Post by Ed Schultz on Mar 3, 2006 1:36:09 GMT -5
[color=Navy]"Gentlemen, he is out because I said he is out."
... Bill Klem [/color]
Who has not been there?
Here comes the throw, here comes the runner. A million things go through your mind in a few hundredths of seconds. Experience places you in position, your best 90 degrees to the play, all the time tracking the ball ... A clear tag before the runner's foot hit the plate.
"He's Out!" you exclaim, selling the call with the best of your ability. As you stand up you notice the ball rolling out behind through catcher's legs.
Same throw, same position but this time the catcher is moving up the line trying to snag the errant throw, make the tag, and completely obstruct your once clear view. The catch, well at least the attempt at the catch and the wild swipe tag as the glove smacks the runner. "OOOOOOOut!" noticing the ball never made it to the glove but is neatly concealed in the catcher's throwing hand.
Do you change your call? Should you change your call? Some arguments argue yes, some argue no, never.
Before entering into the should or shouldn't debate let's establish some potentially reversible calls: In each case let's also assume that it is an honest error, not some accident caused by rushed timing or being grossly out of position.
We are not discussing simple umpire error here also. Nothing an umpire says can detract from the correct call or the proper application of a rule. Several times I have witnessed umpires signal safe while exclaiming "Out". These are errors, maybe correctable, always blushable errors. We are examining situations where the umpire has made a clear judgment call that may, or may not be in error.
On a close play you call the runner out but then notice the ball is rolling away.
You signal a home run and notice your partner, the base umpire is suddenly attempting to stifle a foul ball call.
None out with runners on first and third and you call "Infield Fly, the batter's out." The batter stops running and enters the dugout.
On ball four the runner from first slides into second base being beaten by the throw from the catcher. The base umpire calls the runner out. The runner steps off the bag without requesting time and is tagged out, again, by the second baseman.
You are watching a runner stealing second base when all of a sudden you hear the word "FOUL" come loudly from the plate. The runner lays up and is tagged. You look up in time to see the sign and hear the word "TIP."
The runner goes for second ... U1 signals safe, U3 signals out! Who among us has not seen this classic World Series photo?
On a dropped third strike the plate umpire calls "The batter's out!" The throw down to third is not in time to retire R2.
Do you live or die with the call?
What can you safely reverse? Can an out become safe? Can a safe become an out? Can foul become fair, or fair turn into foul?
There are of course errors created by plain bad umpiring, like the umpire who shuts down the play when he boldly calls "FAIR BALL." Several of the examples above are clear examples where poor technique and rushed calls lead to the wrong call.
These are the easiest calls to correct, however, they are the most likely calls not to be changed. Name a person who is not reluctant to have their mistakes laundered in public view? Umpires are no different. Even if you clearly know your call was in error should you reverse it?
Some calls are easy to reverse, if done quickly and with authority. "Out ... no, SAFE, SAFE, SAFE!!!!" The to-be-avoided "double-call" finds itself all the way from the sand lot to the professional fields. The obligatory visit from the coach is as much a part of the call as the call itself. You can even anticipate the conversation: "What was he Blue, out or safe?" The final line will always be the same: "At least make up your mind."
You cannot change a call if a significant period of time has elapsed. How significant? If after a few seconds you see that ball rolling away you will die with your call. The fielder had possession of the ball at the time of the tag, you had a valid reason for your call, where the ball ended up is of no consequence. The out will stand
Is their any situation where safe can become out? Is there any situation where foul can become fair?
The runner, going for home, slides and collides with the catcher: maybe he interfered with the catch, possibly he stripped the ball from the glove. Maybe the catch was off line and the catcher really moved into the runner who was diving at the plate.
This is one call you have to die with. If you signal and/or a runner safe, then he must remain safe. That does not mean you cannot subsequently eject the runner for unsportsmanlike conduct, but the run will score. If you call a ball foul at any time, that ball will remain foul with one exception. However, if you have called a runner safe, for any reason, I will maintain that the runner will remain safe with no exceptions!
When do we make the exception?
The exception? To stay with the call would make a travesty of the game. Consider the foul call. Few amateur umpires work fields where the foul poles extend up well above the fence. Consider that you are working a quality field. The plate umpire rules the home run "FOUL" but you clearly saw, and the coaches clear saw as well, the ball pass in front of the pole. If it was on your side of the pole then it can only be fair, right? This is the only time foul can become fair.
Finding situations when safe becomes out is not that simple, because they do not exist. Yes, there are numerous examples of a safe call becoming out but for another reason, for example: an appeal. There are many times when the out call becomes instantly safe. The opposite is not true.
We can all think of times where the umpires have figured critically into a game. The umpire who has stopped the play for no apparent reason, or called a "catch" when no one was even near the ball. The dropped ball, the out call on ball four. Allowing these calls to stand injects the umpire directly into the outcome of the game.
There is no such animal as the perfect game. It has never been and never will be pitched, called, officiated or played. Working to minimize error is the hallmark of the umpire and a sign of quality. Being humble enough to ask for assistance and correct a blown call is a sign of maturity. Knowing when to take the call and die with it is a sign of wisdom.
"Been trying for perfection all my life in this stupid game. I'll strive for it everyday I go behind here, hoping never once to achieve it."
.... from the tape "Doug Harvey: Talking Baseball"
ACN914 from NASO
.... posted December 21, 1997
... Bill Klem [/color]
Who has not been there?
Here comes the throw, here comes the runner. A million things go through your mind in a few hundredths of seconds. Experience places you in position, your best 90 degrees to the play, all the time tracking the ball ... A clear tag before the runner's foot hit the plate.
"He's Out!" you exclaim, selling the call with the best of your ability. As you stand up you notice the ball rolling out behind through catcher's legs.
Same throw, same position but this time the catcher is moving up the line trying to snag the errant throw, make the tag, and completely obstruct your once clear view. The catch, well at least the attempt at the catch and the wild swipe tag as the glove smacks the runner. "OOOOOOOut!" noticing the ball never made it to the glove but is neatly concealed in the catcher's throwing hand.
Do you change your call? Should you change your call? Some arguments argue yes, some argue no, never.
Before entering into the should or shouldn't debate let's establish some potentially reversible calls: In each case let's also assume that it is an honest error, not some accident caused by rushed timing or being grossly out of position.
We are not discussing simple umpire error here also. Nothing an umpire says can detract from the correct call or the proper application of a rule. Several times I have witnessed umpires signal safe while exclaiming "Out". These are errors, maybe correctable, always blushable errors. We are examining situations where the umpire has made a clear judgment call that may, or may not be in error.
On a close play you call the runner out but then notice the ball is rolling away.
You signal a home run and notice your partner, the base umpire is suddenly attempting to stifle a foul ball call.
None out with runners on first and third and you call "Infield Fly, the batter's out." The batter stops running and enters the dugout.
On ball four the runner from first slides into second base being beaten by the throw from the catcher. The base umpire calls the runner out. The runner steps off the bag without requesting time and is tagged out, again, by the second baseman.
You are watching a runner stealing second base when all of a sudden you hear the word "FOUL" come loudly from the plate. The runner lays up and is tagged. You look up in time to see the sign and hear the word "TIP."
The runner goes for second ... U1 signals safe, U3 signals out! Who among us has not seen this classic World Series photo?
On a dropped third strike the plate umpire calls "The batter's out!" The throw down to third is not in time to retire R2.
Do you live or die with the call?
What can you safely reverse? Can an out become safe? Can a safe become an out? Can foul become fair, or fair turn into foul?
There are of course errors created by plain bad umpiring, like the umpire who shuts down the play when he boldly calls "FAIR BALL." Several of the examples above are clear examples where poor technique and rushed calls lead to the wrong call.
These are the easiest calls to correct, however, they are the most likely calls not to be changed. Name a person who is not reluctant to have their mistakes laundered in public view? Umpires are no different. Even if you clearly know your call was in error should you reverse it?
Some calls are easy to reverse, if done quickly and with authority. "Out ... no, SAFE, SAFE, SAFE!!!!" The to-be-avoided "double-call" finds itself all the way from the sand lot to the professional fields. The obligatory visit from the coach is as much a part of the call as the call itself. You can even anticipate the conversation: "What was he Blue, out or safe?" The final line will always be the same: "At least make up your mind."
You cannot change a call if a significant period of time has elapsed. How significant? If after a few seconds you see that ball rolling away you will die with your call. The fielder had possession of the ball at the time of the tag, you had a valid reason for your call, where the ball ended up is of no consequence. The out will stand
Is their any situation where safe can become out? Is there any situation where foul can become fair?
The runner, going for home, slides and collides with the catcher: maybe he interfered with the catch, possibly he stripped the ball from the glove. Maybe the catch was off line and the catcher really moved into the runner who was diving at the plate.
This is one call you have to die with. If you signal and/or a runner safe, then he must remain safe. That does not mean you cannot subsequently eject the runner for unsportsmanlike conduct, but the run will score. If you call a ball foul at any time, that ball will remain foul with one exception. However, if you have called a runner safe, for any reason, I will maintain that the runner will remain safe with no exceptions!
When do we make the exception?
The exception? To stay with the call would make a travesty of the game. Consider the foul call. Few amateur umpires work fields where the foul poles extend up well above the fence. Consider that you are working a quality field. The plate umpire rules the home run "FOUL" but you clearly saw, and the coaches clear saw as well, the ball pass in front of the pole. If it was on your side of the pole then it can only be fair, right? This is the only time foul can become fair.
Finding situations when safe becomes out is not that simple, because they do not exist. Yes, there are numerous examples of a safe call becoming out but for another reason, for example: an appeal. There are many times when the out call becomes instantly safe. The opposite is not true.
We can all think of times where the umpires have figured critically into a game. The umpire who has stopped the play for no apparent reason, or called a "catch" when no one was even near the ball. The dropped ball, the out call on ball four. Allowing these calls to stand injects the umpire directly into the outcome of the game.
There is no such animal as the perfect game. It has never been and never will be pitched, called, officiated or played. Working to minimize error is the hallmark of the umpire and a sign of quality. Being humble enough to ask for assistance and correct a blown call is a sign of maturity. Knowing when to take the call and die with it is a sign of wisdom.
"Been trying for perfection all my life in this stupid game. I'll strive for it everyday I go behind here, hoping never once to achieve it."
.... from the tape "Doug Harvey: Talking Baseball"
ACN914 from NASO
.... posted December 21, 1997
