1. TASO - Baseball
Houston Chapter
Four – Umpire Mechanics
NFHS
Special thanks to the Austin Chapter

2. The objectives of
4-umpire mechanics
• Have an umpire at every base or close to
every play
• Try to keep one umpire AHEAD of the lead
runner
• If possible, “box” the runner between three
umpires

3. D A
Field Umpire
Positions Left-Handed
batters
Right-Handed
batters
EE
AD
BC

4. Umpire Positions
NO Runners
E

5. Umpire Positions
Runner on First
Position to get a view of the pitcher
off the left shoulder after the
runners primary lead

6. Umpire Positions
Runners on
First & Second

7. Umpire Positions
Runners on
First & Third

8. Umpire Positions
Bases Loaded

9. Umpire Positions
Runner on Second

10. Umpire Positions
Runners on
Second & Third

11. ANYTIME
there is a runner on
1st
or 2nd
……..
U3 will be INSIDE
(in B or C)

12. Umpire Positions
Runner on Third
If U3 goes out
there will be a
rotation

13. With NO RUNNERS or a
Runner on 3rd
ONLY
U3 will be in E

14. CHECK SWINGS
• Go to the “Open” umpire
– U2 for RIGHT handed batters
– U4 for LEFT handed batters

15. Fly Ball Coverage
Someone goes out on
EVERY fly ball ------
Except for obvious
‘cans of corn’

16. If you GO OUT
You STAY OUT

17. Fly Ball Coverage
U3 is OUT
(in E or G)

18. Fly Ball Coverage
U3 is IN
(in F)

19. Fly Ball Coverage
When U3 is inside (in B or C)
He STAYS inside
U3 does NOT go out for a fly
ball, leave that to U2 and U4

20. INFIELD
Catch / No Catch
U3 is OUT
(in E)
P
SS
3B
2B
1B

21. INFIELD
Catch / No Catch
U3 is IN
(in B or C)
P
SS
3B
2B
1B

22. Fair / Foul
Coverage

23. Positioning for
calling plays at
1st
Base
When there is a
possible play at
1st
Base
Clean base hit to
outfield……
watch runner touch
first, then rotate Home
Pickoff
Plays
“SLIDE”
Come in and make
your pivot
Reverse Rotation

24. Positioning for
calling plays at
2nd
Base
Runner advancing
from 1st
base
Runner
returning to
2nd
base

25. Positioning for
calling plays at
3rd
Base
Pickoff
Plays
All plays at
3rd
on
runners after
base hit

26. U3 is the “KEY”
for rotation when
U3 is OUT
(E)

27. U4 is the “KEY”
for rotation when
U3 is IN
(B or C)
If U4 goes out
there will be a
rotationreverse
rotation

28. No Runners
Base Hit

29. No Runners
Hit to Infield

30. If ANY umpire goes out
on a fly ball………
Revert to
THREE-UMPIRE Mechanics

31. No Runners
U3 goes OUT

32. No Runners
U2 goes OUT

33. No Runners
U4 goes OUT

34. Runner on 1st
U2 goes OUT

35. Runner on 1st
U4 goes OUT

36. Runner on 3rd
Fly Ball to Left –
less than 2 outs
Use 3rd
base side
whenever there is a
runner on 3rd
only

37. Runner on 3rd
Fly Ball to Center –
less than 2 outs

38. No Matter What Happens…..or
Who misses a rotation
FILL THE HOLE !!!
We can talk about missed
coverage later……….but
SOMEONE has to MAKE THE CALL