[MD Longhorn]

13U not very good team in a not very good league.

Pitcher finishes warmups, throw down, ball back to pitcher. "Batter up!" I look over to batter - who is having some equipment issue with her chin strap. She finishes with the strap and stays near the dugout to talk to coach. I give a louder, "Batter up!" and start counting.

At 10, not wanting to be OOO in this very low level league, I say "Let's go batter". She hears me, takes two steps and stops, checking her shoes.

At 15, "Batter - let's get in the box!" Three more steps and turn around to ask 3BC something. "OK, Batter let's play."

She approaches the batters box, finally. Then stops 1 step short and looks down to the first base coach as if to get a sign. We're at least 30 seconds in now, I say, "Batter, get in the box now." She doesn't. I ring up a strike.

Coach says, "How can you do that to her - this is her first year!!!!"

Unspoken thoughts in my head... "Must be your first year too." "How'm I supposed to know that anyway ... or care." "Really - 4 warnings and more than 30 seconds is not enough to get into the freaking batters box???"

I just sigh and point to the pitcher when out of the stands comes, "You can't call that! She has the legal right to call time out!!!" Ugh.