In exhibition tournaments I've seen "slow pitch" related rules where you put a runner on second base, 1 out, modify the beginning count...these are good rules, esp for keeping the tournament on schedule.

Yeah, by using the phrase "no new inning," which you didn't mention, so I'll assume that's not in effect in the games you're discussing.

Around here, all the rec leagues, including AAU, are timed, and so are the adult games. Maybe another of our guys will correct me if I'm wrong - I know they're out there - but to my recollection, nearly all of them say "no new inning after X:XX" Some also include a drop-dead time, and some completely bollock-up the wording with other clauses that introduce confusion, but it's mostly the no new inning thing.

Me, if the HT is winning when we hit that time-limit, then we're done. I've known others to say you should still play that out, but to me, it's the same as the winning run being scored in bottom-7, or bottom-9 - the VT can't come back to win, since they can't start the next inning, so we're done.

My main b--ch about time limit games is the complete lack of reality by the leagues. If they have 2, 3, whatever, 2:00 games they want played, can you guess how they schedule them? Right - at 10:00, 12:00, 14:00, etc. (Remember, it's "no new inning after 2:00") It'd be one thing if they were new umpire crews every game, so he could "change lines" like hockey, but you just get behind. Which puts pressure on the umpires to get the next game rolling, but we're trying to get back to the cars to change. Oy.....

Then I think when your assigner works w/ the tournament director, he needs to tell them to schedule a transition time for the umpires. Around here, they always schedule time between games to at least drag the field. I don't think the umps should ever be pressured to "hurry" because a game ran long...I think they need to respect the fact that they're running late but I think it probably end there.

This isn't just for tourneys, though. This is for all rec-ball; most of the leagues around here don't any have sense of perspective. On the other hand, in Pony, at least, the time-limit is age-group dependent. (The younger levels are 1:30, 1:40, and such.) So I think they put it at 2 hours generically to cover it all.

Most teams get it. And we try to tell the incoming teams that we're the crew for the next game, and we have to get changed. But another guy in my association told me he and his partner were approached at their car by some nitwit coach Saturday because it was 11:20, and "uh, we're supposed to start at 11:00." Duh, coach.

I hear you but depending upon how many games each crew has it's possible to limit the change-overs.

Say you and your partner are scheduled for 4 games. Each of you is going to do 2 plates, therefore, you only need one change-over.


If you only have the 2 games then perhaps you can work it out where you take the 2 plates on say Saturday and your partner takes the 2 plates on Sunday.

Bring plenty of fluids, a quick snack etc. so that you can be ready to go in say 5 minutes.

It works out real well if there are 3 of you who are covering the ENTIRE day's games. Each umpire will then get plenty of rest and a PU ready to go when the game ends.

In addition during these tournaments you get the Mercy Rule and can pick up time that way.

In any event in a 2 hour time limit game I agree the games should be scheduled 1/2 hour apart. In other words 9AM for game one 11:30 AM for game 2 so on and so forth. At the very minimum at least a 15 minute differential

which leads us back to when the clock starts.

In your example the clock better be starting as soon as the plate meeting ends otherwise you can get really backed up.

Summary: If you can, one person should do 2 plates to limit the change-overs. HOWEVER, with that said, it's only a GAME so make certain you and your partner have plenty of fluids and something to eat.

Pete Booth

I think to expect that a guy work two plates b2b in a two man crew is very silly.

I did that for a while on the softball side. I found it silly as well and I'm glad I don't do it anymore.

PS-did I mention they were ONE-umpire games?

We do it every weekend.

As stated, it limits change over and it's a whole lot easier to change once than it is to change, then have to change back, only to change again -for 4 games. Besides, they're time limit games and we take a short break between them.

I don't see the problem, but I'm used to it.

i guess if you're doing 4 games and a time limit, it's probably not that bad

I guess you do not work many games or your association has an abundance of umpires so each crew only gets 1 maybe 2 games per day. That's not how it is in my area.

In a tournament with time limit games it's not uncommon to have 4 games each day (nice pay-day)

I do not know about you but I would rather change ONCE rather then TWICE.

In addition you MAY get one game with the Mercy rule.

It's no BIG deal.

IMO, the optimum solution is to have 3 guys cover the ENTIRE day, that way each umpire gets plenty of rest.

In a nutshell I do not understand your comment as it's NOT SILLY but PRACTICAL

Pete Booth

Its about the Money
 

As you all know in these youth tournaments, the game spacing is not about us getting a break or the warm up time for teams. It is about scheduling as many games as possible to gain more teams which means more money. Granted we get paid from those tournament fees. Some of these tournaments go into the wee hours on Saturday and Sunday nights. Last weekend we had a tournament in my area where the last game on Sat ended at midnight and the Sun games were starting at 0900 and the last game for Sunday started at 7 pm., this was a little extreme. And there was only a 20 minute rain delay over the weekend. So much for Timed games.

locally for me it is Silly...we work as much as we want to work in terms of games...I probably wouldn't work 4 games even if I had the opportunity, but that's just me...but I don't think we'd ever do 4 games in a day...whenever we work a 2-man DH here, we're each doing a plate. your way seems practical and I guess if that's how you roll in your area and it works...that's awesome.

If I am just working 2 games, normal schedule, my partner and I will switch up between games. But if it is a tournament schedule (15 min or less between scheduled game times), I am all for back-to-back plates. Heck, I've worked B2B when only scheduled for 2 games! It is the easiest way to keep them on schedule and avoid working past midnight!

More than two games, I am definitely with Pete....I'd much rather change gear only once. Two weeks ago, I was scheduled for 5 games at a tourney. I had the first two with one partner and the last 3 with another. Took the
1st can and when Partner #1 said he wasn't feeling that great, took the 2nd one too. Game runs a bit late and I visit with Partner #2 toward the end of that one and tell him I will keep it on for game #3 as I grab a few Advil out of my back pocket (fans have no idea how sore the feet get when you NEVER sit down during a game).

Game 3 (and third plate) go extra innings and tourney supervisor says rain is heading our way, so guess who does the 4th plate so we can get the game in? You bet, I am a plate wh**e anyway. As a reward for my sacrifice, the baseball gods give me a spread early and we retire to chill for an hour, switch gear, watch a few rain drops, and then come back to do game #5 on time!

New record for me - 4 plates in a row!