Base Umpire Mechanics Question

[MTR]

Base Umpire, no matter what position. Observes catchers interference(bat hit the glove while swinging at the pitch). Can the base ump make the call or is it strictly a Home plate ump call? In my association noone can come to an agreement as to the correct answer. Thanks

No, but the BU can call Catcher's Obstruction.

HOWEVER, the BU better be damn sure that is what s/he observed. I mean REALLY sure. I mean like the finger of God couldn't change it sure.

[sapper33]

Thanks for the imput. I'm not a rookie but in 8 years of doing this i had never seen it as a BU without the PU calling it so, when it did happen, I just kind of froze. Talked to my UIC and he stated that i should have called it. I also found out after posting this that the gentleman i was working with was a rookie. I'm new in this association so i know very few of the Umps. just to give an example of some of my new partners in crime: Some "blues" were telling coaches that the ball can be played off the netting behind homeplate; flex could be put in any position in line-up; association pres. showing up in improper uni and with some sort of stain on shirt, etc..etc..and here i thought moving to GA the umpiring might be taken a little more seriously than when i was in KS.....Sorry, had to vent...

[wadeintothem]

Any umpire can technically call int or obs.

IMO, BU should not make a catchers obstruction call; with exception for something extraordinary. This is not BUs call. I look up and see my BU holding his arm out and he announces CO, we will be having a chat between innings. PU should make that call. If PU is properly tracking the pitch, the BU should have nothing to offer that the PU cant see.

Unfortunately, many umpires are not as good as you are. Seems like more often than not, the PU misses the CO until the batter says something and they see the catcher rubbing the fingers on their glove hand.

Well stop swingin the bat so fast then.

That doesnt mean BU saw it from 80-100 feet away though. Its not BUs call. A weak PU who goes out to him to fix this by some fake "conversation" is throwing the BU under the bus.

[PDad]

Any umpire can technically call int or obs.

IMO, BU should not make a catchers obstruction call; with exception for something extraordinary. This is not BUs call. I look up and see my BU holding his arm out and he announces CO, we will be having a chat between innings. PU should make that call. If PU is properly tracking the pitch, the BU should have nothing to offer that the PU cant see.

Unfortunately, many umpires are not as good as you are. Seems like more often than not, the PU misses the CO until the batter says something and they see the catcher rubbing the fingers on their glove hand.

Well stop swingin the bat so fast then.

That doesnt mean BU saw it from 80-100 feet away though. Its not BUs call. A weak PU who goes out to him to fix this by some fake "conversation" is throwing the BU under the bus.

I think I'll pass on slowing their swings down...

I hope you didn't infer from my post that I advocated BU calling it. I merely stated I've seen PUs miss seeing the contact, but then make the correct call after seeing the catcher react. I didn't mean to complain because the PU usually gets the call right in the end.

More often than not, I hear the contact rather than see it - especially at my son's baseball games - and then I see the catcher's reaction.

[GIMNEPIWO]

I've brought this up before, but it may also be relevant here since Wade mentioned "BU should not make a catchers obstruction call; with exception for something extraordinary." ... A guy I coached with had played D1 baseball ... he claims that their team had a called play, where the batter would stride backwards and hit the catchers mitt on the swing drawing CO ... again, he claims that it was impossible for the PU to differentiate between the stride forward or backwards while watching the strike zone, and that the BU would never make the interference call on the batter ...

[MTR]

I've brought this up before, but it may also be relevant here since Wade mentioned "BU should not make a catchers obstruction call; with exception for something extraordinary." ... A guy I coached with had played D1 baseball ... he claims that their team had a called play, where the batter would stride backwards and hit the catchers mitt on the swing drawing CO ... again, he claims that it was impossible for the PU to differentiate between the stride forward or backwards while watching the strike zone, and that the BU would never make the interference call on the batter ...

Your pal may believe that, but I don't know how accurate he is. Think about the process and the batter's stance.

Think of the time that expires from the umpire dropping into a set position and the ball being released and then reaches the plate. Now, stand up and assume a batting stance and try to step backwards and swing forward. Yeah, as you are standing in your living room, den, office, etc., it seems relatively easy. Now, put a bat in your hand and have someone pitch a ball at a speed of 60 mph or higher and try the same exercise.

No, thanks, coach. Don't think I'll be using that one.

[GIMNEPIWO]

I've brought this up before, but it may also be relevant here since Wade mentioned "BU should not make a catchers obstruction call; with exception for something extraordinary." ... A guy I coached with had played D1 baseball ... he claims that their team had a called play, where the batter would stride backwards and hit the catchers mitt on the swing drawing CO ... again, he claims that it was impossible for the PU to differentiate between the stride forward or backwards while watching the strike zone, and that the BU would never make the interference call on the batter ...

Your pal may believe that, but I don't know how accurate he is. Think about the process and the batter's stance.

Think of the time that expires from the umpire dropping into a set position and the ball being released and then reaches the plate. Now, stand up and assume a batting stance and try to step backwards and swing forward. Yeah, as you are standing in your living room, den, office, etc., it seems relatively easy. Now, put a bat in your hand and have someone pitch a ball at a speed of 60 mph or higher and try the same exercise.

No, thanks, coach. Don't think I'll be using that one.

Yeah ... I thought he was FOS also ( I've never heard him tell a lie that wasn't true ) ... but this guy is well known in the area ... knowledgable, smart, well respected ( by Blues mostly and also other teams and coaches ) , hated, and all the things that make a good coach ... but, as I said , he claims it was a called play and something they practiced ... I myself, would not spend the neccessary time on something like this, but he also made it clear that his former D1 Coach was a time hardened Butt Hole ....