Infield play - 3BLX!

[Thunderheads]

Don't tell Adam Hamari you can't get 3blx for a play from the infield!

Joyce gets there too!

Edited September 17, 2015 by Thunderheads

[JaxRolo]

Good positioning. You just have to be aware and alert.

[Thunderheads]

 

2 areas where you don't excel    

[JaxRolo]

2 areas where you don't excel    

Sometimes even when you give it 100% effort it is still not as good as somebodies 50% effort.

 

[Thunderheads]

Sometimes even when you give it 100% effort it is still not as good as somebodies 50% effort.

 

agreed.  does that mean you need to try 150% all the time ?!?  ?

[noumpere]

agreed.  does that mean you need to try 150% all the time ?!?  ?

He's 150% more trying than the average poster.  I agree with that. 

[ricka56]

What is so great about being in 3BLX to see the tag on this play...he can't see it because he's near 3BLX. The better angle to see the tag beating the touch is this camera angle. Some umpires think 3BLX is always better than 1BLX...they'd be wrong.  

Edited September 17, 2015 by ricka56
added the word camera to clear up confusion

[Thunderheads]

What is so great about being in 3BLX to see the tag on this play...he can't see it because he's near 3BLX. The better angle to see the tag beating the touch is this angle. Some umpires think 3BLX is always better than 1BLX...they'd be wrong.  

this ump is 3blx

[ricka56]

Yes, that's my point. PU has a good look at F2's ass...the tag ? not so much. 
The better angle was that camera angle.

[MadMax]

What is so great about being in 3BLX to see the tag on this play...he can't see it because he's near 3BLX. The better angle to see the tag beating the touch is this angle. Some umpires think 3BLX is always better than 1BLX...they'd be wrong.  

That's Rick's point, Jeff ( @Thunderheads)... In this play, this PU is near 3BLX, and is looking at F2's arse and back, with the Runner trying yo reach the plate between F2's legs. The better angle is "here" (where the camera is), or on the mirror side, swung around almost standing on 1BL itself (following the hip of F2 having started at 3BLX).

[ricka56]

3BLX was a good place to be here because of where F2 setup for the swipe tag. For a tag play at the plate, 3BLX is good place to be a majority of the time, but not all of the time.

[Thunderheads]

Yes, that's my point. PU has a good look at F2's ass...the tag ? not so much. 
The better angle was that camera angle.

OHHHH ....sorry, my bad!  I didn't catch that ....got it!  Off to the coffee room!! LOL  

[JaxRolo]

What is so great about being in 3BLX to see the tag on this play...he can't see it because he's near 3BLX. The better angle to see the tag beating the touch is this camera angle. Some umpires think 3BLX is always better than 1BLX...they'd be wrong.  

That looks more like POP and not 3BLX

[maineump]

It isn't a 100% mechanic to be 3BLX, but it works most of the time.

Start POP, and adjust to the catcher, the throw and the runner. Good thing is to be 'on the catchers hip'.

Basically I need to stay back a little longer at the point and maybe a step further back, if I can't read the play early. That keeps the play from exploding on me and makes it so only a step or 2 will put me where I need to be.

In the second play above, looks to me like he is POP in the picture, and maybe taking a step to the left?

[ricka56]

That looks more like POP and not 3BLX

Where is he here ? Which way was he moving (towards 3BLX or 1BLX)  ?
Do you have a point or just nit picking ? 

[Thunderheads]

Where is he here ? Which way was he moving (towards 3BLX or 1BLX)  ?

POP is where the photo was taken

[JaxRolo]

Where is he here ? Which way was he moving (towards 3BLX or 1BLX)  ?
Do you have a point or just nit picking ? 

The fact is that he didn't rotate enough to the right.

[Richvee]

It isn't a 100% mechanic to be 3BLX, but it works most of the time.

Start POP, and adjust to the catcher, the throw and the runner. Good thing is to be 'on the catchers hip'.

Basically I need to stay back a little longer at the point and maybe a step further back, if I can't read the play early. That keeps the play from exploding on me and makes it so only a step or 2 will put me where I need to be.

In the second play above, looks to me like he is POP in the picture, and maybe taking a step to the left?

I've been told recently during some evaluation/clinics with some MiLB and D1 guys to get as close as you feel comfortable for the tag plays. The way they've explained it, Hamari's mechanics here are textbook. Notice how much closer to the play he is than Joyce.

As for being farther back "so only a step or 2 will put me where I need to be", I have to respectfully disagree. If you're farther away, it takes more steps to rotate to the best angle. Take the Hamari play. I think we would agree he's in the optimum spot to make that call. He follows the catcher's hip, fairly close, and turns with the catcher and he's got a perfect angle. He's almost on the 1st base foul line with only one step!  If you start farther back, point of plate, like Joyce, you'll never get to that excellent angle. It would take 5-6 steps or more to get the look Hamari got with just a step.

Similarly, in Joyce's play,  if Joyce had moved up towards the catcher, I think he could have rotated to his left and with one or two steps  and would be looking at that tag from the same angle as that 3rd base dugout camera.

 

[maineump]

I've been told recently during some evaluation/clinics with some MiLB and D1 guys to get as close as you feel comfortable for the tag plays. The way they've explained it, Hamari's mechanics here are textbook. Notice how much closer to the play he is than Joyce.

As for being farther back "so only a step or 2 will put me where I need to be", I have to respectfully disagree. If you're farther away, it takes more steps to rotate to the best angle. Take the Hamari play. I think we would agree he's in the optimum spot to make that call. He follows the catcher's hip, fairly close, and turns with the catcher and he's got a perfect angle. He's almost on the 1st base foul line with only one step!  If you start farther back, point of plate, like Joyce, you'll never get to that excellent angle. It would take 5-6 steps or more to get the look Hamari got with just a step.

Similarly, in Joyce's play,  if Joyce had moved up towards the catcher, I think he could have rotated to his left and with one or two steps  and would be looking at that tag from the same angle as that 3rd base dugout camera.

 

I am not saying I am at the back of the circle, I am just taking a step back from where I was with the catcher there. I then 'follow' the catcher for my angle. I am still usually within 6 feet of the plate or so.

It works for me, and I seem to see the play well. The step or 2 comes in when the play changes at the end of the throw., to get a view if I need to. I totally agree that you can be too far away on some of the plays t the plate.

[Richvee]

I am not saying I am at the back of the circle, I am just taking a step back from where I was with the catcher there. I then 'follow' the catcher for my angle. I am still usually within 6 feet of the plate or so.

It works for me, and I seem to see the play well. The step or 2 comes in when the play changes at the end of the throw., to get a view if I need to. I totally agree that you can be too far away on some of the plays t the plate.

Got it..or some reason I was thinking a step back from where Joyce is on his play. 

[Richvee]

I can watch that Hamari play a hundred times. The mechanics there are a thing of beauty.