Calling Time Out

[Chris_Hickman]

Originally Posted by Tim C

I would contend that no umpire working "real" (there's that term again -- "real" -- I don't consider the Northern League or the Golden State League "real" minior league baseball) professional baseball would EVER turn his back to the infield and brush the plate without calling time . . .

I have done fill-in games at the Class A level and I have worked with minor league guys in college ball. I have seen them clean off the plate without calling time. Maybe back in the old days they did things different. Who knows. I think some people are making too big a deal of all this.

[DG]

1) Do you call time out when "fully" cleaning the plate,
2) Do you let infielders call "Time" when they complete a play and,
3) Do you call "Time" when a runner has made it safely into a base?

1) Yes, but I wait until all action has ceased, and never with a batter in the box.
2) No
3) Depends. If the defense still has a potential play I don't. Ex: runner just dived back to 1B on a pickoff. F3 is holding the ball on him, I generally tell F3 to throw the ball in and then time is not necessary.

[Tim C]

Whatever Chris, I simply disagree . . . I do not accept your comments. No minor league umpire turns his back on the field without calling "TIME!"

Call any instructor and ask . . . that's all I request. Have them e-mail their answer to me and if it supports your position I will post an apology.

BTW, I won't have to.

Regards,

[Chris_Hickman]

Tim, I am not going to e-mail guys I know to prove a point. I like to think that most of my posts consist of good common sense. But here is one. 2 man system... nobody on....trouble ball hit and base ump goes out. Plate guy takes BR into 2nd. Base ump gets back into the infield and plate guy jogs back to the plate area. I do not call time out to jog back into position unless the BR requests time to dust off or somethin'. My back is turned to the field. I see this all the time in the minors. Any thoughts?

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by Chris_Hickman

Tim, I am not going to e-mail guys I know to prove a point. I like to think that most of my posts consist of good common sense. But here is one. 2 man system... nobody on....trouble ball hit and base ump goes out. Plate guy takes BR into 2nd. Base ump gets back into the infield and plate guy jogs back to the plate area. I do not call time out to jog back into position unless the BR requests time to dust off or somethin'. My back is turned to the field. I see this all the time in the minors. Any thoughts?

We (and by "we," I mean the SDCBUA as a group, not you Justme ) were taught that it is neither necessary nor desirable to call Time to clean the dish, except with a runner at 3rd. This association frowns on the unnecessary, frivolous calling of Time, and this is an example of that. Good things can happen when the ball is alive (such as outs), and not many can happen when it is dead.

The same goes for the above example, there is no need to call Time, as long as at least one set of eyes is watching the action on the bases.

When I'm working the bases, and an umpire unnecessarily calls Time, I feel that he has no confidence in my ability to manage the action on the bases while he is briefly involved with the all-important task of removing a bit of dirt from the plate.

[Chris_Hickman]

Originally Posted by Steve

We (and by "we," I mean the SDCBUA as a group, not you Justme ) were taught that it is neither necessary nor desirable to call Time to clean the dish, except with a runner at 3rd. This association frowns on the unnecessary, frivolous calling of Time, and this is an example of that. Good things can happen when the ball is alive (such as outs), and not many can happen when it is dead.

The same goes for the above example, there is no need to call Time, as long as at least one set of eyes is watching the action on the bases.

When I'm working the bases, and an umpire unnecessarily calls Time, I feel that he has no confidence in my ability to manage the action on the bases while he is briefly involved with the all-important task of removing a bit of dirt from the plate.

Sounds like common sense to me!

[GarthB]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

We (and by "we," I mean the SDCBUA as a group, not you Justme ) were taught that it is neither necessary nor desirable to call Time to clean the dish, except with a runner at 3rd. This association frowns on the unnecessary, frivolous calling of Time, and this is an example of that. Good things can happen when the ball is alive (such as outs), and not many can happen when it is dead.

The same goes for the above example, there is no need to call Time, as long as at least one set of eyes is watching the action on the bases.

When I'm working the bases, and an umpire unnecessarily calls Time, I feel that he has no confidence in my ability to manage the action on the bases while he is briefly involved with the all-important task of removing a bit of dirt from the plate.

I believe, with runners on any base, both the Academy and PBUC instruct PU to call time when cleaning the plate. I realize that Proschool and PBUC may not be as prestigious as the SDCBUA, whatever the hell that is, but I doubt umpires will go far wrong by following what is taught at the professional level.

[bobbybanaduck]

you believe incorrectly

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by GarthB

I realize that Proschool and PBUC may not be as prestigious as the SDCBUA, whatever the hell that is

If you don't know of this umpire association, why don't you use some of your Mensa-level I.Q., and just Google SDCBUA to learn more about it. Your right, PBUC is probably not as prestigous. It certainly hasn't been in existence nearly as long, nor does it have the rich history that the SDCBUA has.

I know you are totally anal, Garth, but it really is unneccesary to call Time when cleaning the plate.

Hensley, you might call games with your brown eye, butt the rest of us don't. I believe that the base umpire would call those balks, pickoffs, steals, or whatever else could possibly occur during the 5-10 seconds it takes to clean the plate.

You people make it too hard.

Tee, I realize that you are a member of a fine group of umpires, and I never meant to imply in any way that San Diego umpires were any better than any others. Umpires are umpires.

If we all agreed on everything, it would sure be a boring forum.

[Dave Hensley]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

This association frowns on the unnecessary, frivolous calling of Time, and this is an example of that. Good things can happen when the ball is alive (such as outs), and not many can happen when it is dead.

This is certainly not a consistent instruction across baseball organizations. My high school association teaches no such thing. Little League has a published ruling that says time is out when the plate umpire cleans the plate.

I'm just trying to envision a runner "sneaking" a steal of 2B or 3B while the plate umpire is brushing the plate, action was otherwise relaxed, and then just before ejecting the defensive coach your explanation is "yes, I was ***-to-field, but I never called time and my partner was still watching."

You may think it's a "good thing" that you're allowing bases to be run, outs to be recorded - hey do you still call balks while brushing the plate, maybe using your brown eye? - but to me it's a practice that is simply an endorsement of bush league baseball. No thanks.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Dave Hensley

This is certainly not a consistent instruction across baseball organizations. My high school association teaches no such thing. Little League has a published ruling that says time is out when the plate umpire cleans the plate.

I'm just trying to envision a runner "sneaking" a steal of 2B or 3B while the plate umpire is brushing the plate, action was otherwise relaxed, and then just before ejecting the defensive coach your explanation is "yes, I was ***-to-field, but I never called time and my partner was still watching."

You may think it's a "good thing" that you're allowing bases to be run, outs to be recorded - hey do you still call balks while brushing the plate, maybe using your brown eye? - but to me it's a practice that is simply an endorsement of bush league baseball. No thanks.

Brown eye. Dammit Hensley, I almost spit coffee all over my laptop.

[Chris_Hickman]

Originally Posted by PWL

This makes no sense. Either you do it all the time, or you do it none of the time.

Ok...There is a difference. W/ R3, you got a guy 90 feet from ya in a direct line to the plate. With no guy on 3rd, you have a greater response time to help/observe you partner if a runner takes off. It could get real ugly if you are dusting the dish and R3 decides to take off. You have a catcher to deal with etc.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by PWL

This makes no sense. Either you do it all the time, or you do it none of the time.

With a runner at third, especially a really fast jackrabbit, he may see the umpire cleaning the plate as an opportunity to try to steal home, the one base where the PU is responsible for the action. The PU would be in the way of any attempt to make a play on this runner, while at 1st, 2nd, or 3rd base, the base umpire(s) would be there to make calls.

Let's face it...different associations teach different things. I'm sure there are other associations in my area (there are about a dozen) who teach the umpires to call Time when cleaning the plate.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by PWL

This makes no sense. Either you do it all the time, or you do it none of the time.

There are several mechanics that we have that depend on the position of the runners. IN SDS's group, this (calling, or not, time to brush the plate) is one of them.