nobody called timeout!!!

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by rei

Really? I quit calling time to clean the plate years ago! I see no reason to do so! My partner can handle the bases for a few seconds without my assistance! I consider guys that DO call time every time to be "Smitty's" because it seems that only a Smitty feels the need to kill the ball to do a bit of sweeping UNLESS he is working by himself. In that case, indeed, it would be very prudent to call time to clean the plate, although truthfully, I probably still wouldn't.

The play DOES stand. I have never seen anything anywhere that requires the umpire to call time to clean the plate. If the defense is not situation aware, that is not my problem.

rei:

If I am your partner and I am the BU, you can be sure that no base runner will be advancing because the ball is DEAD!! And if the offensive coach wants to have a conference with a runner he is going to have to request a TIMEOUT from either me or you. I am not going to let any play be made while you are cleaning the plate.

MTD, Sr.

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

rei:

If I am your partner and I am the BU, you can be sure that no base runner will be advancing because the ball is DEAD!! And if the offensive coach wants to have a conference with a runner he is going to have to request a TIMEOUT from either me or you. I am not going to let any play be made while you are cleaning the plate.

MTD, Sr.

That is great! And around these parts, if we had the situation described, and you dealt with it like that, it would be the last time we would be working together, and that wouldn't be a good thing for you! I would imagine that after the call to the commissioner about how you sent a runner back, WHO LEGALLY STOLE A BASE WHILE THE BALL WAS LIVE, you would be doing a lot of JV ball.

And by the way, our commissioner here is a 40 year umpire veteran, past PAC-10 umpires, and current PAC-10 evaluator, and is the one that told me years ago "Don't kill the ball to clean the plate numbnutz. Let your partner keep an eye on things".

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by rei

That is great! And around these parts, if we had the situation described, and you dealt with it like that, it would be the last time we would be working together, and that wouldn't be a good thing for you! I would imagine that after the call to the commissioner about how you sent a runner back, WHO LEGALLY STOLE A BASE WHILE THE BALL WAS LIVE, you would be doing a lot of JV ball.

rei:

Let me get this straight, R1 is on third and you get out in front of home plate with your tuchus facing the F1. R1 comes running home and touches home while you are cleaning the plate. F1 just stands there on the mound with the ball in his hand because he does not want to drill you in the tuchus. Oh boy, I do not know if I want to be around for that fun the ensues after you tell F1's coach the that run counts. Then again, I just might tell F1 to go ahead an pitch so you truely will be a numb nuts.

MTD, Sr.

[JJ]

With runners on base I call time to clean the plate. It uses the same amount of time than if I wouldn't call time, and it heads off something happening behind my back that may need my input to sort out.
I also call time with runners on base to change baseballs.
I also call time with runners on base when a pinch hitter comes up.
Of course, others do things differently, and they are not necessarily wrong. I use what works for me, and it's worked very well.

JJ

[LMan]

To follow this logic, then there's no need to raise your hand before you exchange baseballs w F2 after a 'dirt' ball, since it will only take an instant. Yet the pros always raise their hand...hmmmmm.

This is just a risk/reward thing for me. Takes no more time to raise my hand ever so briefly, yet any TWP on an advance is forestalled, no questions asked. So little effort, yet potentially huge reward...esp when one's BU quality can be, shall we say, 'variable.'

Small price to pay for being thought a Smitty by the 0.0000001% of specs who would actually think this. If that's the only Smittyism someone could hang on me at a FED game, I'd take it to the bank and thank them kindly.

Im all for "less Smitty-more pro," but this would have to be a small exception that proves the rule for me.

[bobbybanaduck]

Originally Posted by LMan

To follow this logic, then there's no need to raise your hand before you exchange baseballs w F2 after a 'dirt' ball, since it will only take an instant. Yet the pros always raise their hand...hmmmmm.

that's because there is a new ball being put into play. the friggen ball is dead when the umpire handles it, so they call time before handling it. 5.10e.

[SAump]

Originally Posted by MRD

Federation. Runners on 2nd and 1st. Two man crew. Plate ump takes his mask off , turns hus rump to the pitcher and proceeds to whisk off the plate. Runner on 2nd calmly strolls over to 3rd base as iff to talk to the coach. When he gets there he stays on the bag. Defensive coach screems that he has to go back to 2nd because plate ump had his back turned so time was automatically out. Umps allow runner to remain. what do you think?

What I think?
Coaches say the darndest things.
Live ball!
Two man crew.
BU in C position.
Offense doesn't request time.
Defense doesn't request time.
Neither ump grants time.
Coach should coach.

[ozzy6900]

Originally Posted by MRD

Federation. Runners on 2nd and 1st. Two man crew. Plate ump takes his mask off , turns hus rump to the pitcher and proceeds to whisk off the plate. Runner on 2nd calmly strolls over to 3rd base as iff to talk to the coach. When he gets there he stays on the bag. Defensive coach screems that he has to go back to 2nd because plate ump had his back turned so time was automatically out. Umps allow runner to remain. what do you think?

If I see my partner going to dust off the plate, I am going to make sure that nothing, NOTHING happens on the bases! Where the hell was this guy's partner? Then to allow the play to stand? Yeah, just a couple of Smitties here!

[bobbybanaduck]

show me ONE umpire manual that says to call time when cleaning the plate. i wish you luck.

[jicecone]

Originally Posted by bobbybanaduck

show me ONE umpire manual that says to call time when cleaning the plate. i wish you luck.

Show me one that says you can't.

[bobbybanaduck]

Originally Posted by jicecone

Show me one that says you can't.

i can't, but ask one of the numerous guys on here that have been to one of the schools and they'll tell you the same thing. do not call time to clean the plate. unless you are using a friggen vacuum, it should take all of 2 seconds to do. get in, swipe 5 or 6 times, get out. if cleaning the plate is taking so much of your time that you are risking missing something on the field, you're being lazy. do it faster. if you have a situation where the plate is completely covered after a slide, or maybe it's raining and there's mud all over it, sure, maybe you're going to need 10 or more seconds to do it. in that case i wouldn't have a problem calling time to do it cuz there is going to be a significant amount of time spent dealing with it. a 2 second project does not warrant calling time, turning your lazy butt around, diligently swiping every speck off, strolling back behind the plate, waiting for everyone to get ready again and then putting it back in play. you've turned that 2 second deal into 30-45 wasted seconds. you call it pro-active, i call it an unnecessary waste of time.

i've said this before (though i don't remember if it was this site or one of the other ones) that you guys have a tremendous resource in former pro guys and former pro school instructors on here. there's always talk on here of being as professional as you can be when doing your job, so why not use this resource and strive to do things as they are taught at the schools? granted, there are some parts of the pro game that do not fit into amateur ball, but there are many, many things that do. these are simple things that we call "polish" when instructing and are universal to umpiring. this "situation" is one of them.

[DG]

Originally Posted by bobbybanaduck

show me ONE umpire manual that says to call time when cleaning the plate. i wish you luck.

Show me ONE that says not too ever do so.

There are obvious regional differences here, because this is standard around here to call time with runners on to dust the plate. That stops all the weird sh*t from happening, such as in this case posed.

[justanotherblue]

I can tell you at school, they teach NOT to call time for every little thing and or request. When the action is stoped, brush it off, quickly and efficently, you must enjoy those 3+ hour games for seven innings huh!

[Daryl H. Long]

Originally Posted by bobbybanaduck

show me ONE umpire manual that says to call time when cleaning the plate. i wish you luck.

2007-08 Umpire Manual. Page 19, #26 refers to the time when the umpire cleans the plate as "stopping play". A synonym of that phrase would be "suspending play".

Rule 5-2-1f. Time shall be called by the umpire and play is suspended when...the umpire suspends play for any other cause, including an award of a base after an infraction, or for inspection of the ball.

For any other cause includes cleaning the plate.

And the rule is clear...time shall be called. It is not an option