What a day!

[FastpitchFan08]

Q1: This was a 2 man crew for 16U ASA game. No runners on base, base ump positioned behind 1B. Ball hit to RC and batter attempts to stretch to a double. Base ump moves to shallow OF following the ball, plate ump remains standing behind the plate. CF throws to 2B. Batter slides on the home plate side of 2B to avoid the tag. From the home plate, (I was standing behind the backstop), you cannot see the the ball or tag as the view is blocked by the sliding player. The base ump makes no call. The plate ump jogs out to the pitchers circle and calls the BR out. The manager asks that he get help and the plate ump refuses. When asked why he is making the call rather than the base ump who has a clear view of the play, The plate ump responds that the coach does not know the proper mechanics. Whose call is it?

Q2: Same game, runner on 1st base. Pitch is in the dirt and batter appears to jump over the ball. Ball is returned to the pitcher in the circle. Coach comes out of the dugout and says batter got hit with the pitch. Plate ump walks away from the plate to talk to the coach. The batter hesitates waiting for the call, then runs to first, R1 goes to second. Plate ump rules that the batter was not hit by the pitch and calls the batter back to the plate. However, he allows R1 to remain on 2B saying that he never called timeout, so the ball was live. Defensive coach argues that regardless of the timeout, the pitcher had the ball in the circle, so if he is going to rule the ball was live, then R1 should be called out. R1 was allowed to remain on 2B and at-bat was continued. What's the call?

[ajaywill]

1. PU's call. The BU chased the hit to the outfield, the PU now has the bases. As soon as he saw his partner chase, he should have hustled into the infield and taken the runner to second.

2. Baserunner should have been returned to first base, batter should be brought back to the plate with a ball added to the count. When the PU went to talk to the coach, a time out is implied, even though nobody "called" time out. If the PU didn't want a to call a time out, he shouldn't have gone to talk to the coach.

[GIMNEPIWO]

Q1: The Base Ump is supposed to button hook and make that call from the infield side of second base ... At least that would be the mechanics we are taught in VA ...

Q2: Time out is implied although he did not verbalize it ... batter runner and runner return

[Bretman]

Q1: The Base Ump is supposed to button hook and make that call from the infield side of second base ... At least that would be the mechanics we are taught in VA...

That is the "default" mechanic- base umpire pivots inside the diamond, follows the batter-runner to second base and makes the call there. But it's not the only possibility!

In Virginia, do they teach you that the base umpire NEVER goes to the outfield to make the catch/no catch call? If the base umpire does go out, then the plate umpire reverts to one-man mechanics on the infield. That is, the plate umpire now has all calls on the bases.

It sounds like maybe the plate umpire was late in recognizing that the base umpire did go out. Otherwise, he should have been hustling into position instead of "standing behind home plate". If you're paying attention, there's no reason why you can't be right on top of the play at second if you need to be (batter-runner has to go 120 feet to get there; plate umpire only has to go about 80 feet).

[GIMNEPIWO]

Q1: The Base Ump is supposed to button hook and make that call from the infield side of second base ... At least that would be the mechanics we are taught in VA...

That is the "default" mechanic- base umpire pivots inside the diamond, follows the batter-runner to second base and makes the call there. But it's not the only possibility!

In Virginia, do they teach you that the base umpire NEVER goes to the outfield to make the catch/no catch call? If the base umpire does go out, then the plate umpire reverts to one-man mechanics on the infield. That is, the plate umpire now has all calls on the bases.

It sounds like maybe the plate umpire was late in recognizing that the base umpire did go out. Otherwise, he should have been hustling into position instead of "standing behind home plate". If you're paying attention, there's no reason why you can't be right on top of the play at second if you need to be (batter-runner has to go 120 feet to get there; plate umpire only has to go about 80 feet).

Yes .. well ... Maybe .. we are told to use this 'default' mechanic, but are also told to get with your partner before the game and discuss how you will be handling deep fly balls for the catch ... Sounded like this was in the gap and no one I have worked with has wanted to do anything but the 'default' mechanic ...

[MTR]

Yes .. well ... Maybe .. we are told to use this 'default' mechanic, but are also told to get with your partner before the game and discuss how you will be handling deep fly balls for the catch ... Sounded like this was in the gap and no one I have worked with has wanted to do anything but the 'default' mechanic ...

THE ASA mechanic is for the BU to button-hook inside, watch the BR touch 1B, find the ball and take the runner to 2B, if necessary. UNLESS.... the BU believes there is a need to go out for a possible trap or tough catch by the OF. It IS the BU's prerogative to make that determination. When this happens, it is the PU's responsibility to move FARTHER out into the infield (should already be out around 15' toward 1B about 3-5' in fair territory) and be prepared to make any call at any base.

However, I believe that BUs are discouraged from going out when even when they feel it is necessary. I say this because twice I've had an umpire call me about being dressed down for going out on a fly ball, both of which were diving catches by the OF. It was pregamed and his partner was right where he needed to be, but the UIC told him he was wrong once and then dressed him down when he did it again the following day and this was at a NC.

An umpire going out should NOT be a problem and if the plate umpire cannot cover it, shame on him/her.

[Bretman]

There is a lot of that going around. I've even had an umpire who- before and after the game- bragged about how he "had been doing this for forty years" tell me that a base umpire should NEVER under any circumstances go out on a fly ball. And, yes, I did have my umpire manual in the car and did stick it under his nose when he started in on me about this.

Then there was the neat little trick a partner pulled on me last fall. I'm on the plate, he's in "A". Long fly ball to the fence in right field. My partner pivots in. I come up into the infield to watch for the catch. Then...partner ignores the batter-runner, drifts out of the infield, stops just past the baseline midwat between first and second and calls a catch...simultaneously with me calling no catch. That was a fun one to straighten out!