Homeplate Contact

[Guest Dave]

What's the call?

 

 

Thank you.

[webspinnre]

The only way I see to not call MC on this is due to not seeing the play (which, given the circumstances, seems fairly likely). Runner drops shoulder, leads with arm, and could have easily slid further to his right to touch the plate with minimal contact to the catcher.

[BillKen]

That's MC all day long in Fed.  Catcher is in perfect position for any and all rule sets.   In my game...he's out and he's out!

 

[catsbackr]

At 00:03, I've got OBS.

 

At 00:04, I've got MC.

 

MC supercedes OBS.  Runner out and ejected.

 

 

[BillKen]

At 00:03, I've got OBS.

 

At 00:04, I've got MC.

 

MC supercedes OBS.  Runner out and ejected.

 

 

This is a freeze shot at 0:03.  You have obstruction here?

[catsbackr]

At 00:03, I've got OBS.

 

At 00:04, I've got MC.

 

MC supercedes OBS.  Runner out and ejected.

 

Yep, catcher's foot is basically on foul line, catcher doesn't have the ball.  There are other places for the catcher to stand.  And I was a catcher.

[Thunderheads]

At 00:03, I've got OBS.

 

At 00:04, I've got MC.

 

MC supercedes OBS.  Runner out and ejected.

 

Yep, catcher's foot is basically on foul line, catcher doesn't have the ball.  There are other places for the catcher to stand.  And I was a catcher.

runner is barely halfway to home at this point, what is he obstructing IF HE IS, which I don't think he is ...... PLENTY of access to the plate, ...see my diagram above

[catsbackr]

Runner is only halfway to home at 00:03, but contact occurs at 00:04,   One second elapsed.  

 

I got the catcher's positioning potentially causing the runner to alter his path.  OBS.  At least until the runner plowed the catcher..

 

Oh, and umpire's positioning is ridiculously bad.

 

[BillKen]

Runner is only halfway to home at 00:03, but contact occurs at 00:04,   One second elapsed.  

 

I got the catcher's positioning potentially causing the runner to alter his path.  OBS.  At least until the runner plowed the catcher..

 

Oh, and umpire's positioning is ridiculously bad.

 

The umpire is horrible here.  1st problem...get your bucket off when the ball is hit.  2nd problem...read the play and get ready for this play at home (3BLX).  3rd problem...quit looking at your indicator.  4th problem...he almost cut the runner off and definitely altered his (unobstructed) pathway to the plate.  5th problem...make a call please (no safe call, no obstruction call, no MC call...NOTHING).  

This is a textbook "How Not To Umpire" training tape!

[JaxRolo]

This is a freeze shot at 0:03.  You have obstruction here?

I don't

[MObetterBlue]

This is a freeze shot at 0:03.  You have obstruction here?

The runner clearly has a lane here and the catcher has himself in position to get an out.  If I were still coaching, I would teach a catcher to position himself out in front of the plate like this.  Not sure where else he should be positioned.

This contact was initiated by the runner, period.  Slow mo or full speed.  Still MC, all day.

What I can learn from this...?  I know I've had a brain fart or two while working PU.  That said, I've NEVER been looking at my indicator while runners are moving.  Honestly, how does this guy even know the runner touched 3rd?  I joined this site not too long ago to make myself a better umpire.  In this case, it's watching what NOT to do.  This is a great example of why it's important to be on 3BLX and it stresses to me to do my job and pay attention. 

Hopefully this guy just had a bad play or a bad day and he used this to get better as well.

[maven]

 

Oh, and umpire's positioning is ridiculously bad.

He's at 1BLX, textbook for a collision play.

Oh, wait....

[BillKen]

He's at 1BLX, textbook for a collision play.

Oh, wait....

Except for being in motion at the time of the collision!  And where the hell is he going?