Is there a better Way (time limit)

[Mattinglyfan]

I thought I would share what happened last night this with the umpires here. It was extremely frustrating, and maybe there is another way I could handle this situation.
We play an Inter-lock schedule with 3 divisions with three sets of rules. Therefore, there is a new set for the inter-lock League. One of these is a 2:15 time limit. All of the games we have played(even if we were the only game that day)with the time limit.
Last night, we had a 7 inn. game with a 5:30 pm start time. The 6th ended around 8:15 pm. Normally the two managers and two players meet with an umpire before the game to establish rules for the game. This didn't happen.

The 6th ended around 8:15 pm. We were holding a 4 run lead. The sun had set but there still some light. As my defense had got off the field I turned to the umpire and said, ""Is that game"? He replied "why", and I said we are at 2:45 and the sun has set. His response was play ball coach. "There is a time limit," and he said "not on this field." The rules say any field. You can see where this is going.
I got the rule book and offered to show it to him. His response was "SHUT UP AND GET IN THE DUGOUT". "I have been umpiring here for a long time , and you don't know what you are talking about." This was followed by a huge cheer from the home crowd. (By the way 13-14 year old Junior League.) This is where I got frustrated. Home team, home field, home ump, and home rules. Their rules are fine, but they are not the ones we have been playing by.
Now, we have played with a time constraints 3 times on this field, one of which we lost by one run because we couldn't play the last inning.
Now, I am all for letting the kids play, but I also for every one playing by the same rules. So, we finished, we won, it's dark.(no lights by the way). Hungry kids that didn't get home on a school night until after 9 pm.

Sorry for the novel, but any suggestion or ideas?

[chris s]

Originally posted by Mattinglyfan
I thought I would share what happened last night this with the umpires here. It was extremely frustrating, and maybe there is another way I could handle this situation.
We play an Inter-lock schedule with 3 divisions with three sets of rules. Therefore, there is a new set for the inter-lock League. One of these is a 2:15 time limit. All of the games we have played(even if we were the only game that day)with the time limit.
Last night, we had a 7 inn. game with a 5:30 pm start time. The 6th ended around 8:15 pm. Normally the two managers and two players meet with an umpire before the game to establish rules for the game. This didn't happen.

The 6th ended around 8:15 pm. We were holding a 4 run lead. The sun had set but there still some light. As my defense had got off the field I turned to the umpire and said, ""Is that game"? He replied "why", and I said we are at 2:45 and the sun has set. His response was play ball coach. "There is a time limit," and he said "not on this field." The rules say any field. You can see where this is going.
I got the rule book and offered to show it to him. His response was "SHUT UP AND GET IN THE DUGOUT". "I have been umpiring here for a long time , and you don't know what you are talking about." This was followed by a huge cheer from the home crowd. (By the way 13-14 year old Junior League.) This is where I got frustrated. Home team, home field, home ump, and home rules. Their rules are fine, but they are not the ones we have been playing by.
Now, we have played with a time constraints 3 times on this field, one of which we lost by one run because we couldn't play the last inning.
Now, I am all for letting the kids play, but I also for every one playing by the same rules. So, we finished, we won, it's dark.(no lights by the way). Hungry kids that didn't get home on a school night until after 9 pm.

Sorry for the novel, but any suggestion or ideas?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~
PLATE MEETING!!!! We have inter-city 11-12's and 13-14's, intercity has 2:15 for Bronco and 2:30 for PONY. If an inning starts before time limit has expired, ENTIRE inning is to be completed(if ness). Some of these citys , when playing thier own teams, have a 2:30 for Bronco. So, when I am calling ANY games with a time limit, you can bet this is handled at the plate meeting, and I am also at the field 1/2 hour before game, so as to adress these issues.

[PeteBooth]

Originally posted by Mattinglyfan

We play an Inter-lock schedule with 3 divisions with three sets of rules. Therefore, there is a new set for the inter-lock League. One of these is a 2:15 time limit. All of the games we have played(even if we were the only game that day)with the time limit.

Last night, we had a 7 inn. game with a 5:30 pm start time. The 6th ended around 8:15 pm. Normally the two managers and two players meet with an umpire before the game to establish rules for the game.

FIRST of all the aforementioned is a double negative. The LEAGUE ESTABLISHES the rules NOT the managers at the plate conference.

Whenever, you have many divisions playing with different sets of rules, it's best to have a PRE-SEASON MEETING, get the rules in WRITING and each umpire gets a copy of the NUANCES of each of these leagues.

There should be no NEED to ESTABLISH rules at the plate conference. YOU can STRESS the rules or go over some of them but the point is the RULES have already been ESTABLISHED and the umpires simply enforce.

If you have to meet with coaches to Establish rules then IMO you are asking for a can of worms.

Summary: There should be a PRE-SEASON meeting which SPELLS out all LOCAL LEAGUE rules. These rules whould be WRITTEN down and copies handed out to the appropriate parties.

If the rule says 2:15 then in your example the game is OVER. 5:30 to 8:15 is above the 2:15 time limit. You have a complete game therefore, it's over. No need to meet with the coaches.

Pete Booth

[Mattinglyfan]

Thanks you for taking the time to read the the novel.

That was the issue. There was a managers meeting, and a set of the inter-lock rules were handed out. I feel that the issue could have been eliminated had the umpire said whether or not there was a time limit before the game. Not after the 6th inning.