SLOOOWWWWWW Pitcher
 

At the game I was watching last night, with runners on base, the pitcher was taking between 30 and 45 seconds for each pitch. What would you do???

Ball (almost 4 balls if it was 45 seconds!)...

OBR rule 8.04: When the bases are unoccupied, the pitcher shall deliver the ball to the batter within 12 seconds after he receives the ball. Each time the pitcher delays the game by violating this rule, the umpire shall call “Ball.”
The 12-second timing starts when the pitcher is in possession of the ball and the batter is in the box, alert to the pitcher. The timing stops when the pitcher releases the ball.

FED timing is 20 seconds, but that includes runners being on. He may make a play or feint at a runner within those 20 seconds and not be penalized (FED 6-2-2c)

Based on what? In OBR and NCAA the time-to-pitch clock only happens when there are no runners on.

In FED he has 20 seconds to pitch or make a play - including a feint. Apparently even if there's no batter at the plate.

Nothing in OBR. Wait for a play or pitch.

Did you time it or did it just seem like it? Time plays tricks.

Was it Mike Mussina?

Oh that's right, he retired. Never mind. :p

Actually started to time after the first couple of pitches. Fastest pitch took 23 seconds the longest 1 minute 5 seconds. Just spent the entire time in the set position, looking around at the various bases, whether there were runners at it or not.

That half inning took over 30 minutes to play.

Good point.

Maybe he was seeing ghost-runners...

What level/age group?

It's Pee Wee A in Canada. Lowest level of ball for 12 & 13 year olds.

Time for an informal postgame chat with the coach. "Coach, he's working so slowly that your fielders are back on their heels. If he works faster, everyone in the game stays more focused."

JJ

Agree with first sentence, although I probably wouldn't wait until after the game... perhaps after the 2nd such pitch. Disagree with the rest though - don't coach.

Get another beer.

Nothing!

Why does everyone think that the official has to interject him/herself into every facet of the game?

ozzy,

If a pitcher is taking an actual 30 to 45 seconds between pitches, I would be going INSANE!!! I mean, like ALL the time?!!?

I'd HAVE to do SOMETHING.

JM

I agree...no level of baseball should be or is played that way. At that level of baseball, I'm telling the coach to get his pitcher to speed it up...that being said, I don't think I will ever work that level of baseball ever again...not that I'm too good for it, but there's plenty of other ball in my area to keep me as busy as I want to be.

Betcha it was his first ever game where he had to deal with leadoffs.

Well, if this bothers you (taking so long to pitch), then I suggest that you do not accept games where the age group is 12 - 13 yrs old. You have no right to tell a coach to speed his pitcher up nor do you have a duty to "push the game along". There are too many of you out there thinking that baseball is a timed game...... it is not.

I will occasionally do a youngster game such as this and I accept that the skills of the players is not to the caliber of older ones. In most cases, it is just a leisurely afternoon off with pay for me.

I agree with you if it is truly untimed. Most of our local leagues, however, are timed. I think that if we can move things along (usually via the coach, not the player) in situations like that, we are helping the kids by letting them get more game in. Usually a casual comment between innings along the lines of, "Coach, if you can get him to speed up a little we'll get more innings in." is enough. I agree we should never coach or try to force anything that's not within the rules.

Ozzy,

I disagree. It's a rule.

FED - 6-2-2c (with or without runners)
OBR - 8.04 (no runners)
8.05(h) (with runners)
NCAA - 9-2c (no runners)
9-3e (with runners)

And it's the umpires job to enforce.

JM

Uhh, you carrying a stop watch on you at the plate there pal?

You can quote all the rules that you want, none of you have the gonads to actually call a pitcher on this at age 12 - 13. I can see in HS ball and older youth ball but not this age group. And I can just about guarantee you that if you say anything to the coach, he's going to tell you to go $hit in your hat.

Well, if UmpJM tells them with the same attitude you told UmpJM, I can just about guarantee you, you should have plenty of new hats because you're going to need them.........:rolleyes: