Ball Four, in the dirt

[Rich]

Originally Posted by David Emerling

What I mean by "caught cleanly" is that it doesn't ricochet away. It just skips into the dirt and is caught. It's not a loose ball. Actually, even that is irrelevant. Even if the ball skips away from the catcher a few inches, I've seen they change baseballs before the batter is even halfway down the line.

I would think you would have to wait to change baseballs once the batter reaches 1st and is clearly making no attempt to advance. It's sort of analogous as to when a batter walks and the defensive manager wants to call time immediately to talk to his pitcher. He has to WAIT until the BR reaches first - then he can have time.

Maybe in your games. I grant time immediately at the HS and college level or wherever kids can actually play.

[David Emerling]

Originally Posted by bobbybanaduck

they use a lot more than 6 dozen. i rubbed 7 in A ball. as far as checking the ball each time it hits the dirt goes...you have to. it's not dirt, it's clay; and it's hard. the balls not only get scuffed, they get cut. it doesn't happen every time it hits, but it happens enough that it has to be checked every time it does.

This must be a great revelation, then. Does today's, modern field have some super-abrasive additive that did not exist a decade ago? Because I have been watching MLB all my life and I never recall the ball-switching mania like that which exists today.

Oh sure, if the ball is drilled into the ground - I understand that. But they swap it out for the most innocuous touch of the ground. Hell, I think they're swapping it out if only the catcher's glove touches the ground while catching the pitch. They swap it out if it might have touched the ground.

MLB seemed so focused on cutting down the length of the games. How 'bout not switching baseballs every time it just ticks the turf? I'd bet that would shave a few minutes off the game - especially when you factor in how the pitcher tends to rub up each new ball before the next delivery.

[David Emerling]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

Maybe in your games. I grant time immediately at the HS and college level or wherever kids can actually play.

No you don't! Because you don't have over 100 baseballs to work with.

And, if you do swap balls every time it touches the ground (especially in a HS game) - I'll bet you continue using that ball 99% of the time. At worst, you slip it into the bag just to reemerge one foul ball later. Hell, half the time you don't have more than three at time to work with after about dozen foul balls into the woods.

Unless it's wet, hits the backstop, or is noticeably discolored or damaged - in a HS game - keep using it, for crissakes.

You call "time" every time the ball touches the ground?

[David Emerling]

Originally Posted by RPatrino

All it takes is one small blemish, scuff or cut. Those dastardly pitchers don't need any more help, they will use any advantage they can get...

Ohhhh - so that explains the greatness of Bob Gibson and Sandy Koufax. They had the advantage of scuffed baseballs. Because I know they didn't swap baseballs out like that in those days.

[David Emerling]

Originally Posted by LDUB

Oh gosh, I can't believe the umpires are stopping the BR from trying for second on a walk...what are they thinking???

Are you really asking these questions Memphis? The ball is dead when the umpire examines it. The ball isn't going to become live when the umpire throws a new ball to the pitcher.

Naturally I was being facetious about the ball being live when the umpire throws it back. Geez - give me a little credit.

What if there was a runner on 3rd during the ball-in-the-dirt walk? Killing the ball takes away a seldom used, but viable, tactic of the runner continuing after the walk. That would probably never occur in a MLB game - but I've seen it numerous times in HS.

[Ump153]

Originally Posted by David Emerling

No you don't! Because you don't have over 100 baseballs to work with.

.......

You call "time" every time the ball touches the ground?

Apparently reading is a skill you haven't acquired. The man never said he changed balls every time the ball hit the dirt.

And, I believe he was commenting on calling time on a base on balls.

[David Emerling]

Originally Posted by Ump153

Apparently reading is a skill you haven't acquired. The man never said he changed balls every time the ball hit the dirt.

And, I believe he was commenting on calling time on a base on balls.

Even then, calling time every time the ball touches the ground in a HS game is silly, in my opinion.

Just what is it you expect to see? A little scuff? A grass stain? Now what - throw the ball out? Pfft!

The coaches around here would be very pissed about that - that I do know.

I can hear it now:

Coach: "Blue, what's wrong with this ball?"

Ump: "It has a small scuff mark on it, coach."

Coach: "Yeah, well, we're gonna play with it anyway unless you want to donate $200 to our booster club."

[Rich]

Originally Posted by David Emerling

No you don't! Because you don't have over 100 baseballs to work with.

And, if you do swap balls every time it touches the ground (especially in a HS game) - I'll bet you continue using that ball 99% of the time. At worst, you slip it into the bag just to reemerge one foul ball later. Hell, half the time you don't have more than three at time to work with after about dozen foul balls into the woods.

Unless it's wet, hits the backstop, or is noticeably discolored or damaged - in a HS game - keep using it, for crissakes.

You call "time" every time the ball touches the ground?

I mean I call time as soon as the defensive coach asks for time. I don't do the "wait until the batter gets to fir.....OK, TIME" nonsense.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by David Emerling

Even then, calling time every time the ball touches the ground in a HS game is silly, in my opinion.

Just what is it you expect to see? A little scuff? A grass stain? Now what - throw the ball out? Pfft!

The coaches around here would be very pissed about that - that I do know.

I can hear it now:

Coach: "Blue, what's wrong with this ball?"

Ump: "It has a small scuff mark on it, coach."

Coach: "Yeah, well, we're gonna play with it anyway unless you want to donate $200 to our booster club."

There's one school here where I get the minimum 3 balls to start a game. Last year in about the 3rd inning, I noticed a nice cut on the ball and told the home team to throw that one out. I got the whole "what kind of budget do you think I have" routine...

[johnnyg08]

In high school baseball, I pretty much keep all of the baseballs in play even if they're bad...like you said, typically I only get three...and it's like pulling teeth to get more baseballs, so unless they're really bad or a player complains about a baseball, then I swap it out...but for the sake of keeping the game moving, I play with what they give me.

[TussAgee11]

Originally Posted by David Emerling

Ohhhh - so that explains the greatness of Bob Gibson and Sandy Koufax. They had the advantage of scuffed baseballs. Because I know they didn't swap baseballs out like that in those days.

Perhaps a higher mound explains it a heck of alot better.
---------------------

On a side note, some basic math. 12 dozen balls X $120 per dozen X 162 games a year X (32 teams / 2) = about 3.7 million a year for balls based on open market price.

MLB just contracts Rawlings, correct? It's not up to each team to buy balls for the year, is it?

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by johnnyg08

In high school baseball, I pretty much keep all of the baseballs in play even if they're bad...like you said, typically I only get three...and it's like pulling teeth to get more baseballs, so unless they're really bad or a player complains about a baseball, then I swap it out...but for the sake of keeping the game moving, I play with what they give me.

At the high school level there aren't that many pitchers who know what to do with a doctored ball. And if they do, I like it, and I like it a lot!

[johnnyg08]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

At the high school level there aren't that many pitchers who know what to do with a doctored ball. And if they do, I like it, and I like it a lot!

pretty much!

[Ump153]

Originally Posted by David Emerling

Even then, calling time every time the ball touches the ground in a HS game is silly, in my opinion.

Just what is it you expect to see? A little scuff? A grass stain? Now what - throw the ball out? Pfft!

The coaches around here would be very pissed about that - that I do know.

I can hear it now:

Coach: "Blue, what's wrong with this ball?"

Ump: "It has a small scuff mark on it, coach."

Coach: "Yeah, well, we're gonna play with it anyway unless you want to donate $200 to our booster club."

Again...reading is apparently not your strong suit. Why do you make this stuff up....are you a coach? This is not what the man is saying.

And regards your little league scenario...I have NEVER had a high school coach or college skipper question why I threw a ball out of play.

[bobbybanaduck]

Originally Posted by David Emerling

This must be a great revelation, then. Does today's, modern field have some super-abrasive additive that did not exist a decade ago? Because I have been watching MLB all my life and I never recall the ball-switching mania like that which exists today.

Oh sure, if the ball is drilled into the ground - I understand that. But they swap it out for the most innocuous touch of the ground. Hell, I think they're swapping it out if only the catcher's glove touches the ground while catching the pitch. They swap it out if it might have touched the ground.

MLB seemed so focused on cutting down the length of the games. How 'bout not switching baseballs every time it just ticks the turf? I'd bet that would shave a few minutes off the game - especially when you factor in how the pitcher tends to rub up each new ball before the next delivery.

if you want to go the sarcasm route with me, i'm game, sir. but, before we delve into that, are you fully prepared to contend that TODAY'S game is the same as the game was a DECADE ago? times change. the game changes. they don't want scuffed balls now, and, with people paying a ridiculous sum of money to watch, they have the loot to be able to provide a "perfect" ball for just about every pitch. it is what it is.