
4-Umpire Rotation and Responsibilities in Baseball and Softball
Learn about the key points and fundamentals of the four-umpire system in baseball and softball, including responsibilities, abbreviations, working areas, and play rotations. This guide provides insights into positioning, calls on routine plays, handling trouble balls, and more for a smooth and efficient umpiring experience on the field.
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4 UMPIRE ROTATION BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL Umpiring on the 60 Foot Diamond
Key Points Following are the key points of the Four Umpire System. The Plate Umpire will review these responsibilities with the crew at the pre-game meeting, incorporating any recent Lessons Learned or additional Points of Emphasis.
Definition of Abbreviations PU, U1, U2, U3 -Plate Umpire and Base Umpires B/R, R1, R2, R3--Batter/Runner, Base Runners at Time of Pitch F1 <-> F9--Standard Scorekeeping Notation for Fielders HP--Home Plate, 1B--First Base, 2B--Second Base, 3B--Third Base NRISP--No Runners in Scoring Position or RISP--Runners in Scoring Position CtB--Chest to Ball C/NC- Catch/No Catch F/F- Fair/foul
Locations B C Working Area A foul territory, right foot along the line, 12 -15 behind the first baseman B/C along the outfield grass, on either side of 2B, out of the batter s line of sight D foul territory, left foot along the line, just into the outfield grass PoP Point of Plate, 15 behind HP; 1BX/3BX First/Third Base Line Extended into Foul Ground Po1--Point of First Base, area around 1B in foul territory w/CtB Po3--Point of Third Base, area around 3B in foul territory w/CtB Library-That area about 2/3 the way to 3B in foul territory w/CtB Working Area- That area half way between the mound and second base w/CtB A D PO3 PO1 Library 3BX 1BX POP
Fundamentals 1. When a play is Routine, each umpire is responsible for all calls at their base. 2. On plays involving Trouble Balls, one umpire reads the situation and moves to the best angle/distance to make the call on the batted ball (C/NC, F/F, whether a ball has gone out of play, etc). The rotation is initiated by verbal and hand signals agreed to during the Pre-game Meeting. 3. Three positions in the course of each play: Starting, Reacting, Adjusted a. Starting--before the pitch position b. Reacting--initial movement based on reading the ball and the need to rotate c. Adjusted follow-on movement after the rotation is completed required to achieve best position for a call 4. U2's area of responsibility extends from the left fielder to the right fielder; U1/U3 will cover the wings
Fundamentals 5. If two umpires initially take a Trouble Ball, the crew will defer to U2; the other umpire will recover and rotate. 6. When one umpire commits to cover a Trouble Ball, the three remaining umpires move to provide the best Reacting position (the "normal rotated" position called for by the runners and location of the ball) and Adjusted position (based on how the play develops) to cover the play. NOTE: Trouble Balls include any Fly Ball where: a. two or more fielders converging b. fielder making the play has his back to HP or is heading towards a fence c. catch expected to be made below the knee d. ball may hit the fence in the air or on bounce e. question of fair/foul
Basics for the Four Umpire System NRISP If U1 or U3 go out, PU covers the base vacated. If a play develops at HP, the umpire covering 1B vacates and covers HP. Other umpires adjust to ensure best coverage. If U2 goes out, the crew rotates clockwise (PU->3B, U3->2B and U1 covers B/R and 1B; if a play develops at HP, U1 releases to HP. Other umpires adjust to ensure best coverage. RISP PU is locked to Home Plate. If U1 or U3 go out, U2 slides within the working area to cover the base vacated and 2B, giving priority to the lead base. If U2 goes out, U3 comes inside, pivots and covers 2B/3B by executing a slide movement.
NO RUNNERS ON BASE U1 @ A, U2 @ B/C, U3 @D
Ball Hit and Fielded in the Infield U2 Ball Hit and Fielded in the Infield PU clears F2 and trails B/R for lane violation and back up U1 on pulled foot/swipe tag U1 reads the ball and establishes angle to make potential call at 1B U2 goes CtB from the outside and anticipates break down at 1B U3 comes down the line to Po3 U1 U3 PU
Ball Hit and Fielded in the Infield U2 U1 U3 PU
Ball Hit and Fielded in the Outfield U2 Ball Hit through the Infield or a Routine Hit to the Outfield PU clears F2, comes out 15-20 in direction of the ball and goes CtB U1 reads the ball and comes to Po1; observes B/R touch and play around 1B U2 reads the ball and comes into Working Area if needed; go CtB and glance at B/R U3 reads the ball, comes down the line to Po3 U1 U3 PU
Ball Hit and Fielded in the Outfield U2 U1 U3 PU
Routine Fly Ball to the Outfield (No one goes out) U2 Routine Fly Ball to the Outfield (No one goes out) PU clears F2, comes out 15-20 in direction of the ball to rule on F/F and C/NC U1 reads the ball and comes to Po1; observes B/R touch and play around 1B U2 reads the ball and comes into Working Area; go CtB and glance at B/R U3 comes down the line to Po3 U1 U3 PU
Routine Fly Ball to the Outfield (No one goes out) U2 U1 U3 PU
Trouble Ball to the Outfield (U2 goes) U2 Trouble Ball to the Outfield (U2 goes) U2 reads the ball, goes out and rules on C/NC U3 comes to the Working Area to pick up 2B and assumes 1B if U1 goes to HP PU clears F2 and comes to Po3 and goes CtB; adjust as the play at 3B requires U1 comes to Po1 and sees B/R touch and play around 1B; if B/R commits to 2B, release and move to PoP to assume all plays at HP U1 U3 PU
Trouble Ball to the Outfield (U2 goes) U2 U1 U3 PU
Trouble Ball to the Outfield (U1 goes) U2 Trouble Ball to the Outfield (U1 goes) U1 reads the ball, goes out and rules on F/F and C/NC PU clears F2 coming up the line for B/R touch/plays at 1B; return to HP if B/R goes to 2B U2 comes to the Working Area, responsible for 2B; assumes 1B, if PU goes to HP U3 comes down the line to Po3 U1 U3 PU
Trouble Ball to the Outfield (U1 goes) U2 U1 U3 PU
Trouble Ball to the Outfield (U3 goes) U2 Trouble Ball to the Outfield (U3 goes) U3 reads the ball, goes out and rules on F/F and C/NC PU clears F2 and comes to Po3/Library and goes CtB; adjust as the play at 3B requires U1 reads the ball, sees B/R touch and plays at 1B; move to HP if B/R goes to 2B U2 comes to the Working Area, responsible for 2B U1 U3 PU
Trouble Ball to the Outfield (U3 goes) U2 U1 U3 PU
RUNNER ON FIRST BASE U1 @ A, U2 @ B, U3 @D
Ball Hit and Fielded in the Infield U2 Ball Hit and Fielded in the Infield PU clears F2 and trails B/R for lane violation and back up U1 on pulled foot/swipe tag U1 reads the ball and establishes angle to make potential call at 1B U2 reads the ball and sets up for play at 2B working to get look at ball, glove and R1 U3 comes down the line to Po3 to observe plays at 2B and 1B U1 U3 R1 PU
Ball Hit and Fielded in the Infield U2 U1 U3 R1 PU
Routine Ball Hit and Fielded in the Outfield U2 Ball Hit through the Infield or a Routine Hit to the Outfield PU clears F2, comes out 15-20 in direction of the ball and goes CtB U1 reads the ball and comes to Po1; observes B/R touch and play around 1B U2 reads the ball and comes into Working Area; go CtB and see touch/plays at 2B U3 reads the ball and comes down the line to Po3 anticipating R1 advance U1 U3 R1 PU
Ball Hit and Fielded in the Outfield U2 U1 U3 R1 PU
Routine Fly Ball to the Outfield (No one goes out) U2 Routine Fly Ball to the Outfield (No one goes out) PU clears F2, comes out 15-20 in direction of the ball to rule on F/F and C/NC U1 reads the ball and comes to Po1; observes R1 re-touch, B/R touch and play around 1B U2 reads the ball and comes into Working Area; go CtB and see touch/plays at 2B U3 comes down the line to Po3 observing plays at 2B and 1B U1 U3 R1 PU
Routine Fly Ball to the Outfield (No one goes out) U2 U1 U3 R1 PU
Trouble Ball to the Outfield (U2 goes) U2 Trouble Ball to the Outfield (U2 goes) U2 reads the ball, goes out and rules on C/NC U3 comes to the Working Area to pick up R1 coming into 2B and plays at 2B; assumes 1B coverage, if U1 goes to HP PU clears F2 and comes to Po3/Library; adjust as the play at 3B requires U1 comes to Po1 and sees R1 re- touch, B/R touch and play around 1B; if B/R commits to 2B, release and move to PoP to assume all plays at HP U1 U3 R1 PU
Trouble Ball to the Outfield (U2 goes) U2 U1 U3 R1 PU
Trouble Ball to the Outfield (U1 goes) U2 Trouble Ball to the Outfield (U1 goes) U1 reads the ball, goes out and rules on F/F and C/NC PU clears F2 coming up the line for R1 re-touch, B/R touch and plays at 1B; return to HP if B/R commits to 2B U2 comes to the Working Area, goes CtB and has all plays at 2B and assumes 1B coverage when PU returns to PoP U3 comes down the line to Po3 anticipating R1 s advance to 3B U1 U3 R1 PU
Trouble Ball to the Outfield (U1 goes) U2 U1 U3 R1 PU
Trouble Ball to the Outfield (U3 goes) U2 Trouble Ball to the Outfield (U3 goes) U3 reads the ball, goes out and rules on F/F and C/NC PU clears F2 and comes to Po3/Library; adjust as the play at 3B requires U1 reads the ball, sees R1 re- touch, B/R touch/plays at 1B; move to HP if B/R goes to 2B U2 comes to the Working Area, goes CtB and has all plays at 2B and assumes 1B coverage, if U1 goes to HP U1 U3 R1 PU
Trouble Ball to the Outfield (U3 goes) U2 U1 U3 R1 PU
RUNNER ON THIRD BASE U1 @ A, U2 @ B/C, U3 @D
Ball Hit and Fielded in the Infield U2 Ball Hit and Fielded in the Infield PU clears F2 and goes 1BX to see R3 touch HP; help U1 on pulled foot/swipe tag U1 reads the ball and establishes angle to make potential call at 1B U2 reads the ball from the outside and goes CtB U3 comes down the line to Po3 to observe plays at 3B U1 U3 R3 PU
Ball Hit and Fielded in the Infield U2 U1 U3 R3 PU
Ball Hit and Fielded in the Outfield U2 Ball Hit through the Infield or a Routine Hit to the Outfield PU clears F2 and goes to 1BX to see R3 touch HP; help U1 on pulled foot/swipe tag U1 reads the ball and comes to Po1; observes B/R touch and play around 1B U2 reads the ball and comes into Working Area; go CtB and cover plays at 2B U3 reads the ball and comes down the line to Po3 and has plays at 3B U1 U3 R3 PU
Ball Hit and Fielded in the Outfield U2 U1 U3 R3 PU
Routine Fly Ball to the Outfield (No one goes out) U2 Routine Fly Ball to the Outfield (No one goes out) PU clears F2, sets up to rule on F/F and C/NC from behind HP and has plays at HP U1 reads the ball and comes to Po1; observes B/R touch and play around 1B U2 reads the ball and comes into Working Area; go CtB and has plays at 2B U3 comes down the line to Po3, observing R3 re-touch at 3B and plays at 3B U1 U3 R3 PU
Routine Fly Ball to the Outfield (No one goes out) U2 U1 U3 R3 PU
Trouble Ball to the Outfield (U2 goes) U2 Trouble Ball to the Outfield (U2 goes) U2 reads the ball, goes out and rules on C/NC U1 comes PO1 seeing B/R touch 1B and plays around 1B; U3 comes to Working Area, has plays on BR at 2B and any follow on plays at 3B on B/R PU clears F2 has re touch of R3 at 3B and has plays at HP U1 U3 R3 PU
Trouble Ball to the Outfield (U1 goes) U2 Trouble Ball to the Outfield (U1 goes) U1 reads the ball, goes out and rules on F/F and C/NC U2 comes to the Working Area, seeing B/R touch at 1B and assumes plays at 2B/1B U3 comes down the line to Po3, has R3 re-touch at 3B and any follow on plays at 3B PU clears F2 and has plays at HP U1 U3 R3 PU
Trouble Ball to the Outfield (U1 goes) U2 U1 U3 R3 PU
Trouble Ball to the Outfield (U3 goes) U2 Trouble Ball to the Outfield (U3 goes) U3 reads the ball, goes out and rules on F/F and C/NC PU clears F2 and sets up to observe R3 re-touch at 3B from behind HP; has plays at HP U1 reads the ball, sees B/R touch and plays at 1B U2 comes to the Working Area, goes CtB and has all plays at 3B/2B, except re-touch of R3 at 3B U1 U3 R3 PU
Trouble Ball to the Outfield (U3 goes) U2 U1 U3 R3 PU
RUNNER IN SCORING POSITION (R2, R1/R2, R1/R3, R2/R3, R1/R2/R3) U1 @ A, U2 @ C, U3 @D
Ball Hit and Fielded in the Infield U2 Ball Hit and Fielded in the Infield PU clears F2 and goes 1BX to cover HP; help U1 on pulled foot/swipe tag and adjusts for follow on plays at home U1 reads the ball and establishes angle to make potential call at 1B U2 reads the ball from the outside and goes CtB covering all plays at 2B U3 comes down the line to Po3 to observe plays at 3B R2 U1 U3 R3 PU
Ball Hit and Fielded in the Infield U2 R2 U1 U3 R3 PU
Ball Hit and Fielded in the Outfield U2 Ball Hit through the Infield or a Routine Hit to the Outfield PU clears F2 and goes 1BX to cover HP U1 reads the ball and comes to Po1; observes B/R touch and play around 1B U2 reads the ball and comes into Working Area if needed; go CtB and covers plays at 2B U3 reads the ball and comes down the line to Po3 and has plays at 3B U1 U3 R3 R1 PU
Ball Hit and Fielded in the Outfield U2 U1 U3 R3 R1 PU