Batter's Out By Rule or
 

Situation . During a timed little league game with 2 outs and less than 1 min in the game . The 3rd base coach ( Home Team )calls time and yells out to the batter to step across the plate when the picture begins his motion to pitch. By rule this is an out .My question is do you have to call the batter out. Also note that the Home Team is losing 15 -2 and the weather is bad

Home team just forfeited.

In practice, you might opt to not see this action, and then remind coach that tactics designed to consume time or extend the game (i.e. monkey with the clock) are immediate grounds for forfeit - no warning.

Is the clock visible? If not, time limit has been reached. Game over. You can tell the coach you were going to let the batter complete his at bat before announcing time limit as a courtesy, but the time limit had expired and no new inning will begin.

Any ulterior motives possible? Some innocent, some not? Run up pitch count on stud team? Need to get subs in with coach unaware of rule? Need to get subs in for parents? What inning was it BTW?

Game over due to time limit. If coach complains toss him for being an idiot.

Coach wants to get to the next inning.

The counter move is for the defense to immediately (before you put the ball back in play and/or throwing the pitch) call time for a conference - thus going past the (illegal) time limit. You can change pitchers every batter. Send in a defensive sub after every pitch. All valid moves. Part of the game.

Gonna forfeit the other way for those moves?

Let the teams play out their tactics. Time limits ( or impending darkness, bad weather approaching, impending curfew, etc.) create stalling or hurry-up actions. Been going on ever since the game was first played. Don't insert yourself unless it gets really obnoxious.

Did I mention that time limits aren't legal in most cases? Why not refuse to observe that rule?

No. Gonna warn, the very first time I hear it, preferably before I see it. In 22 years, I've NEVER had the warning go unheeded.

You're going to warn them for making a legal move? You'll lose that one at the protest committee.

Not if I was hearing the protest, which I do from time to time.

In the original scenario, I just wouldn't call the out. Simple as that.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Seriously?

Exactly what is there to protest? I inform coach of the rule - that's it. Nothing remotely protestable in this situation.

And if you don't think the situation in the OP is EXACTLY what this rule is meant for - when WOULD you think that rule would apply?

Call time, brush the plate and then the pitchers mound if necessary. If time hasn't run out, brush the plate again. Problem solved :D:D:D

Interestingly, when most venues put a time limit it says no inning shall begin after so and so. They don't address the fact that if the appropriate number of half innings have not been completed you do not have a complete game. You have a suspended game by rule. I happily ignore that quandary in all of my time limit games that haven't reached the proper half inning.

He'd lose if I was on the committee.

"The manager went to change his pitcher and you tossed him and forfeited the game? Did I hear that right?"

"He was stalling".

"So you think you get to decide if he can change pitchers or not?"

"He was stalling".

"So he can only change his pitcher of there is more than some amount of time left? How much time?"

You refused to allow a pitching change or a sub or some other legal move. Explain that to the committee.

Stalling and stretching were fairly common in MLB before they changed the end of game rules. It still happens when bad weather is approaching and the game isn't official yet. Team gaining the advantage makes some moves. NO ONE CARES because they want to be able to do the same thing.

You're wrong, Rich. This becomes a judgement issue. If I feel that any action is intended to delay or shorten the game, it becomes illegal. Been to the protest committee on this one and it was denied.