Need to Rant

DD pitching in semifinal game. Last inning, we are up 3-2 with runner on 1st and 2nd with one out. Batter hits what looks to be a ground rule double (the ball clearly bounces on the grass in deep RF and goes over the fence). Plate umpire rules it's a 3-run home run (i.e went over the fence) and we lose? HC talks to both umpires, the PU (an older man) says it went over the fence on the fly and the field umpire says he didn't see the hit because he was looking at the base runners as they rounded the bases. Really unfortunate play to end the game.

Anyone else have really bad calls while your DD was pitching?

We actually had that happen in a game recently - ball went under the fence instead of over though. Umps gave her a double IIRC.

Mine had a rough time this weekend with one calling everything a ball. I was sitting right behind the plate and I don't know what the guy was smoking. She got pretty frustrated (well, for her, which means she frowned a little). Fortunately we were on the other field w/ other umps most of the day, and that one loved the pitches that skimmed the outside corner, which is her specialty. Kind of made up for it (but not really).

I'm sure Comp will have the answer, but I for the life of me can't figure out why they don't reverse the duties on balls to the outfield. The PU can see the runners while the BU is at least 70 feet closer to every ball?

Mostly because in 2 man the plate umpire is also responsible for fair/foul unless the base umpire goes out. And, in 2 man the only time a base umpire is going to go out is with no runners on base. You also have the problem of there is only 1 situation during a game when a base umpire is near a line, and that is with no runners on base. With any runners on base, the base umpire is not going to be anywhere near a foul line. If the base umpire goes out, it also puts all the base runners on the plate umpire and with more than 1 on base it becomes impossible to watch everything at once.

Personally when I am working bases, I will try to sneak a peak to give some backup to the plate umpire should there be a question.

Comp said:

Mostly because in 2 man the plate umpire is also responsible for fair/foul unless the base umpire goes out. And, in 2 man the only time a base umpire is going to go out is with no runners on base. You also have the problem of there is only 1 situation during a game when a base umpire is near a line, and that is with no runners on base. With any runners on base, the base umpire is not going to be anywhere near a foul line. If the base umpire goes out, it also puts all the base runners on the plate umpire and with more than 1 on base it becomes impossible to watch everything at once.

Personally when I am working bases, I will try to sneak a peak to give some backup to the plate umpire should there be a question.

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This recently happened in one of our games, but the question was whether or not a girl had a clean catch or it was a trap. There were runner on 1st and 3rd, so the base umpire was on the edge of the dirt behind 2B and the ball was hit to CF. The CF popped up and threw to 3B to double up the runner because the runner took off before the ball was caught. It was a real close play that the home plate ump ruled on...and the play happened 25 feet from the base ump. The coach of the defensive team flipped out when the HP umpire ruled it a trap/short hop. He asked for a conference and the base ump said he didn't see the play to offer any help to the HP umpire because his responsibility is the base-runners. Given your explanation, this would be "normal"?

How does the base ump rule on a Tag play if he's not watching the catch. Is that solely the plate umps responsibility as well?

In your situation, the runner at 3rd is the plate umpires runner as well as the catch/no catch of the fly ball. The base umpire is responsible for the runner at 1st and the batter/runner.

Count is 3-2. Best hitter we face. Hitter swings out of her shoes for strike 3 and umpire calls ball and tells her to take a base. Last week my catcher was turning around giving the umpire a WTH was that look when he was calling balls on pitches that were clearly strikes. Batter hits a line drive toward first. Two feet inside the base line. Ball hits first baseman in the leg and bounces out. Calls foul ball. I can go on forever with bad calls.

We had an ump call a ball on a full swing this weekend because he turned his head. Missed the swing. But the coach told him to ask for help and the other ump saw the swing, so he reversed it. I mean, watching for a bat swing is kinda basic...