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".

[jicecone]

Originally Posted by rei

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".

Also ask your partner to remove the white thing from your orfice while telling the defensive coach his team has to be more cognizant of what is happening, yea right!!! (Thats truly having your partner cover your rear end)

Bob, when I stated that we would instruct our players to head for home when the ump was dusting the plate , they were 17-18 yrs olds, not LL.
Yes that meant we had Smitty's doing our game. For the most part though, there are a lot more smitty games out there than the high level games were things like this, generally don't happen like this. And those situations should also be covered.

For the most part though I agree, calling time should be kept to a minimum and a brush of the foot can be just as effective at times. But to say that this works all the time for all levels, is just NOT true.

If there is one thing for sure, always expect the unexpected.

[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.

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

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.

The ONLY time I call time to clean the plate is NEVER. I do not start cleaning the plate when action is still going on or has JUST ended. Usually, because I hustle and get to the spots I am supposed to be at, I have to walk to the plate, which is even MORE time to make sure all playing action is done. If when I walk up, the pitcher is on the mound with his foot on the rubber ( I have NEVER seen this in 23 years!) I would simply let play resume and call the plate I can see, if you catch my drift. I have NEVER had a pitcher try to pitch while I was cleaning the plate. IT JUST DOESN'T HAPPEN, and any umpire who HAS had that happen to them must have lost control of the game LONG before he needed to clean the plate, and probably lost the respect of every player long ago! While some may joke about possibly doing that, I doubt that ANY player I have umpired in the last several years would ever consider pitching while I am cleaning the plate.

If R3 decides to try to steal, I am a big boy and can see him coming and am fit enough to take a few steps out of the way before he can run that 90'. I will call the play, then probably clean the plate again, although sometimes that slide at home actually does the job for me!

Have fun doing JV.