Thanks for relaying this information.
I would like to see the issue of timed games be more specifically addressed.
I think there should be some examples (perhaps via casebook) of how the following two rules would be invoked:
ASA 5-4-E: A forfeited game shall be declared by the umpire in favor of the team not at fault in the following cases: If a team employs tactics noticeably designed to delay or to hasten the game.
What would be some examples of this?
ASA 10-1-L: The umpire will not penalize a team for any infraction of a rule when imposing the penalty would be an advantage to the offending team.
What would be some examples of this?
I also believe there should be a rule that says that time can never expire until the current batter's at-bat has concluded. In other words, there is no amount of stalling that can occur to eliminate the actions of the current batter. The "current batter's" turn at-bat begins the instant the previous batter's turn ends. So, time can not expire *between* batters. There must be ONE MORE batter before time can be considered to have expired. You can't call the game with the count 1-2 on the batter, for example.
This simple and easily enforceable provision would eliminate a lot of shenanigans that occur in timed games.
David Emerling
Memphis, TN
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