PU Trail Mechanic Variant

[Velho]

Interesting one from @Little Ott in todays ROTD

 

First play of the game so, no one on. B1 hits a two hopper to F6 who throws to F3. As U1 you:

A - Come out from behind the plate by moving to your left, then jog directly behind B1, straddling the first base foul line until you get to the 45' marker.

B - Come out from behind the plate by moving to your left, then jog a few feet to the inside of the foul line until you get to the 45' marker.
C - Come out from behind the plate by moving to your left, then jog a few feet to the outside of the foul line until you get to the 45' marker.

Answer A in 49 states
Answer B or C in New Jersey

With no one on, U1 trails the batter-runner on a potential force play at first-base for four reasons:

1 - To check for runners lane interference outside of the 45' running lane.
2 - To take charge of overthrows at first-base making sure he knows if the errant throw goes out of bounds.
3 - To help out, when asked by your partner, on swipe tag calls.
4 - To help out on pulled foot plays by the first-baseman or any play where U2 has been forced into foul territory by pressure from F4.

The problem with straddling the base line is that U1 has a different, but still as lousy a view of swipe tag plays as does U2 because the glove and the runner are in a straight line pointing away from him.

The New Jersey high school umpire over-lords have changed their mechanics telling U1 to come out from behind the plate and to move into fair or foul territory to get a better look at F3's foot and swipe tag plays.

They say also that, if U1 thinks the throw will cause a pulled foot, then he should go to the infield side of the foul line. If however, he believes there will be an overthrow or a swipe tag, then he should go to the foul side of the foul line. How they believe I will be able to make such a prediction while chugging after a 17 year old is a mystery. However, Frank Brocato offered this:

A few new things being taught:

While the aim is to GET to the 45' line, you should sacrifice the distance in order to be set at the point of impact (when F3 is about to receive the ball). This way your eyes are not bouncing and throwing off your depth perception.

The new way of thinking when judging an errant throw is to watch the fielder. The way he moves will tell you whether or not the throw is true. Once F6 fields the ball our eyes should go directly to the fielder and react to his actions.

I have been going to the infield side for a while now, and while I don't want to say that New Jersey has anything over New York, (Frank Sinatra and Bruce Springsteen not withstanding), this mechanic gives a better look at blown plays at first. What is lost however, is runner's lane interference. Since I get lines from home to first every hundred games or so, and because I have made exactly one runner's lane interference call in the last 9 years, I'm taking the trade-off. (To be honest, I didn't make the call. My partner, Adam Cuniglio, alertly let me know what had happened so we could get the call right. I was so used to working without lines that I missed it entirely.) Look for me in the infield. That's where I'll be in the future.

[JSam21]

So they want the primary responsiblity to take a backseat to the lowest two responsiblities on the priority list? Sounds about right...

[noumpere]

If the tag is on the runner's side, PU can get it. If the swipe tag is on the runners back, BU can usually get it (esp if he takes a read step). If PU takes a read step, he will have a better angle, too.

[Kevin_K]

18 hours ago, Velho said:

The New Jersey high school umpire over-lords have changed their mechanics telling U1 to come out from behind the plate and to move into fair or foul territory to get a better look at F3's foot and swipe tag plays.

I'm not quite sue if this is real or a shot at the NJ overlords. In either case, it's the first time I've heard of this new mechanic.

@Richvee?

[Velho]

13 minutes ago, Kevin_K said:

I'm not quite sue if this is real or a shot at the NJ overlords.

Feels tongue in cheek to me (especially given the last paragraph).

For clarity: That was all the ROTD. I didn't add anything.

[Richvee]

5 hours ago, Kevin_K said:

I'm not quite sue if this is real or a shot at the NJ overlords. In either case, it's the first time I've heard of this new mechanic.

@Richvee?

Haven't heard a thing. ....It rare the state ever puts out anything about mechanics. Perhaps it's just what someone may be teaching in a clinic? There was just a UCU 2 man in the area last week.  I'm still wondering why they won't allow the use of the bigger bags and not a double base for games in places like Skylands. 

[Richvee]

Sounds like he was at a clinic, or talked to someone who was...They got this wrong too. 

On 8/13/2026 at 2:27 PM, Velho said:

The new way of thinking when judging an errant throw is to watch the fielder. The way he moves will tell you whether or not the throw is true. Once F6 fields the ball our eyes should go directly to the fielder and react to his actions.

You snap your head to 1B immediately after the release of the ball and you know it's not coming at your head. ...Not once he fields it.  

[BigBlue4u]

10 hours ago, Kevin_K said:

I'm not quite sue if this is real or a shot at the NJ overlords. In either case, it's the first time I've heard of this new mechanic.

@Richvee?

Is this from the same source that gave us this:

1.  

   Why Umpires Put Their Hands in Their Pockets

   In baseball, umpires sometimes place one or both hands in their pockets during a game for practical, safety, and positioning reasons.

   1. Stability and consistency in judging pitches
   When umpires are in the catcher’s box, they often use their hands to “lock in” for the pitch. Putting a hand in a pocket can help them maintain a steady base, keep their height and eye level consistent for every pitch, and avoid shifting their weight too much Reddit.

   2. Protection from foul balls
   A hand in a pocket can shield the wrist or forearm from being struck by a foul tip or errant pitch, especially in high-speed situations Reddit+1.

   3. Communication and positioning cues
   In some cases, umpires use hand placement to signal to the catcher or other players. For example, placing a hand on the catcher’s back can help the catcher know where the umpire is and can also serve as a cue if the catcher starts to move backward Calendar-Canada.ca.

   4. Comfort and routine
   For experienced umpires, this is a familiar, comfortable position that allows them to focus on the game without overthinking small movements. It’s a subtle but consistent part of their officiating style.

   5. Safety in high-contact situations
   In youth or amateur baseball, umpires may avoid touching players during live action, but in professional play, this hand-in-pocket stance can be a quick, non-intrusive way to maintain control and safety.

   In short, umpires put their hands in their pockets to stay steady, protect themselves, communicate, and maintain a consistent, professional stance while making calls Reddit+1.

[BLWizzRanger]

3 hours ago, BigBlue4u said:

Is this from the same source that gave us this:

1.  

   Why Umpires Put Their Hands in Their Pockets

   In baseball, umpires sometimes place one or both hands in their pockets during a game for practical, safety, and positioning reasons.

   1. Stability and consistency in judging pitches
   When umpires are in the catcher’s box, they often use their hands to “lock in” for the pitch. Putting a hand in a pocket can help them maintain a steady base, keep their height and eye level consistent for every pitch, and avoid shifting their weight too much Reddit.

   2. Protection from foul balls
   A hand in a pocket can shield the wrist or forearm from being struck by a foul tip or errant pitch, especially in high-speed situations Reddit+1.

   3. Communication and positioning cues
   In some cases, umpires use hand placement to signal to the catcher or other players. For example, placing a hand on the catcher’s back can help the catcher know where the umpire is and can also serve as a cue if the catcher starts to move backward Calendar-Canada.ca.

   4. Comfort and routine
   For experienced umpires, this is a familiar, comfortable position that allows them to focus on the game without overthinking small movements. It’s a subtle but consistent part of their officiating style.

   5. Safety in high-contact situations
   In youth or amateur baseball, umpires may avoid touching players during live action, but in professional play, this hand-in-pocket stance can be a quick, non-intrusive way to maintain control and safety.

   In short, umpires put their hands in their pockets to stay steady, protect themselves, communicate, and maintain a consistent, professional stance while making calls Reddit+1.

IDK, this reeks of an AI generated list.  

Please take a quick poll to see if anyone has seen an umpire put their hands in their pockets for any reason other than trying to keep them warm between pitches or just to hand out. (BTW, I think putting hands in the front pockets for an extended period of time is a bad look.  placing them in the back pockets is a better more attentive look)  Sorry for highjacking this thread.   

[The Man in Blue]

18 hours ago, BLWizzRanger said:

IDK, this reeks of an AI generated list.  

Please take a quick poll to see if anyone has seen an umpire put their hands in their pockets for any reason other than trying to keep them warm between pitches or just to hand out. (BTW, I think putting hands in the front pockets for an extended period of time is a bad look.  placing them in the back pockets is a better more attentive look)  Sorry for highjacking this thread.   

Back pockets when talking to a coach asking for an explanation.  It prevents you from getting animated with your hands and is a better, non-aggressive look.

And yes, it absolutely was AI generated.

[MadMax]

On 8/14/2026 at 7:33 PM, BigBlue4u said:

Why Umpires Put Their Hands in Their Pockets [snip]

How is this Artificial Intelligence? Artificial Idiocy or Ignorance, more like. 

14 hours ago, The Man in Blue said:

Back pockets when talking to a coach asking for an explanation.  It prevents you from getting animated with your hands and is a better, non-aggressive look.

You beat me to it. While it’s not something that I do, or use, it is a purposeful option for (or to train to) others, especially those who would otherwise gesture too… wildly?… or would otherwise slouch or look like they’re cowering. 

Back to the content of the OP- 

On 8/13/2026 at 2:27 PM, Velho said:

Interesting one from @Little Ott in todays ROTD

First play of the game so, no one on. B1 hits a two hopper to F6 who throws to F3. As U1 you:

A - Come out from behind the plate by moving to your left, then jog directly behind B1, straddling the first base foul line until you get to the 45' marker.

B - Come out from behind the plate by moving to your left, then jog a few feet to the inside of the foul line until you get to the 45' marker.
C - Come out from behind the plate by moving to your left, then jog a few feet to the outside of the foul line until you get to the 45' marker.

Answer A in 49 states
Answer B or C in New Jersey

With no one on, U1 trails the batter-runner on a potential force play at first-base for four reasons:

1 - To check for runners lane interference outside of the 45' running lane.
2 - To take charge of overthrows at first-base making sure he knows if the errant throw goes out of bounds.
3 - To help out, when asked by your partner, on swipe tag calls.
4 - To help out on pulled foot plays by the first-baseman or any play where U2 has been forced into foul territory by pressure from F4.

This entire thing reads of some interpreter trying to stay relevant and active in the training space. Granted, we should be striving to improve and “get better”, and sharing “best practices (plural)”, but to declare some absolute, especially in this manner, is really heavy-handed. 
As a start, the nomenclature of “U1” and “U2” is arcane and indicative of NFHS manuals (is it not?). It would coat this advice as more adaptive and universal if it was to use PU and BU as nomenclature. 

Furthermore, to say that “49 states would be <this>, while NJ (alone) would be <that>” is an exaggeration, and seems like a soliloquy. Why such (over)scrutiny on how PU assists up the 1BL? The way in which he’s presenting this, he makes it sound as if “Evaluators” are looking for (yet another) detail to ding and demerit guys for. I’d be much more focused on making sure PUs know and discern when to come out from behind F2 and trail up the line comprehensively, because as games progress, there’ll be many more scenarios and plays that will require the PU to be somewhere else (such as POP, or headed towards 3B (foul territory OBR, fair territory NCAA), superseding a pursuit up the 1BL – and that if you are “deep into a game”, the fact that you make that pursuit second nature should be more lauded, not dinged by the exact details of how. 

Make sense?

[concertman1971]

Yes, I always want to get to the 45, OR AFATPA (As Far as The Play Allows). However, my keen baseball knowledge will tell me that a 2 hopper hit to f4 with no one on tells me to use economy of motion. Trail the runner, but understand that sprinting to the 45 adds nothing to the game. IMO, the guy who blindly sprints to spots is telling me that he is inexperienced. That same keen awareness also knows that a slow roller hit to f5 who is charging hard and throwing on the run often pulls f2 off the bag and towards the runner. this means I am not blindly running to a spot, but rather UMPIRING and taking what the play gives me, while reading the actions of the fielders. I may have to stay longer for fair/foul, there may be some action by f3 coming off the bag early as he reads an errant throw. Does BR slide at the last minute? Is there OBS? 

Plays on the infield are many times the plays where we get paid. Read the play, react to the play, make the call.

Just my $0.02

[The Man in Blue]

On 8/16/2026 at 8:41 AM, MadMax said:

As a start, the nomenclature of “U1” and “U2” is arcane and indicative of NFHS manuals (is it not?). It would coat this advice as more adaptive and universal if it was to use PU and BU as nomenclature. 

 

Another tangent, since Max made this pop into my head:

I am going to do my best to remain with the U1 and U2 nomenclature.

It is a reminder that a minimum of TWO umpires is the norm, the expectation, and nobody should be doing or should ever be asked to do anything less (edit to add) in the amateur game.

[jimurrayalterego]

1 hour ago, The Man in Blue said:

 

Another tangent, since Max made this pop into my head:

I am going to do my best to remain with the U1 and U2 nomenclature.

It is a reminder that a minimum of TWO umpires is the norm, the expectation, and nobody should be doing or should ever be asked to do anything less.

That becomes a problem when you learn 3-4 man. PU and U1, U2, U3 is intuitive. U1 at HP and U2 at 1B is not.

[The Man in Blue]

On 8/19/2026 at 2:16 PM, jimurrayalterego said:

That becomes a problem when you learn 3-4 man. PU and U1, U2, U3 is intuitive. U1 at HP and U2 at 1B is not.

I don't disagree, but you can't learn the 2-umpire system or any of the others with just 1 umpire.  I know, I'm just yelling at clouds.

[MadMax]

On 8/20/2026 at 9:10 PM, The Man in Blue said:

but you can't learn the 2-umpire system or any of the others with just 1 umpire.

But all the (umpire) camps and clinics follow the (umpire) school(s) mold – when teaching the 2-umpire system, all references are to the “Plate Umpire” (PU) and “Base Umpire” (BU). All references. 
When you (as trainee) step up to begin a demonstration or drill, you are directed to declare either “Paul Meanother, Plate Umpire!” or “Jolly Onmyfeet, Base Umpire!”*
If you were to step up and declare, “Peter Ivegotapointoprove, U One!”, you’ll get chastised and sent to run your own personal formation session til your thighs chafe.**

Even in the CCA Manual – which too many take as gospel, for some reason – the PU is denoted as “PL”, at least. Only in these arcane NFHS texts, where old, grey, sedentary fossils of a bygone era still espouse their diminished insights, do they continue to use these obsolete references – B1, R1 (for lead runner / 1st runner aboard, not Runner at 1B), U2 (for second umpire), etc.

I get it – you don’t want to acknowledge or promote that we should work in any quantity less than 2. Noted. Acknowledged. But if you’re going to die on a hill, at least make sure it’s not a fetid garbage mound of compost. 

* - “More voice! Morrrre voiiii<crack>iice!”

** - “These will be Outs, and you will be moving!” 

[concertman1971]

On 8/23/2026 at 7:31 AM, MadMax said:

NFHS texts, where old, grey, sedentary fossils of a bygone era still espouse their diminished insights,

I spit out  my morning coffee reading this! Thanks Max