R3, Batted ball over the fence in fair territory

[SeeingEyeDog]

FED, 2-man (you likely know where this is going...)

Batter hits a towering flighted ball to LCF. I start this play in C and as the ball goes over my head, I turn and run to the edge of the grass and lock my eyes onto the baseball. The ball tails slightly left, over F7's head and clears the fence. At no time do I hear my partner on the plate say anything...

I signal HR and immediately turn to my right and see the batter/runner about 10 feet off of 1B trotting to 2B, then touching 2B, then touching 3B and then presumably touching home plate. I return to the A position and the coach of the defense is coming out of the dugout asking for time. He jogs over and says, "I would like to appeal the touch at 1B." I did not see the touch as I was on the baseball so, I signal safe, the coach returns to the dugout and the game concludes without further incident. My question is...the coach never asked me to go to my partner so, I didn't...should I have gone to my partner there?

It turns out in post-game, my partner said he had the baseball too because he felt it was "left enough" that it was outside The Cone and therefore his responsibility and not mine. He acknowledged he needs to be louder with his communication there so, I would then know I would have all the touches from 1B - 3B. He also said since he was also on the baseball, had I come to him, he also didn't see a touch at 1B and we would have stayed with the original call. Thoughts, brothers?
 

~Dawg

[noumpere]

You also could (and, here, I think SHOULD) communicate to him that you had the ball.  There's plenty of time to look him in the eye, put your hands on your chest and say "That's mine" or "I have this" THEN turn to pick up the ball.

[JonnyCat]

Whether it should have been your call or his call on the fly ball is tough to say. I think noumpere is correct, communication is the key. Since it was to left field, either one of you could have communicated "I'm on the ball."

You said you were in C. So I'm assuming bases loaded, or R1/R2, or R2/R3? Not sure of the outs. Sometimes there are holes in the 2 man system, so sometimes things get missed. If you're trying to get multiple runners touches, even with good communication, it can get missed.

As far as going to your partner on that one, I think you handled it appropriately.

[Jimurray]

1 hour ago, noumpere said:

You also could (and, here, I think SHOULD) communicate to him that you had the ball.  There's plenty of time to look him in the eye, put your hands on your chest and say "That's mine" or "I have this" THEN turn to pick up the ball.

Better communication is pregame. "Tweeners" are the BU unless he hears the PU has the line/ball. 

[concertman1971]

If I am the plate guy and I see my BU "locked in" , I am going to watch his touches. If it isn't close to fair/foul, not a real need to have eyes on it. I probably also verbalized "take it" so he knows. 

[ErichKeane]

I had a situation like this once (just a normal fly, not a home-run!), so now I pregame that if I'm in the field, I yell "cone!" (nothing with 'mine', as I don't want to confuse fielders!) if I'm going to take it, and the plate ump gets it otherwise.  Had all my partners appreciate it since.

[Mudisfun]

My pregame is unless F7 or F9 are threatening/running to the line, or the ball is heading to the fence with a fair/foul decision needing to be made (again, threatening the line), then the ball is with the field umpire. 

Plate partner has the best view of what U1 is doing in this situation and with a quick glance can determine that he needs to get base touches. We have all been there...

Man, that is a great hit! Wow, it is a home run! Oh, wait, I should be doing umpire stuff and not fan stuff right now!

[Velho]

6 minutes ago, Mudisfun said:

We have all been there...

Man, that is a great hit! Wow, it is a home run! Oh, wait, I should be doing umpire stuff and not fan stuff right now!

One of my few times doing 3 man last year was a LL Majors league championship. Slugger hits a no doubt HR. Both U3 and U1 (me) don't move an inch just watch it hit halfway up a 40 foot net 10 feet behind the 200 foot outfield fence. In post game PU said he was shocked neither of us moved... until he looked up to track the ball and said "oh, yeah. That's a no doubter". LOL