ASA: 10+ seconds, pitcher with hands together

[chapmaja]

Originally Posted by teebob21

So this happened this weekend...working an ASA 18 Gold game with a SLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOWWWWWW but legal pitcher. Normally she was up to a 14 or 15 second count out of the 20 allowed.

R1 on 2B. Count irrelevant, although I think it was 1-0. Pitcher brings her hands together, then shakes off a few signs. Then, a couple more. I am nearly to 10 when the batter asks for time, and I say "No, she's on a count. Stay." Batter backs out of the box anyway. The pitcher steps back off the pitcher's plate in response. My count, had it not been interrupted, would have been to 12, maybe 13 by now.

I called a dead ball; illegal pitch, ball on the batter due to the timing violation. My U1 partner (a VERY good umpire with high level experience) questioned me if we should move the runner. I said no.

I may have applied the college rule accidentally. In ASA, do we apply the base award for an illegal pitch on a timing violation, even if the pitch is not thrown? ASA 6A-1-E.

Just wondering what the response of the coach was to you calling an illegal pitch.

Also, going back to the situation. When the batter requested time, did she say it loud enough for the pitcher to hear? My argument, if I am the defensive coach, is that the batter requested time and stepped out of the box, which is an action designed to draw an illegal pitch or get the pitcher not to pitch. To call a timing violation illegal pitch on a situation like this would be an unfair act by the offense.

I do understand the situation from an umpires standpoint, but I am also trying to see this from the pitchers and defensive coaches standpoint as well.

[josephrt1]

Originally Posted by chapmaja

Just wondering what the response of the coach was to you calling an illegal pitch.

Also, going back to the situation. When the batter requested time, did she say it loud enough for the pitcher to hear? My argument, if I am the defensive coach, is that the batter requested time and stepped out of the box, which is an action designed to draw an illegal pitch or get the pitcher not to pitch. To call a timing violation illegal pitch on a situation like this would be an unfair act by the offense.

I do understand the situation from an umpires standpoint, but I am also trying to see this from the pitchers and defensive coaches standpoint as well.

Started to write the same response last night then let it go. I agree with you. Once the batter stepped out I would have considered that disruptive to the pitcher (even though non-intentional) and would have stopped my count and let everybody reset.

[jmkupka]

I don't go for the "way to take control" mantra, if it becomes a habit just because the batter doesn't like F1 using the time she is permitted.

That said:

If the batter steps out, and F1 is hands-together, we're probably playing on (if batter has established the aforementioned "habit")

If F1 stops her action due to (in my judgement) batter stepping out, I'll stop things there, and constructively inform F1 not to stop action unless I personally tell her to. No IP there.

If the "step out" occurs near the end of F1's allotted time, and we continue past, we can still have the IP.

Never had that happen, though.