Base Umpire Positioning Guidelines

Position A

• Location:
  • In foul territory
  • Squared up to home plate
  • In a set position

Set Position Details:

• Feet slightly beyond shoulder width
• Arms locked but not rigid
• Thumbs inside the knees

Responsibilities:

• Monitoring:

  • Watch the pitcher
  • Watch for check swings to assist partner
  • Observe if any ball hits the batter (pitch or batted ball)
  • Watch for any ball that may go up and out of play

• Positioning Relative to First Baseman:

  • Normally 10 to 20 yards away
  • Positioned 12 feet behind the first baseman
  • If first baseman plays in front of the bag, maintain 10 to 12 feet distance from first base

Fair Foul Responsibility:

• Covers from the front edge of first base to the foul pole in right field
• This is the sole instance when the base umpire handles fair foul decisions