In the yard, I only carry a brush if it's wet and muddy. I have one that has a "scraper" handle.

Otherwise, I have ceased touching the bases and the pitching plate (unless the rest of the crew is housekeeping.)
mick

Mc,

I gotta believe you are joking us here. Around here we cleaned them
after all slide plays. Maybe you just referring to SP. Now I am not
trying to step on Mike's game here, but I would think they would also
clean them.

Though the players will often kick dirt off the bases, if they need cleaning, the umpire should clear the base. And you don't do it with your foot!

[QUOTE]Originally posted by IRISHMAFIA

Quote:

And you don't do it with your foot!

HEY! I bought a special pair of shoes...
There is a button on the side that lets the brush come out of the bottom so I can clean the base and the pitchers plate.

I hear there is a style of plate shoes that do the same thing.

In elite level FP here in NZ after every play time is called
This is asked for by players and if not a lot of Umps (All ISF cetrtified ) do it anyway .
Generally to stop any further play .
It does slow the game down .
Now before anyone jumps down my throat for doing things differently in NZ this is elite fastpitch mens .
That is one or two levels below international .
The players are very quick and aggresive runners and will take any chance to gain an extra base .

Used to work a lot of men's fastpitch...high levels (B and A level players) and they WANTED time after every play as well. League decided it was perfectly acceptable for this to called...it was a player-run league, but the whole idea was to keep the game going, to let players play.


Games didn't slow down much--could do two games in under 3 hours each night!

Is that 2 games under 3 hours or 2 games under 3 hours each .
Our games tend to be around 2 hours .
Again fastpitch mens elite

2 games, 3 hours total.

League played modified run rules...8 after 5, 6 after 6.

Made some quick games quicker.

Pitchers didn't take warm-ups...didn't bother throwing balls to batters either. Theory was "if you can hit it, hit it."

Thats pretty good going time wise .
Yeah there are various parts of the game that could be ,should I say , done better to speed the game up .
Any other suggestions for umpires to speed a game up while still administering the rules ?