Pony ball - 13-14 year olds. Three “time” questions: First, if I call time out for any reason, is time back in as soon as I crouch behind the plate, or must I say “play”, OR is it "adequate" to point to the pitcher? Second, if the batter is in the box but gestures that he needs a few moments to get set, so I hold my hand up “stop” style to the pitcher, is time out until I point to the pitcher, or can he make a throw to a base? Finally, if a runner is off a base, and I call time, and later order “play”, and see that the runner has not returned to his base, and the pitcher pitches, do I just allow the runner to proceed?, AND, should I have instructed him to return to his base before I ordered: “play”? thanks- David

Isn't that 4 questions? ;)

1) You must (well, should) put the ball back in play. Either a point, or a point and verbal will work (use what others use).

2) If the hand is up, time is out.

3) Don't do anything.

4) He need not retouch, but be sure he's "close" to the bag -- so the defense can't get an easy out, or he cna't have an easy steal.

Uhhh, Bob...
 

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PONY is OBR, #2 is correct for FED, but OBR??? That's ok, I use it also, keeps the craphouse from happening(BIG GRIN)

Just curious Chris...in the FED book the hand up is shown as the signal for "do not pitch." What do you mean by it in OBR?

I would guess that for the vast majority of umpires putting the hand up is the equivalent of "time." If you are granting the batter time, you better be giving it to everybody.

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Gb, TIME is time, OBR does not have a "do not pitch", "hold-up" sign as does FED.I use the sign to prevent F1 from tossing too soon, ie; batter not "reasonably set"...Of course the ball is killed!!!You should know me better than that! Point it back into play and lets go.....

Well, that's a problem. What you're doing is redundant. The pitcher is already required by rule to wait for the batter to be reasonably set. Keep your hand down. Force the pitcher to deliver the ball according to the rules.

If he's about to quick-pitch, step from behind the plate, throw your hands in the air, and call time very loudly. Then remind the pitcher of his duty to wait for the batter to be set. If he does it again, call the quick pitch.

The only time I put my hand up is if the batter looks like he might be set, but asks for time because of a bug in his eye, or some other rare occurrence. I go several games in a row without sticking my hand up, and I rarely have a problem. Get over the hand habit and your games will run themselves quite smoothly.

Come on , JIM...
 

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!
BELIEVE me, there is no redundancy!!!! Why call the QP when these kids are learning? To bring the house down on you?? All-star tourney play, I am gonna nail it, reg season...I hate cheap runs. The coaches got enough on thier hands...a QP call is gonna be prevented in my games...LOOK at your post... Cheers bud...BTW hows things going? You ok after your med prob??

Re: Come on , JIM...
 

It is because the kids are learning that keeping your hand down is even more important. The pitchers at that level need to learn that they are responsible, they have a potentially deadly missle in their hand, and they need to use their heads. I almost never use my hand, with the exception of the rare oddity, and I can't remember calling a quick pitch in 20 years.

When you see a quick pitch possibly developing, it is important to immediately get out from behind the plate waving your arms and loudly putting a stop to it before it happens. Then, you tell the pitcher loudly enough for all to hear that it is he who is required to wait for the batter to be set in the box - - not just in the box, but set and ready, and that you'll have to call a quick pitch if he does it again. In all my years of working ball, that has always been enough to get the message through.

However, if it hadn't been enough of a message, having told the pitcher his responsibility loudly enough for all to hear should be more than enough to avoid any problems if you do have to call the quick pitch. Everyone heard you warn the pitcher. Who can deny it's the right call if he does it again?

The only argument I've ever had at that level - 13 & 14 year olds - are with coaches who lack knowledge and argue that the batter only needs to be in the box. Of course, I love telling them how wrong they are.

And i do...
 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~BUT, this does not happen often, good points Jim. NOW BLUE...yada-------let me.........LOL

Re: Real Umpires
 

What's FED? ;)

I keep the hand down myself. Now if the pitcher is not giving the batter time to get set I stop him. If the batter has been jacking around and has both feet in the box, I give him a get set warning and then the next time, if it has been long enough, I'll let the pitcher throw. Note that I said if he has both feet in the box.

Jim, I handle much like you, but I'm likely more lenient on a quick pitch call. I can't recall ever doing that. I generally kill play before it reaches that point. I hardly ever hold my hand up. Sometimes a batter pressing for his timeout will continue to ask, and I'll just tell him I won't let the pitcher pitch.

Additionally, the infielders will often receive the answer, "what for" when they ask for time merely to throw the ball back to the pitcher. If he says so he can talk to F1, then he better go do it after I call time. If he doesn't, then he's not likely to get another "time" called without first having a conversation with me.

I don't like to kill the ball, and I dislike it when umpires automatically call time so they can return to their positions without having to pay attention to the rest of the game.


Freix

1) whenever a dead ball situation has occured, before the plate umpire puts the ball back in play the pitcher must have the ball, the batter set and the pitcher must be engaged on the rubber. putting the ball in play is done with a pointing towards the pitcher and a verbal "play." that way, mechanically and verbally the ball is put back in for those that can see you and not hear you, and those that can hear you and not see you...i.e. batter and catcher.

2) depending on the level of play most pitchers will know if the batter is set or not and will not throw if he's not ready because you(blue) will not allow the pitch, right? gesture as you have written and then I usually mutter "here we go" to the batter as I point to the pitcher letting him know we are ready.

3) not unless the runner is half way to the next base. the general lead is no biggie.

Another thing to do is to work with the catcher -- ask him to not give the signs until the batter is ready.