defensive conferences
 

here is one for the group.

we all know a defense gets 3 charged timeouts in a high school game. Do you guys charge a time out everytime a catcher asks for time to walk out and say something to the pitcher?

Are you serious?

I don't let them abuse a good thing.

Rule 2, rule 2, rule 2. Can't properly apply the other rules without it!

2-10-1 A charged conference is a meeting which involves the coach or his non-playing representative and a player or players of the team. (emphasis added)

A conference cannot be charged if the catcher visits the pitcher. There are other tools in your bag to use if it becomes a problem.

DAMN-IT! I just spit my coffee all over the screen!! :D:D

Please tell us that you are a new umpire! :eek:

How many of them are 30 second timeouts?

That would seem to be in conflict with FED 2-10-1

A charged conference is a meeting which involves the coach or his
non-playing representative and a player or players of the team.

Now that's funny!

Thanks
David

I am certain I would charge a conference if coach came out to speak to the catcher and then he went to mound to speak to pitcher.

I'd charge a conference regardless of whether the catcher left the coach to speak to his pitcher or not.

Interesting you should say. I had a coach come out to speak to catcher this week, while a batter-runner who had just received BOB was on his way to 1B. No delay of game and no conference charged. But while this discussion was going on I was thinking that if the catcher goes to the pitcher I will charge a conference.

Why did you allow that to happen. DC on the field during live ball?

DG and mdtnblu, sounds like you are probably on the same page with a bit more communication. DG, you are supposed to charge a conference ANY time a HC confers with a defensive player who immediately goes to the pitcher. mdtnblu, a coach who chats with his catcher in this sit is OK IF there is no other runners to contend with. Assuming he did not cross the foul line and disrupt play. He may just be giving some encouraging words to his F2 or maybe working out some signaling issues. No delay, no worries. Don't look for boogers to pick.

I know the rules, for those that need to lighten up.

I hear coach's yelling instructions to catchers or signaling instructions and then the catcher call's time and walks to the mound. I have never called a conference, but i wondered how other officials handle what amounts to a mini conference once or twice an inning.

OK, then you should be able to answer your own question, if you reflect on the purpose of the defensive conference limitation. Why only 3 per game?

with all due respect Mbyron, How can I answer my own question????? I am asking YOU how you handle that situation..

Not true in HS. Any granted TO to confer with any defensive player is a charged conference, whether or not that player then goes to talk to the pitcher.

You would if, as Mbyron qualified his suggestions, you understand the purpose of the rule:

"OK, then you should be able to answer your own question, if you reflect on the purpose of the defensive conference limitation."

If you don't know why the rule exists, then you will need help of others.

OK, I guess I need to know more about your question: are you just taking a poll of what people do, or are you asking what the right approach is?

If the former, then you're right, there's no substitute for taking a poll. I apologize if I mistakenly assumed that you were asking the more interesting question.

I also apologize if all you want is for me to explain the rule to you. In my experience, when people figure things out for themselves they tend to understand it better and remember it longer.

Because I am not an OOO, and I get to decide what is an "unauthorized purpose" since the rule book does not. It was brief, did not delay the game, and I don't mind.

If a coach is coming onto the field prior to a BR reaching first base, I've got a stop sign until the BR reaches first (ball is still live). Then I've got "Time" if that is what the coach wants. Depending on his actions after that i may have a charged conference.

I just didn't understand why you would have a coach coming out talking to his catcher during a live ball.

Maybe i misunderstood your situation.

I am not saying the coach walks out on the field. But many times a coach or the head coach will signal or yell to the catcher information, inbetween batters. the catcher will all of a sudden ask for time and walk out to the pitcher. It is to relay information to the pitcher the same as the coach would.

we all know that a coach uses a conference to determine the status of the pitcher, talk about how to pitch the next batter or discuss a defensive philosophy based on runners on base.

If the catcher can call time to give out this information or relay to the pitcher something, the team has created a free conference.

I have never said anything, but I wondered how many of you handle an overuse of this process. and I guess the key word is overuse.

That's not a conference.

If there's "overuse" (and I can't imagine it), don't grant F2 time.