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Old Mon Jul 14, 2003, 08:51am
Bluefoot Bluefoot is offline
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Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 209
I had four-game stint, Men's ASA SP, yesterday morning. The first game was scheduled at 8:30 am, the last at 12:15 pm. Although 1:15 is scheduled per each game, there is no time limit. Miraculously, the third game was over and both game 3 teams had cleared out of their dugouts by 12:23 pm. The home team for game 4 was warmed up and ready to play at that time. The game 4 away team had been warming up in the parking lot behind the left field fence for nearly half an hour and begins strolling down the line to their dugout. I tell the coach that his leadoff batter has two minutes to get in the batter's box or I will start calling strikes (as opposed to a forfeit). He says that he does not have his lineup made out yet and needs more time. I tell him that the game has a 12:15 scheduled start, it's now 12:25, and he should have had his team ready 10 minutes ago. Now I don't want to be a jerk, but I don't want to wait all day for them either.

In this same game, the same team changed pitchers between innings. The new pitcher is out there for a while before the catcher appears to warm him up. After 2 warm up pitches, I say play ball. The pitcher says that he gets 3 pitches. And I tell him that he gets one minute max (I had allowed more since he was a new pitcher). He says that he had to wait for his catcher. I tell him that that's his problem. He throws another warm up pitch. I call ball one.

In general, the players complain that it's a Sunday morning Class C Beer League and things should not be so strict. I tell every team in pre-game, that except for each league's own unique rules, that I am calling the game under ASA rules, and that's what I do.

Any thoughts or suggestions to handle these situations? Or do you think that am I making a situation our of something I shouldn't? I think it's important to be consistent in applying and enforcing the rules, as I've been hired to do.
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