Introduction

This is the meat and potatoes of baseball three-umpire mechanics. When a batted ball leaves the infield umpires will:

Rotate,
Reverse Rotate (slide), or
Stay put...

Depending on the location of the runners at the time of pitch.

Understanding the two-umpire mechanic concepts when the plate umpire covers third and when the plate umpire stays home will make the rotations, reverse rotations, and staying puts of three-umpire mechanics easier to remember.

In these situations we can "box 'em in". With a third umpire often allows umpires the luxury of having one umpire in front of a runner and one umpire behind a runner - but not always!

Rotate

Just like 2-umpire mechanics the Plate umpire will cover initial plays at third base on a batted ball to the outfield when, at time of pitch:

Runner on 1st base only.
Runners on 1st base and 3rd base.
Runners on 1st and 2nd with less than two outs and a fly ball to the outfield.

In 3-umpire mechanics the plate umpire will rotate and COMMIT to third base in the 2-umpire situations above and when, at time of pitch:

Bases are empty and potential triple by the batter.
Runner on 3rd base only and potential triple by the batter.

Example

Runner on 1st base only. Base hit to the outfield. Plate umpire rotates to 3rd base and commits. Because the runner that started on 1st base did not go to 3rd base the 1st base umpire moves to the home plate side of 1st base and stays at 1st base with the batter runner while the 3rd base umpire stays will the runner at 2nd base.

Coverage and Movement of the Umpires When Rotating on a Batted Ball to the Outfield:

Plate Umpire:

Will COMMIT and STAY at 3rd base covering all plays at 3rd base.

1st Base Umpire:

Will rotate and commit to home plate and cover plays at home plate ONLY when the runner that advanced to 2nd base commits going to 3rd base.
If the runner that advanced to 2nd base does not go to 3rd, STAY with the batter-runner at first base.

3rd Base Umpire:

Cover plays at 2nd base if the runner that started at 1st base does not go to 3rd base.
If the runner that started at 1st base advances to 3rd base move and cover the batter-runner back at 1st base or coming into 2nd base.

Examples

Full rotation of base umpires with a play at 3rd base covered by plate umpire.

Full Rotation of base umpires with 1st base umpire covering home.

Full rotation of umpires with 1st base umpire covering home and a play at home.

Runner on 1st only. Batter hits a double scoring the runner from 1st base. Notice full rotation of the crew.

Reverse Rotate
(Slide)

The two base umpires will reverse-rotate (slide) and cover the bases accordingly on a batted ball that leaves the infield when, based on runner locations at time of pitch:

The plate umpire has to stay at home plate to cover plays at the 4th base (the land of promise) and
The 1st base umpire is at 1st base, based on runner locations at time of pitch.

Plate umpire has to stay at home, 1st base umpire is at 1st and 3rd base umpire is inside, when, at time of pitch:

Runners on 1st and 2nd and a base hit or two outs and a fly ball.
Runners on 1st, 2nd and 3rd (bases loaded).

Coverage and Movement of the Umpires when Reverse-Rotating (sliding) on a batted ball to the outfield:

Plate Umpire:

Will stay at home watching touches of home and 3rd base.

1st Base Umpire:

Will move (slide) inside of the diamond staying with the batter-runner at first or taking the batter-runner into 2nd base.

3rd Base Umpire:

Will move to the working area between 2nd and 3rd taking runners into 2nd and 3rd base, and taking the batter-runner into 3rd base only.
You have to remember the 1st base umpire will be taking the batter-runner into 2nd so move to an area near 3rd base in case the batter-runner tries for 3rd base so there are not two umpires covering a play at 2nd base.

The reason some umpires call it the slide is the 1st base umpire "slides" inside the diamond pushing the 3rd base umpire over to the 2nd/3rd base working area.

Example

Notice the 1st Base Umpire "slides" into the inside of the diamond taking the batter-runner into 2nd. The 3rd base umpire takes runners in to 3rd base.

Staying Put

The base umpires will not rotate but will "stay put" when, based on runner locations at time of pitch:

When the plate umpire has to stay home to cover plays at the 4th base (the land of promise),
The 1st base umpire is inside, and
The 3rd base umpire at 3rd base.

Plate umpire has to stay at home, 1st base umpire is inside and 3rd base umpire is at 3rd base, when, at time of pitch:

Runner on 2nd base only.
Runners on 2nd and 3rd base only.

Coverage and Movement of the Umpires when to STAY PUT on a batted ball to the outfield:

Plate Umpire:

Will stay at home watching touches of home.

1st Base Umpire:

Will move to the working area between 1st and 2nd watching touches of and covering plays at 1st and 2nd base.

3rd Base Umpire:

Will move to the outside of the diamond near 3rd base watching touches of 3rd base and be ready for any plays at 3rd base.
- DO NOT get happy feet and move inside the diamond.

Examples

Runner on 2nd base only. Base hit to Right Center. Notice movement of 3rd base umpire to watch the runner on 2nd touch 3rd base. Also notice 1st base umpire moving over to cover batter-runner at first base. 3rd base umpire moves in too early, however in advance mechanics this is ok and now we have two umpires boxing in the one runner.

Runner on 2nd base only and base hit to Left for a double. Notice movement of 3rd base umpire to watch runner on 2nd touch 3rd. Also notice movement of 1st base umpire, initially he's covering the fly ball but once it is not caught he turns to pick up battter-runner coming into 2nd base. The plate umpire in this situation will watch the batter-runner touch 1st base from the plate (yes 90 feet away).

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