Granting time to walk the ball to the pitcher

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty

The batter is in peril and if he calls time, it should virtually always be granted immediately. Seldom is a batter's request of time an act of protection of a runner, whose chance of being picked off second is generally rather slim.

I must disagree here. It is usually a request made when the batter notices R2 a little too far off the base with F4 or F6 creeping in. The batter is indeed trying to con the umpire into granting Time in order to prevent F1 from picking off his boy.

Just how is the batter "in peril?" I don't understand this concept. The batter is standing in the box, waiting for the pitch, F1 has already set and is looking at the runner. How is the batter "in peril?"