For any Umpire as U1 in 3- or 4-man; F4 moving to 1BL to F3

[MadMax]

http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/51231442/v1100867183

In 2-man, for any BU starting at A (no-one on)...
In 3-man, for any U1 starting at A (no-one on, R1, or 2-outs)...
In 4-man, for any U1...

If there is a grounder that gets between F3 and F4's initial position, resist the compulsion to go dashing in and pivot (or, in 3- and 4-man, crossing the chalk). Read the ball, as F4 may be able to get over there and get it, or on smaller fields, a shallow-playing / fast F9 may be able to field it and throw to F3... In which case, your best angle is to be in foul territory, almost in the 1BC box, without potentially wearing a throw while cutting across.

[JDavis225]

In 2013, I was taught that if you CAN get inside, get inside! Has this been changed? 

[lawump]

16 hours ago, JDavis225 said:

In 2013, I was taught that if you CAN get inside, get inside! Has this been changed? 

Hell no.  There are many MLB umpires (in addition to myself) who would have taken this play in fair territory.  The key is to freeze when the ball is hit.  Hold your spot (pause) and read the play.  (Pause-read-react rears its ugly head again!) In the OP, if F4 had gone a little further toward the RFL, you would have had no choice but to take it in foul territory.  But, he didn't go that far and one could have taken that playing fair territory.  Once I had read that F4 was not going to go so far toward the RBL that it would have prevented me from going into fair territory, I would have turned to my right (and let my right shoulder lead the way) and actually moved away from the base toward the outfield grass.  

My first step would have been a cross over with my left foot.  Because I would not have been square to the plate at the time of the pitch (as the pitch was delivered my left foot would have been a good bit in front of my right foot due to the fact that a pickoff by F1 was a possibility prior to the pitch), when I made my cross over I would have been heading toward the outfield grass just inside the chalk.  

Jeff Nelson, then a AAA umpire, taught me three-man one spring.  He said with R1 only (which results in U1 being closer to the bag because of the possible pickoff) you actually want to move toward the outfield to get some distance between you and the bag to avoid having the play explode on you.  U1 also only needs to stand one or two steps into fair territory to take a play at first base when the ball is coming from second base (on a double-play attempt) or the right side of the infield.  (You still get your 90-degree angle on balls hit to the left side.)

So, in summary, in the OP, I would have moved one or two steps into fair territory and I would have moved aggressively toward the outfield grass from my initial starting position (at the TOP) before coming set to see the play.  IMO, being in fair territory also gives you a better look at the pulled foot and swipe tag should either develop.

                                       

 

 

 

 

 

 

[noumpere]

I agree with Lawump on this.  I see way too many guys going foul way too often -- far more than those who might have read this as a base hit too early and tried to get inside.

[MadMax]

Pardon me on my suggestion, then, @lawump and @noumpere. I thought I had found something worth addressing, especially with the amount of shifts there are now, and my experiences of seeing a BU far too focused on the pivot, or U1 (3-4 man) not anticipatory enough so as not to be in the way (not only of a throw, but also a BR post-arrival at 1B).

We want that 90° angle on the throw, but with such an acute angle from where it was fielded (closer to 1BL than halfway to 2B), where is there to go besides foul territory?

I'll try to draw up some diagrams, and absolutely welcome your direction.

[MidAmUmp]

I wouldn't fault a guy if he took this play about 2-steps foul if he could give me the correct reason for taking it foul (pressure).

You don't ever want to take a play from the 1B coaches box.

Personally I think I would have stayed on the line until 2B released the ball, then I would have fought a step or two fair.

I agree with lawump, this is an example of why we must Pause-Read-React even on ground balls. Pivoting in this situation would be false anticipation of a base hit to the outfield.

[noumpere]

15 hours ago, MadMax said:

We want that 90° angle on the throw, but with such an acute angle from where it was fielded (closer to 1BL than halfway to 2B), where is there to go besides foul territory?

 

Don't take that 90* angle too literally -- or you'll be in foul territory on every throw from the right side of the infield.

 

Note also that from U1's position, he'd have a hard time seeing if F3 pulled his foot .  F3's foot was on the 2b side of first.  F3's foot positioning can be a hint as to where to go to see the play (but at the levels most of us do, that hint can also steer us wrong).

[lawump]

16 hours ago, MadMax said:

Pardon me on my suggestion, then, @lawump and @noumpere. I thought I had found something worth addressing, especially with the amount of shifts there are now, and my experiences of seeing a BU far too focused on the pivot, or U1 (3-4 man) not anticipatory enough so as not to be in the way (not only of a throw, but also a BR post-arrival at 1B).

We want that 90° angle on the throw, but with such an acute angle from where it was fielded (closer to 1BL than halfway to 2B), where is there to go besides foul territory?

I'll try to draw up some diagrams, and absolutely welcome your direction.

You don't need my pardon, LOL.  You ARE on to something.  Pause-read-and-react is not just a balls and strike thing its a base thing, too! 

I had to get tough on a CPL umpire (who got promoted to the GCL) this year.  F1 was batting with no runners.  He hit a ground ball through the right side.  Because it was the pitcher batting, the right fielder was playing really shallow.  As soon as the ball was hit, my base umpire came sprinting in to pivot...and he almost got his head taken off by F9 who threw to first base.  It was a bang-bang play and he had a terrible look. 

Now, that's an unusual play on the collegiate/pro level...but much more common for amateur umpires.  However, this CPL umpire was also moving (1) very quickly and (2) too far into fair territory on ground balls to F4, too.  I told him that on ground balls to F4/F3 he just needs to freeze in foul territory.  Then, once he reads there is no pressure all he needs to do is take two steps into fair territory.  His first step is a cross over with his left foot, then he brings his right foot over.  Then he just needs to come set...whether that's a hands-on-knee set or a standing set. 

The key to these plays is using P-R-R.  Since you are only taking two steps into fair territory (or if there IS pressure...only two steps into foul territory), there is no need to make your initial move too quickly.  Pause and read the second baseman (or first baseman) then take your steps.

I will also add that you don't want to get too close to the base...especially if the throw is going to be a light toss (such as a toss from F3 to F1 covering the base).  We always teach "watch the base; listen for the sound of the ball hitting the glove".  This technique works 99% of the time.  The problem with this technique, however, is when the toss is a light toss (which, obviously, is more likely on a ball hit to the rights side) the technique doesn't work because you cannot hear the ball hit the glove.  This is the exact reason why Don Denkinger and Jim Joyce both missed their famous calls at first base.  Neither could hear the ball hit the glove. 

In those cases, you can only rely on visuals...you have to see the ball hit the glove and the runner touch the base at the same time.  There's no other way to do it.  Thus, in those cases you have to back up in order to get everything in your field of vision.  So, let's say that F3 is playing even with the bag and F4 is shaded over toward the RFL.  This means that I'm standing 12-15 feet behind first base in my "A" position.  If I read an easy toss coming, I will move back toward the outfield grass (even in a two-man) so that I can "open up" my field of vision as I know I may not hear the ball hit the glove.  Again...you need to use P-R-R.