Batter refuses

[Ump29]

Situation - (OBR) 2 strikes on batter. Batter refuses to step back into box. Umpire tells pitcher to pitch. Batter steps back in and hits a single. Umpire calls batter out !! Correct call ??

[Delaware Blue]

Originally Posted by Ump29

Situation - (OBR) 2 strikes on batter. Batter refuses to step back into box. Umpire tells pitcher to pitch. Batter steps back in and hits a single. Umpire calls batter out !! Correct call ??

No and yes. The umpire got the correct call, but he got there the wrong way.

OBR no longer uses the "directed strike." But even under the old rule, once the umpire directed the pitcher to pitch, the batter could not step back in and attempt to hit the ball. So under the old rule the batter's action was not allowed.

Under the new OBR rule, if the batter refuses to get in the box, the umpire calls time and adds a strike to the batter's count. The ball is dead and no runners can advance. In your case there were already 2 strikes on the batter. The "penalty strike" would be strike three and time for the batter to sit down (or get tossed). Rule 6.02(c).

[johnnyg08]

so the batter stepping in and hitting would be nothing...dead ball strike three.

[Emperor Ump]

So how many times have you ordered a "directed strike"

I've only done it twice.

First time- I'd just ejected the offensive teams 1st base coach and another assistant, I get back behind the plate call the batter to the box, no response, I ask again even louder, no response, then "Strike 1!" that got his attention.

Second time - It was the second game of a double header my partner and I already switched out got some water and were ready to play we had the plate conference. I ended the same way I always do by saying, "Home team go ahead and take the field."

A minute or two later nothing, I holler over for them to hustle out to the field again, nothing. I walk over and tell the home coach I'm calling balls right now, and he needs to get his team on the field. (Its been almost 5 minuets from the end of the plate conference). Once they get out the pitcher is asking about warm up pitches, I tell them no warm ups its been too long already. I am about to award the first batter first base, when I summon the batter, the other coach hasn't even told his team his batting order. I was drop jawed. So the first batter came to the plate over 5 minuets after the end of the plate conference with a 3-2 count.

[PeteBooth]

Second time - It was the second game of a double header my partner and I already switched out got some water and were ready to play we had the plate conference. I ended the same way I always do by saying, "Home team go ahead and take the field."

A minute or two later nothing, I holler over for them to hustle out to the field again, nothing.

Do not know the protocol in your area for payment but in my area we get paid at the plate conference.

If it's a double dip normally they pay us for BOTH games in game number 1 at the plate conference.

Therefore, if either myself or my partner tells the team to take the field and NOTHING happens we simply start for the parking lot. THAT definitely gets THEIR attention and you'd be surprised how fast they take the field and get ready.

Pete Booth

[Emperor Ump]

In this particular instance we get paid in the concession stand after the completion of all our games. This league has no time limit, but we get another $5 for every half hour a game goes over 2:30. So in hind sight I should have just let them come out whenever they felt like it.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by Emperor Ump

So in hind sight I should have just let them come out whenever they felt like it.

Yeah, if your time is only worth ten bucks an hour!

[DG]

Originally Posted by PeteBooth

Therefore, if either myself or my partner tells the team to take the field and NOTHING happens we simply start for the parking lot. THAT definitely gets THEIR attention and you'd be surprised how fast they take the field and get ready.

Pete Booth

The last adult game I worked was 3-4 years ago, and was the first game of a double header, end of season tournament game, last game winner wins it all. It was 95 degrees at least and I worked bases for first game and was ready to start the second game after a 30+ minute break. These were 9 inning games too. One of the teams was ready and the other not, half of them were still 'at the store' as I was told. The coach was arguing with me about rushing them when they were not even there and eventually said the magic words... so I left, with my partner. Have not missed adult baseball since.