Time mechanic
 

This is new to me. I've seen it recently. Ump calls time on request of batter or catcher and then points to the requestor to show who asked for it. What's the reason for it? Should I be doing it?

Who is doing it? Where did you see it?

I have pointed to who asked for Time, but only because it was a very strange and not obvious request which had everyone confused as to why play was stopping. Maybe that's why the umpire pointed it out.

I saw it in a well called HS playoff game and then I saw it in an indy league game. Never seen it before. If you were watching the game it was obvious why time was called.

I've seen it from LL to MLB.

There's no need for it, other than "It wasn't me!"

No big deal, though.

That's how they teach it in my HS association. Batter ask for time, call "time", step to the right or the left and point at the batter. Same for the catcher.

I first saw it (or recognized it) in MLB about 6-8 years ago. Just gives more information to the participants about who requested the time, especially when the oral requests can't always be heard by all.

But why does it make any difference?

And do you point to yourself, when you call it?

Again, I don't see the need for it. I mean, it's not like football, where you only have three per half.

Maybe they're guys/gals that do football as well.:p

If a catcher asks me for time after his pitcher comes set, I will point at the catcher after calling time.

I don't recall ever pointing at a batter after granting him time.

JM

This has been done in both MLB and MiLB for quite some time now and has found its way to college and HS ball. As in giving the reason for a balk call when calling the balk, it explains your call without waiting for a question.

I believe it's a good mechanic.

I picked this up a few years ago from a partner who came from Wisconsin. He said it's the acceptable practice there and it's taught in his JUCO conference, and as of this past season, it made its way to our high school unit and is now being stressed there as well.

It's not always necessary, but it's a good mechanic.

I've always found it necessary not for my benefit but for the teams. A batter calling time after the pitcher has come set sends a message. He has reasons and motives relating to strategy for calling time there. That should be obvious to the teams who called for it. The message sent is different when a catcher does it to his own pitcher.

Okay then, I have a new mechanic to add to the arsenal.

I see it both ways. Most of the time, you can tell who called time. When it's the catcher, he's usually going out to the pitcher to talk about signs. If it's the batter, he quickly steps out.

In Oregon
 

We teach to agressively call "TIME!" and take two large cross over steps to the batter's open side. As we do this we point to whomever called the "time".

As soon as we are clear of the catcher we then teach to IMMEDIATELY return to your place behind the catcher with one hand up in the "stop sign".

As soon as things are back on the same page we point and say "PLAY".

We feel that by identifing the person that called "time" it prevents any miscommunication and keeps the game management issue clear of who is in charge.

And we DO feel it is necessary.