[PeteBooth]

Depending upon the area in which you live (I'm from NY), this thread might be ludicrous, but IMO the games today in general are taking way too long.

What makes matter's worse at least in NY is we have no Gong rule better known as the Mercy rule. There is a 15 run limit for Modified, Freshman and JV but no such animal for Varsity.

Yesterday's JV game took 3 hours and 15 minutes to complete but just as easily could have been 4 hours and change. I did everything I could to move the game along ie; calling strikes on batters leaving the box. etc., but these kids were just plain lethargic, F1 couldn't pitch in LL minors let alone HS and F2 well let's just say I thought I was back in HS playing Dodge Ball.

It was really amazing because this week in NY the weather finally broke and it was great baseball weather compared to last week's frigid Temps.

In addition at one of the fields I was at this past week, there was other activity going on at the school and I was shooting the breeze with some LaCross officials. I asked them what other sports they officiated and they rattled off a few which did not include baseball. I asked them whether or not they thought about officiating baseball and they gave me a quick and EMPHATIC resposne - NO and pointed to their watches meaning if a sport isn't TIMED I'm not officiating it.

Now, there are a few schools who have really good programs from modified right thru Varsity and whenever one is assigned those particular schools it brings a smile to one's face, but those are too far and few between

The other paradox that I find is that there are certain sites which have a drop dead Time Limit on them because of scarsity of fields. in othere words, the game starts at 4 PM and the Teams have to be off the Field by 6:15 PERIOD. However, strangely enough those games are almost always completed in time.

IMO, a 7 inning game should not take longer than 2 hours and 15 minutes to complete. There's simply NO EXCUSE for not hustling on and off the field. F1 throws strikes and the fielders field their positions properly.

Some of my friends have actually switched from Boys Basbeall to girls softball. The games are completed in roughly 1 hr to 1 hr and 15 minutes. In addition, these individuals umpire other softball leagues and one of my friends made a good peace of change officiating a Weekend Softball Tournament. Also, Summer softball is picking up also. There is a Girls Program in my area called Diamond Dolls plus other men's and women's leagues.

If you take our HOURLY rate it isn't all they great. I know we are not in it for the money but the money does help. Perhaps the "TIMED" aspect of baseball is another reason there is a general lack of HS Officials.

We talk about rules specifically the new FED appeal rule but if I could have my wish I would like ONE REGULATORY change and that is HS Games should be TIMED.

My freinds keep asking me to try Softball plus some of the other TIMED Sports and one of these years I might take them up on their offer.

Pete Booth