How about this one....from a D1 game yesterday. Runners on 2nd and 3rd. DEEP fly to CF on a windy day. CF looks like he is beat....turns and runs on a full sprint toward the fence....and makes a tremendous over the head, back handed catch. 2B umpire is about 25 feet out in the grass and calls the OUT. Both runners had left so early that everyone in the place noticed. The runner from 2B actually stopped about 15' toward 3B when the catch was made...hesitated like he was going to go back and then just kept going. Runner from 3B was almost at home when the catch was made. This would have been 3rd out. Defensive team appeals to 2B. 2B umpire calls him safe....which he couldn't have seen as he was 25' out in the grass and made the OUT call on the catch. Umpires don't even confer....2B ump tells defense that runner is safe and play continues.
1. How do 3 umpires miss 2 guys blatantly leaving early
2. How does 2B ump make a call as to whether or not a runner on 2B that was directly behind him, left early or not...as he was watching a guy 200' away make a running catch at the wall??
Luckily it didn't matter...only one run scored in the inning...but it was a strange play all the way around.