. You will look pathetic if you don't.

 

Some food for thought on positioning. I get to the position I can based on the play and the speed. Sometimes I go 90, sometimes I'm only a few steps in. What I learned a couple of years ago was to read throw but to also read the fielder(F3). He going to give you that extra info you will need to make an adjustment. Don't be a statue, make an adjustment and sell the call. Your credibility will increase immensely by doing so and they may not even ask you to get help when they see you working hard.