Pole-Benders

[SH0102]

I will try to keep this short. Looking for tips on judging Foul/HR on pole-benders.  I feel like this is the only area of umpiring I find myself “guessing”.

I don’t mean guessing as in close my eyes and flip a coin, but I’ve had 3 this season and get **** on all of them.

Today I had one down LF, 2-man, 320 to pole, ball traveled at least 400 ft and was about 50 ft above top of the pole. 

nothing but open expanse behind fence and some trees beyond yonder, no landmarks to use.  Literally did some mental physics based on where it landed (landed left of pole by 20-30 ft) but landed about 100 ft beyond the fence  and made my best “educated guess” (called HR)

Lot of players and coaches for defense were less than thrilled and acted like I was a clown for missing it.  Had one down RF line earlier this year (partner in middle) that even my P said I missed “based on where it landed”, same thing, way above fence/pole, curving, landed far beyond fence, landed “foul”.

Any tips?  I don’t care about the complaining so much, I suppose if I call it foul the offense will be pissed, HR defense will be.

But I genuinely want to get it right and I hate feeling like I’m “guessing”

[Replacematt]

A. Don't try to get out on them. They're actually easier to figure out the further you are from the pole, unless you happen to be underneath it. 

B. Balls travel less horizontally the further they are in their path.

C. Experience helps, because then you'll get an idea the moment it crosses the fence based on how long similar balls travel.

D. If you can't tell, it's fair.

[BigBlue4u]

One thing you can do is in your pregame with your partner, remind him that if a batted ball looks like it might be a pole bender, is to get his eyes on the ball.  In reality, an umpire in the infield has a better look whether the ball went in front of the foul pole (fair ball) or behind the foul pole. (foul ball.)

[SH0102]

4 hours ago, BigBlue4u said:

One thing you can do is in your pregame with your partner, remind him that if a batted ball looks like it might be a pole bender, is to get his eyes on the ball.  In reality, an umpire in the infield has a better look whether the ball went in front of the foul pole (fair ball) or behind the foul pole. (foul ball.)

I like this, but I have trouble with the balls that exit the field above the pole where you can’t judge/see if ball disappears or not as it passes the pole, but you’re right that they may have a better view either way

[Senor Azul]

Prior to the 1920 season MLB judged home runs by what was called the “where it disappears from view” rule. The batted ball was ruled fair or foul on its location at the time it disappeared from the view of the umpires. In other words, if the ball curved foul after it was well beyond the fence but the umpire could still see it, then it was a foul ball.

Then the rules committee adopted an amendment for 1920 to rule 48 that read “…the umpire shall decide it fair or foul according to where it passes over the boundary line of the actual playing field.” Funny thing though, the American League office announced about halfway through the season that the new rule would be changed back to the old rule and that it would apply in both leagues.

It wasn’t until 1931 that they realized the error of their ways and amended the rule again to how we know it today (judging fair or foul on the ball’s location at the time it leaves the playing field). And, yes, by all accounts I have read, Babe Ruth lost several home runs to the rule that was in effect for most of his career.

[noumpere]

12 hours ago, SH0102 said:

I like this, but I have trouble with the balls that exit the field above the pole where you can’t judge/see if ball disappears or not as it passes the pole, but you’re right that they may have a better view either way

Many (not all) balls that are foul will never appear to pass the pole from the middle umpire's perspective, or by the time they do pass the pole it's obvious that they are foul.

 

Many (not all) balls that are fair will appear to pass the pole form the middle umpire's perspective -- and do so when it's obvious that they are still fair.