Delay of game (rebuttal article)

[DG]

I counted about 15 seconds of wasted time in these 5 clips. If this is typical for 5 pitches then it is 3 seconds per pitch times 200 pitches = 10 minutes, just WASTED...

[JRutledge]

This is the reason games take a long time. I just tell the kid to stay in the box and they stay in the box. There is no reason for batters to step completely out of the box to take a sign. I remember I told people that many of my games took less than 2 hours and some did not believe me. It is stuff like this that keeps the games long. You do not have to be an *** about it, just tell the kids to stay in the box and they will listen.

Do not get me started about activity in between innings.

Peace

[David Emerling]

Originally Posted by DG

I counted about 15 seconds of wasted time in these 5 clips. If this is typical for 5 pitches then it is 3 seconds per pitch times 200 pitches = 10 minutes, just WASTED...

I don't think you watched the video very closely.

You can't just start your stopwatch whenever the batter is out of the batter's box. That is not what constitutes a delay.

It is only a delay when everybody is waiting for the batter and he is doing nothing other than taking practice swings, adjusting his gloves, or writing a letter.

I don't consider the time spent out of the batter's box, getting the sign, as a delay. That time is going to be spent one way or the other - even if one foot is in the batter's box.

Look at the video again and ask yourself this, "Is the batter getting the sign from the 3rd base coach? If not, is the battery ready to proceed?"

After the batter takes a pitch, do you really think the pitcher is going to pitch the ball immediately after the catcher throws it back to him?

No way!

The catcher is going to get situated ... look over at the coach ... watch the coach touch his ear, nose, ear, chin, nose, chin, ear. Generally, before that process is over, the batter is already back in the batter's box.

Seriously? You look at those 5 clips and you are convinced that the game would proceed had the batter not exited the box? You're seeing something completely different than what I'm seeing.

David Emerling
Memphis, TN