On the note of checking your phone regularly for last minute games, I recommend keeping your uniform in your vehicle/work area so you have the ability to immediately make it to an afternoon game. Being a last second fill in is a great way to gain lots of brownie points from the assignor. Obviously it’s never expected that you drop everything and fill in for an afternoon game with a couple hours of notice but if you do that, you’ll be given more respect by your assignor.

On the first runner, how can it be obstruction when the runner is still 40' away from the base? Sure, he covered that distance in about 2 seconds, but to rule obstruction immediately seems silly. On the 2nd runner, he was much closer to home and obstruction would have been justified in my opinion. As we all know, opinions are like elbows...everyone has at least two, but since we're umpires, not bonehead coaches or fans, we need rules backing. I like it that Patrick always cites chapter/verse to support his interpretation. As far as malicious contact...not a chance. The runner barely got bumped with an extended-arms high tag as the pitcher had :01 to play with. Without someone being knocked into the middle of next week and no one injured, an ejection is not even CLOSE to being necessary. The plate ump never signalled anything, so I guess he had nothing on all 3 points.

Jesus Christ this is confusing. How about just make it an out?

I disagree with allowing the pitcher to rub anything on the baseball. I agree in HS that they rarely rub the baseballs down. I would not penalize the pitcher but rather replace the ball and tell the home team they need to rub that ball down. Enough umpires across the country doing that will get the home team into the habit of doing that. - Or if urgency is an issue I will do it. so the pitcher isn't violating the rule.

Your commercial was Priceless. Keeping the boys safe and when the big moment comes up. They are ready to make the call. Fucking Love It !!!

Obstruction could have been called on the third baseman for causing the second runner to swing wide. The third baseman took away the inside part of the bag from the runner. I don’t believe contact is required to call obstruction here.

Runner at 2nd and 1st. We call for a fake bunt to pull in the 3rd basemen. He crashes hard, double steal with no play at any bag. The umpire calls batter interference because batter stud up after his fake bunt attempt. No throw was made because nobody was covering 3rd base.

Patrick, you do a fantastic job. Your videos ao helpful. Thank You!!

What would happen with runner #3 and 4 if there was no outs ?

lol at tag malicious contact. 😂 is crazy

It's been over two years since I worked a 3-man crew. Usually, my HS Assoc does not work it, mostly due to money. I get about 3-5 with LL at All-Star time. Somethings gotta give..........need reps! Three Umpire System is the best:-)

Give me a good reason this is a necessary rule? When its a homerun, why not just let everyone score without running? Not by rule, im suggesting a rule change.

Working the first NorCal playoff in a three-man. Worked sparingly in three-man in sectionals and LL baseball. Thank you.

I have a question regarding the Royals v Tigers game. I was watching the game and I think the umpires got the call right but I think it was different than the answer to the case play in the video. Infield fly, ball was dropped, but runner was safe at 3rd because it is no longer a force out. The batter was out, R2 advanced to 3rd by choice not by force, third baseman didn't tag the runner, runner was ruled safe.

Scenario question for NFHS - Runner on 2nd. Base hit to out field. R1 rounds third is obstructed and returns to third after getting up from the ground. However, B/R tries to stretch single into double and is thrown at at 2nd base. Fielders never attempted a play on R1 assuming he would score on the base hit. Is this simply an out with runner remaining on third? If 2 outs before the play can umpire deem runner would have scored, give the run and uphold the out at second ending the inning? Or is this run scores and B/R gets first or second?

General question for this exact scenario w a 2 man crew - In this vid HPU sees guy miss first. But, if the field ump has to watch the ball go over fence which takes some time (especially w 2 outs since runners dont have to tag), and HPU has lead runner / 3rd and home, how do we cover all base touches and a trouble ball? So let's say same exact play and field ump watches ball go over fence - HPU watches guy on 2nd touch 3rd then home an picks up second runner touch 3rd then home. How can 1 umpire (field) see guy touch second from first, and batter runner touch first and ball leave park? I know it isn't perfect w a 2 man crew but how is seeing the ball leave as well as 3 runners touching bases possible? And is there a priority list in watching runners in this scenario? Basically it is the same question as a 2 man when bases loaded and less than 2 outs fly ball / tag up situation

Based on what you can see in this video, the base umpire really has no business being in a game of this importance in the first place. He seems to have a lazy do-not-care attitude about the whole thing.

love the reaction of the plate umpire at the 0:58 second mark. His head spun to see if the defensive coach was looking lol

Not an umpire (soccer ref), but wanted to compliment the host of the video on a fantasitc breakdown of this event. Especially liked the constructive criticism for field ump; leaving partner out to dry like that is not a good look. HPU did an outstanding job with this from start to finish, and handled the aftermath like a pro. Kudos on the video, and will look forward to the next one.

Question: Inside pitch is fouled off by the batter first and on his follow through, hits the glove of the catcher and knocks the ball out of his mit. The foul ball clearly happened before the contact with the catchers mitt. What is the Ruling, because the contact with the catcher’s mitt did not interfere with his swing to make contact, since the contact occurred first.

Just wondering. Does the appeal have to say which runner didn't touch home? What if the appeal was just "Runner missed home"?

And you have a problem with the coach making big gestures and so forth. No wonder the player is getting out of control. It often starts with the coach.

@7:37 there is a physical altercation that began just before that when one of the players, probably R2, throws his helmet on the field and then makes contact with the plate umpire and puts the plate umpire on his heels. That's a huge problem right there. Of course the base umpire should have come in immediately when he saw R2 throw his helmet on the field, let alone charge the umpire and make contact. At least the player then shove the umpire, could have been a little worse.

Killed the add read! Great stuff please keep bringing

Great ad placement!😂😂

Excellennt video and excellent segue to the ad!

Same scenario but with 0 or 1 out, R2 would be called out, R1 and BR runs would count.

I don’t see a tag and did not venture more than 3 feet from his base line. Safe.

State playoff game…. Base ump actually turned his back on touches … ugh

Great and tough call…. I’ll buy the ump a beer!

You cracked me up Patrick at the end with your comment on your first Ad read. LOL Good stuff as always. I saw this play on another youtube channel and it was not clearly expounded upon like you did. Just a side note, I have worked with too many umpires who are like the base umpire. Whether one would call it lazy or something else, these are the guys who do everything possible to avoid anything potentially controversial and are great at both failing their basic responsibilities and BS excuses. I'm not perfect but I at least am always trying to hustle and give the best effort I can. And of course always trying to learn from my own as well as the mistakes and great moments of others...that's why I come to your channel.

Love the ad read and the trailer!

Your explanation was awesome however I would add some things for further instruction. 1) The positioning of the HP umpire to watch the runners touch HP was incorrect. He should have been inside of the field of play looking back at HP so his view was not obstructed by the runners, catcher, or the celebrating team. There is no way that he saw R2 miss the plate for sure from behind HP. He's not Superman and can't see through the runner's right leg/foot to see if R2 touched the back corner of HP or not. The HP umpire has the same poor view of R2 touching HP as the catcher. That is not a position umpires want to be in with everyone having a camera phone now. Video showing an umpire out of position and that video hits the internet proving the umpire missed a call. That is why we get in the best position possible. 2) The HP umpire alerted the defense of the possible missed HP by looking at the defensive coach with runners still in motion after R2 crossed HP. That's is not his job even if R2 did miss HP. He should have remained stoic as if the runner did touch HP. Umpires are not out there to help either team.

You don't want suggest anything to any team, because if you suggest exactly that they will then agree and be like YEAH OF COURSE. You don't want put an idea of somthing happening. I get why the home plate umpire is doing it the way he did. He doesn't want give the defensive team an advantage. The umpire from first is gotta pay attention. As soon as you see the appeal being made and you see an out get on your horse and go to Plate umpire to separate the coach that you know is coming. Gotta have that awareness. NEVER let your partner be without you protecting him. You want the same for you. Take your partner and beeline to the side that won which is the third base side. You are stronger and have better report for if anything gets physical because we've seen it happen and I've experienced it bout to happen but I removed myself and my partner that was about to get it from the team that lost coaches, players, and parents which was a very scary scenario Another trick I learned. After the appeal wad made call time, go to your field umpire and let him know what is about to happen. This way you have your buddy near you. Then you can turn point at home and signal out. When this happens let the plate umpire talk to the head coach at third, and as soon as he explains it base umpire gets infront and both beline out of there.

does the batter still get credit for a home run? How would you score his at bat?

The hardest part is not yelling back at the coach, “Imagine being so bad at coaching that your players can’t touch the bases on a home run.”

I feel like my mechanics would be to say loudly, “The defense is appealing that the runner did not touch home! He did not touch home! He is out! That is the 3rd out!”

I'm really hoping this U1 is a lower level guy who just doesn't know any better. Umpire shortage sometimes means you have to pull lower ranked umpires up onto games they have no business working, and sometimes this is how it goes.

Yup. I was going to point out the same fact. The base umpire letting his partner feel the heat of the losing team.

Love the segue to the sponsor message.. Nicely done Patrick

Base umpire should be suspended

Interesting. I thought appeals had to be live ball in NFHS. I guess I better rewatch your appeals video.

I don't understand why wiping your mouth is illegal in case play 2

I would argue obstruction twice only because by that definition if you watch closely the runner didn’t see the pitcher so as he was avoiding he was watching the catcher who was going back to the same place he obstructed the previous runner. Pause it his feet are one in fair one in foul and the batter you could tell didn’t see the pitcher because he still tried to tag the base while in his mind having to avoid the catcher. I have two runs scored!

The proper spelling for someone who lost their balance is 'loses', not losses. This is not a loss.

Case play 1 is why they should change it to delayed dead ball

Watching this the night before my first sectional game and first 3 man game!

Why doesn't it include just a runner on first couldn't there still be a cheap double play?

I watched this before working my first 3-man game.

I used to umpire youth baseball, and we never used the "elbow" rule. Rather, we used the rule that if any white or gray was visible on the pitcher's arm, other than their uniform, it was a violation.