Quote:
Originally posted by scyguy
This rule deals with failing to pitch or make or attempt a play within 20 seconds. But my question deals with the exception. The book says the pitcher may warm up by using not more than five throws, completed in one minute (timed from the third out of the previous half-inning). Now, there was alot of debate about the tossed glove issue. Some would choose not to enforce the two base award. Some said that the rule makes no sense to penalize the defense and that common sense should prevail. Therefore I wonder, how many of you enforce this one minute rule?? And if you do, do you carry a stop watch since wearing a wrist watch is not proper attire? If the defensive team does not warmup in one minute, what is the penalty? Do you penalize the defense when the catcher was on base to end the inning and cannot get his equipment on and out onto the field in one minute?
How do you guys deal with this?
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I leave this alone unless I have another reason to want to antagonize someone. According to my notes, the last time I enforced this rule was 1997. (You enforce it by stopping the warmups and telling the batter to get in the box). I got two ejections out of it which is what I really wanted. It was a FED game and the whole team was having a bad day and taking it out on the umpires. I decided it was time to unload a couple of guys and I did not want it to be over one of my calls.
Normally, if they are taking a long time, talk to the coach about hurrying them along. If the catcher was the last at bat, give him all the extra time he needs. The last thing you need is a pi$$ed off catcher.
When I was a player, it irritated me when an umpire got picky about this rule whether against our team or the other team. I immediately had no respect for the umpire. I did not know this term then, but in today's language, I thought of the umpire that enforced the 1 minute rule as an OOO.
Peter