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Most experienced pitchers will wait for the batter to get ready. That experience comes from years of waiting because umpires have held up their hands. Now the pitcher has been trained and they don't need the umpire to hold them up.
The first thing I do is observe the pitcher. If she is going to wait, then I usually don't worry about it. But if she is anxious to pitch, then my hand is going up. When the batter steps in the box, I watch her eyes. When the eyes look up and focus on the pitcher I will drop my hand.
I will warn batters for excessive delay. It is not really a warning, but more of a command: "Let's go, batter!"
If the delays are becoming a problem, you do have time limits that can be enforced. In NFHS the batter has 20 seconds to get ready after the ball has been returned to the pitcher. ASA gives 10 seconds after the umpire has directed the batter to get ready. If you need to, enforce that rule and call a strike (no pitch is required) on the batter.
Whatever you do, never allow a pitcher to throw when the batter is not looking! Hold her up with your hand. Even if your hand is not up, if she starts to pitch, quickly jump out with hands up and yell NO PITCH!" If you don't stop her, at least you alerted the batter.
WMB
[Edited by WestMichBlue on Aug 1st, 2004 at 01:07 PM]
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