How much time?

[MisterV]

HS JV game last night. A girl from the opposing team walks up to the area near home plate, takes a few swings, takes a couple deep breaths, then decides to enter the box.

She holds her right hand up, indicating "time" to the ump. She sets her right foot in the box and digs it in. She sets her left foot in the box and digs it in. Still with her hand up to the ump, she twirls the bat in her left hand a couple times then points the end of the bat down toward the plate and holds it there, still with her hand calling for time for TEN FREAKING SECONDS!

Finally, she put her hand down, and the ump called for the pitch. It took her a minimum of 20-25 seconds to get ready and get into the box on every single pitch she saw all night.

Did the umpire do the right thing by allowing this? I did a few JV games before I started coaching. After the first time of this I would have told her to get in that box right now.

This had absolutely no bearing on the final outcome of the games. We easily won both times. It was just extremely frustrating. Any thoughts?

[wadeintothem]

The ump did not have to allow time.. and her having her hand up to the ump while she grooms the box does not imply time by itself. The pitcher can pitch once shes in the box if the ump wasnt holding time for her.

I dont have a rule book near me.. but it's 10 seconds once you call for the batter.. I think that would end though once she's in the box and its up to the pitcher to pitch. For the specifics of the rule I'll defer to others.

If the ump wasnt granting time - it would seem to me to be up to the pitcher to throw the ball. If he was granting time - he is far more patient than I would have been with this batter - but it is certainly within the "umps power" to do that. The ump could have also given some type of warning to speed it up.. which is what I would have done... and if that didnt work .. i might have called a strike for good measure. I'm sure the warning would have worked.

[Edited by wadeintothem on May 4th, 2004 at 10:46 AM]

[FUBLUE]

I'm not saying umpire was right or wrong, but it was within the rules. Seems to me the batter was trying to control the situation...not allowing the pitcher to begin pitch until they are ready. Not sure what to do in this situation, except encourage batter to move a little closer.

If umpire feels the batter is delaying the game, or making a travesty of the game, they could envoke that rule.

If batter is taking foot out of batters box every pitch, could warn the envoke that rule too. (does anyone every call that?)

[JEL]

I'll allow a few seconds to get set before the first pitch, maybe 7-10 sec. After that, batter should be ready to go. If they step out, hold up hand, or whatever, I tell them to get ready, the pitch is coming. I will call time and warn the batter further if needed.

As for the "hand up" gesture, I called a 13/14 yr old game last week, one batter drew a walk, the girl dropped her bat stuck the hand up (as if calling for time) and jogged down to 1B. I think it is just habit with some. Also saw once a batter hold up hand toward the pitcher after she started the pitch, pitcher stopped dead in her tracks!

[DownTownTonyBrown]

A batter shall not delay the game by failing to promptly take her position in the batter's box within 20 seconds, or by stepping out of the box when the picher is on the pitcher's plate.
PENALTY: ... For failure of the batter to be ready within 20 seconds after the ball has been returned to the pitcher, the umpire shall call a strike. If it is the third strike, the umpire shall call time and declare the batter out.

EFFECT: ... The umpire is authorized to refuse to grant time-out if the batter repeatedly causes delay or if her leaving the batter's box appears to be an attempt to worry the picher or to gain some other advantage.

That's 20 seconds from completion of the last play... and that seems like an eternity. Get them in there quick and play the game.

And I think I remember someone saying ASA is 10 seconds.

"Come on batter. The clock is ticking. Get in the box." pause. pause. pause. "PLAY BALL." or "STRIKE."



[Edited by DownTownTonyBrown on May 4th, 2004 at 04:41 PM]

[MichaelVA2000]

Start of the bottom of second inning, pitcher has taken her warm up's and the catcher has thrown the ball down. I call for the batter and the player in the on deck circle just stands there. Once again I call the batter to the box, the player on deck tells me she's not the next batter. I announce that the batter has twenty seconds to enter the batter's box. There's all kinds of commotion in the offensive dugout and the batter comes running out carrying her bat but without a helmet on saying she can't find her helmet or batting glove. I directed the battter back to the dugout to get a helmet and called for the pitch. The pitcher was so flustered she bounced the ball to the plate. I of course called it a strike.

Offensive coach and their fans are going nuts. When the offensive coach approaches I inform him the batter has zero balls and one strike and his batter can continue to take her time for about fifteen more seconds until she will have zero balls and two strikes. Batter entered the box in time for the next pitch totally prepared.

No problems with either team being ready after that.

Michael

[DownTownTonyBrown]

But I don't think there is any reason to require the pitcher to make a throw... as you noted she will probably not throw a 'looking good strike'... now you look stupid when you call it a strike.

I would just call the strike. "You've got another 20 seconds ."

[mcrowder]

I've always required a throw in this case - but can't find it in either book now that you've brought up the question.

It does beg the question --- you tell her to pitch, she fires off a passed ball, and runners try to advance. This would be live, right? I'm assuming so (but again --- can't find the specific rule).

[Skahtboi]

Originally posted by mcrowder
I've always required a throw in this case - but can't find it in either book now that you've brought up the question.

It does beg the question --- you tell her to pitch, she fires off a passed ball, and runners try to advance. This would be live, right? I'm assuming so (but again --- can't find the specific rule).

For ASA it rule 7:3:B, and the ball is dead and no pitch has to be thrown.

For NFHS the rule is 7:2:1:e and 7:3:1. It doesn't state that a pitch is required, but it does address if the pitch is thrown, to call it a strike.

[Dakota]

Originally posted by MichaelVA2000
Start of the bottom of second inning, pitcher has taken her warm up's and the catcher has thrown the ball down. I call for the batter and the player in the on deck circle just stands there. Once again I call the batter to the box, the player on deck tells me she's not the next batter. I announce that the batter has twenty seconds to enter the batter's box. There's all kinds of commotion in the offensive dugout and the batter comes running out carrying her bat but without a helmet on saying she can't find her helmet or batting glove. I directed the battter back to the dugout to get a helmet and called for the pitch. The pitcher was so flustered she bounced the ball to the plate. I of course called it a strike.

Offensive coach and their fans are going nuts. When the offensive coach approaches I inform him the batter has zero balls and one strike and his batter can continue to take her time for about fifteen more seconds until she will have zero balls and two strikes. Batter entered the box in time for the next pitch totally prepared.

No problems with either team being ready after that.

Michael

Legally correct, of course (except no need for the actual pitch), but Jeez, if this was the first delay problem, this seems like cracking peanuts with a pile driver. How about just a warning, "Coach, next inning, have your batters ready."

(If this was a continuation of similar chaos from the first inning, I retract my admonishment.)

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally posted by Dakota
Legally correct, of course (except no need for the actual pitch), but Jeez, if this was the first delay problem, this seems like cracking peanuts with a pile driver. How about just a warning, "Coach, next inning, have your batters ready."

(If this was a continuation of similar chaos from the first inning, I retract my admonishment.)

Yeah, but what about the other team?

I agree, calling strikes should not be the initial reaction, but if there is a time limit, the other team has a legitimate complaint if the umpire does not abide by the rule as that time belongs to them also.

[MichaelVA2000]

Legally correct, of course (except no need for the actual pitch), but Jeez, if this was the first delay problem, this seems like cracking peanuts with a pile driver. How about just a warning, "Coach, next inning, have your batters ready."

(If this was a continuation of similar chaos from the first inning, I retract my admonishment.)
__________________
Tom

Yeah, but what about the other team?

I agree, calling strikes should not be the initial reaction, but if there is a time limit, the other team has a legitimate complaint if the umpire does not abide by the rule as that time belongs to them also.


__________________
Mike Rowe
DASA UIC
NIF/ISF/Elite

Tom/Mike,

This happened last weekend in the PONY tournament I have mentioned in recent posts. There was a 80 minute no new inning rule along with no infield warm up balls allowed after the firt inning. Also included was 1 minute between innings for the offense-defense transistion.

Had a brain fart on whether or not a pitch needed to be delivered so I had the pitcher toss one just in case.

Thanks for all the feedback.

Michael

Michael