Time to reposition Ump or get the ball to F1
 

1. Some of the guys in my area that have umpiring a long time say to call time in 3 man or 4 man to reposition after a play.

2. Same umps say you give time once the ball is in the infield and the fielder puts his hand up. (Usaully after a base hit).


Do these mechanics come from some earlier mechanics that I'm not aware of?
Do the pros get time as in #2 these days? I haven't seen it on TV but you don't see everything.

I don't do this stuff but it seems to be very prevalent. Am I off base?

They must like 3 hour ball games or they are all old and really need time to re-position theirselves.

In #2, pro umpires call time after most base hits in order to check the ball.

I've never seen this on TV or the last game I saw in person. Why after a base hit and not an infield out?

I've read an article that stated a good umpiring crew can keep the ball alive while repositioning. It requires one umpire to not move until the others are in their position. This allows someone to always watch the ball.

BTW, you get this in two-man as well, just not as much. For instance, R1 with 1 out. Base hit to right field. PU covers 3B, so he's 90' out of position for the next play. BU stays where he is (which is somewhere between 1B and 2B, hopefully near the B position) while PU goes back to the plate. When PU is in position, the BU moves.

I agree...many times umpires should be able to do this and still keep the ball live.

This is the way we handle this, and teach it as well. The umpire inside stays put, and is responsible for any play that might happen to occur, while his partner is moving inside. At the appropriate signal from the transitioning umpire, the inside umpire relinquishes coverage, and retreats to his new position.

This is kind of like calling time to clean the plate with R3. Preventintive measures are sometimes necessary. Normally though, calling time for these situations mentioned in the op, are really not necessary.

There's enough of a lull in action for players to get back in position etc. I see no need to call time for us to reposition ouselves, unless someone just isn't hustling you should be able to get there without holding anything up.

As for #2, I'm not calling time for F4 to throw the ball back to F1 (exceptions may apply). If they can't do that they have bigger problems than me not calling time.

I see no need for any umpire to call time to reposition, even in a 2 man system. I am not the 10th defensive player so I will not give time for a throwback to the pitcher.

Thanks for the responses guys but does anyone know where this stuff comes from? Have you been trained that way? Has it been that way in the past? Why after a base hit with now an R1, the fielder and coach can't understand why I tell them no unless somebody wants to talk to F1. But after an infield single or error with R1 nobody needs to put their hands up for time.
What do they teach at pro school to reposition?

The ball should be kept live as often as possible. The player is expected to make the throw to F1. Players request "time" umpires choose to grant "time" or to not grant "time"

I get this all the time in adult games. I'm having to retrain these grown men to throw the ball back to the pitcher while the ball is kept alive. Too many umpires have been automatically granting Time, when they should be keeping the ball alive. I tell them that this isn't T-Ball, so I'm not killing the ball simply because you can't manage to throw the ball 30 feet to your pitcher. Ridiculous.