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Originally Posted by umpinill
Doesn't the rule book properly cover the amount of time that the defense or offense is allowed between pitches. Why would this change because one time is now trying to use their alloted time to "delay" the game? As an umpire I have seen all the tactics to delay a timed game. Do I allow the tactics, sure do as long as the rules allow me to put a stop to it at the proper time. I do not hurry up the game because team A now has to catch up in the final minutes of a game, team B has the same rights from the first pitch to last pitch of the game.
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I agree in general, but it is interesting that the intentional delay rule does not state that the tactics used to delay must be illegal, only that they be "noticeably designed to delay." (ASA 5-4-E)
While ASA has never gotten too close to the edge in providing interps for this rule, my interpretation has been what I noted above - doing normal things normally, where previous behavior during this game is one guide to what "normally" means. Sudden changes in behavior would seem to be "noticeable" - which is the standard of the rule.