Nobody on, hot shot liner to F9 who goes to F3

[SeeingEyeDog]

2-man, so with nobody on and I am in A. F3 is playing in his normal spot. The ball is hit on a line about a foot above and a foot to the right of his right shoulder and dropping. I had seen F9 flash his arm on an earlier play so as soon as it was past F3, I am immediately thinking they will be looking to make a play at 1B. I bust inside, keeping my eyes on the baseball (back and to the right) and also glancing (left and forward) to make sure I don't collide with F3. And then, I get crossed up...do we take this play by planting and turning to our right so we stay with the ball? And then continue to turn with read steps? Or do we rotate to our left which means we do not have our eyes everlastingly on the baseball but we can get setup more quickly? There is a safety element for U1 on this play as well as a proper and credible adjudication on this play. It was close, the runner was out but, I took it rotating to my left and I didn't feel good about it. I didn't feel as credible as I would have liked.

What is our angle coming out of A here to the spot of calling this? What is our footwork and where is the best spot to take this play from?

~Dawg

[BigBlue4u]

27 minutes ago, SeeingEyeDog said:

What is our footwork and where is the best spot to take this play from?

Based on the information you provided, take the play in foul territory.  That way you have EVERYTHING in front of you.  That is why, in a two-man game, the plate umpire must be coming out in front of the plate in case the runner attempts to advance to second.

[noumpere]

1 hour ago, SeeingEyeDog said:

 we do not have our eyes everlastingly on the baseball

 

IMO, that line should be stricken from the instructions to umpires -- it gets taken way too literally.

 

Pivot inside.  Maybe stop a step or two shorter  -- or even in the 1b-2b baseline --than usual to be set for the play at first.  You'll have plenty of time to find the ball again -- you'll only be missing it for the fraction of a second it takes to swing your head around, and PU will be watching it.

[The Man in Blue]

This is the question I ask many umpires ... if you are watching that ball in the outfield, who knows if the runner touched first base?

A screamer to F9 and I am, as @BigBlue4u said, stepping into foul territory and adjusting my angle to take the play in foul territory.  PU should be stepping up for a play at second if the ball gets away.  More often than not though, I have had to chase that play because PU didn't step up.  One time I had to chase all the way to third base.  I only remember that because a little old lady stopped me in the parking lot after the game and complimented me for running the kid down (and beating him there for the play).

I had commented in another thread that we tend to get too focused on getting to "our spot" and then trying to reacquire the play.  Watch the play all the way.  I do not "J-hook" or "button-hook" as is taught, but rather I am running a direct line and rotating as I run to keep my eyes with the runner.  I will steal a glance at the ball, but my goal is to be on the runner by the time he enters the runner's lane and I am watching him into and around first base.  Not only am I watching for the touch of the base, but a possible obstruction call if it happens.  I feel this also puts me in a better position to move to second if the play continues.  Yeah, I'll probably blow an ACL or something one of these days rotating while I run.

[Jimurray]

1 hour ago, The Man in Blue said: I will steal a glance at the ball, but my goal is to be on the runner by the time he enters the runner's lane and I am watching him into and around first base.  Not only am I watching for the touch of the base, but a possible obstruction call if it happens.  I feel this also puts me in a better position to move to second if the play continues.  

45’ is too early to be watching the runner. If you have a feel for the speed of the players staying on the ball gives you a read on an in and pivot for a routine stop at 1B or a AAA pivot on the way to 2B. 

[The Man in Blue]

1 hour ago, Jimurray said:

45’ is too early to be watching the runner. If you have a feel for the speed of the players staying on the ball gives you a read on an in and pivot for a routine stop at 1B or a AAA pivot on the way to 2B. 

 

Sorry, didn't mean to sound as if I am watching from 45' on ... just that's where I am picking him back up to gauge the play.  Yes, checking both ways but not staying on one at that point.

[ArchAngel72]

This type of play I will shift to point of bag and knock the base coach on his arse if he gets in my way..

( just kidding but I have "moved one before")

 

[SeeingEyeDog]

Thank you, as always, brothers for all of the great analysis and feedback.

It never occurred to me to take this in foul territory because of the possibility of an overthrow/batter-runner advancing to 2B situation but, as was discussed, with nobody on, plate should be reading this as a non-fly ball to RF, there won't be catch/no-catch on this so they should be working up the line in anticipation of pulled foot, swipe tag, RLI, etc...and then plate takes the runner around to 3B with U1 busting home to cover the plate if it goes full-on LL type play.

Further, this absolutely gives me something to add to my pre-games because I know guys who as plate would take the runner around on this F9-F3 overthrow play and guys who would not...whatever we ARE doing on this play, we need to pre-game it.

~Dawg

[ousafe]

In A, pre-pitch I check the depth of F9. If I notice it's a pitcher (big arm) even better. Then I'm ready for the 9-3.