Quote:
Originally Posted by mbyron
If the point is that, by rule, a coach, who changes his mind after interrupting the game and coming out on the field, is not to be charged with a conference, then I disagree. An earlier post suggested that this is an official interpretation, but nothing so far in this thread substantiates this point.
The point of limiting defensive conferences is to limit interruptions to the game. If he's asked me to stop the game, then I'm within the letter and spirit of the rule to charge him with a conference, no matter how many words he has with his defense.
On the other hand, if the point is that it's within my discretion to choose not to charge a conference, given that the coach does not in fact confer with his players, then I'd agree with that.
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If a coach is walking out of his dugout and says, "Time, Blue" and you say "Time" and he walks 20 feet, and still has not entered fair territory, then says, "never mind, Blue," a whole maybe 5 to 10 seconds has expired. Wow, he's really interrupting the game! What, you gotta hot date? It is so NOT within the letter or spirit of the rule to charge a "conference" for this. Do you charge a conference when a runner asks for time to tie his shoe, too?
Truthfully, I can't remember a coach asking for time to talk to his pitcher and then changing his mind. But if the situation came up, and the coach immediately changed his mind about going out to the mound, I would never dream of being labeled as the dork who charged the guy a conference when no conference took place.
Look, the real point is this: The rule states clearly that a charged conference is "a meeting which involves the coach or his non-playing representative
and a player or players of the team." If this criteria is not met, it is not a charged conference, and how dare anyone call it one. It is not discretionary or subject to the umpire's whim. Notice it doesn't say, "requests time to meet with players," or something similar.
That is the real "letter" of the rule. The "spirit" of it says to follow that rule.