Gardning Equipment in the batters box !

Rattlehead · #1 (**permalink**) Tue May 17, 2005, 02:37pm

Ok have got a few games under my belt, I'm alot more comfortable out there then I was back in the begining of March. As a matter of fact, I am not very interested in doing slowpitch games any more because the fast pitch game is so much more fun to call.

There is one thing about girl fast pitch that is driving me crazy !

What do you do with that batter or whole team of batters that want 20-40 seconds of time to get out the rake and shovel and prep the batters box, get the sign from the coach, take 4-5 practice swings and then if the box feels good they will get set.

Rattlehead · #2 (**permalink**) Tue May 17, 2005, 02:43pm

Sorry didn't include this.. but here is what I have started doing.

I start counting up to about 10 seconds, After I get there I say just loud enough for the battery to hear. " Ok it time to play ball" and I will drop my hand.

I haven't gone much further then this but this has seemed to speed them up.

Should I mention this to the coaches that they need to be prepared to get in the box or am I being to nit picky.

bkbjones · #3 (**permalink**) Tue May 17, 2005, 02:54pm

My experience has been that a VERY BRIEF reminder during the pre-game (Batters are to please remain in the batters box on balls and strikes unless the play takes them out of the batters box) does a world of good.

During the game, the VERY FIRST time, a firm but courteous "Batter up please, let's get in the box" is USUALLY SUFFICIENT. this lets the team on offense AND the team on defense know you mean business. (The team on defense because the catcher hears it.)

After that, a VERY FIRM "Batter up please, or I will let the pitcher pitch" will almost always do the trick.

Will I invoke the rule? Absolutely.

POE #5 in the 2005 ASA Rule Book should answer all your questions about how to handle this. Be firm, but a little courtesy helps too. they already think most of us are nothing more than sphincters...so handle it firmly but appropriately.

coachfanmom · #4 (**permalink**) Tue May 17, 2005, 02:57pm

what age group are you umpireing?? I have found as a coach of YOUNG girls that it takes more time for them to feel comfortable in the batters box with a FAST ball coming at them and that is their way of getting ready so from a coaches point of view, I feel you should give them as much time as needed to feel comfortable as long as there is no deliberate delay of game and that you would know was happening just by the time of the game and score....

SRW · #5 (**permalink**) Tue May 17, 2005, 03:00pm

Quote:

Originally posted by coachfanmom
I have found as a coach of YOUNG girls that it takes more time for them to feel comfortable in the batters box with a FAST ball coming at them and that is their way of getting ready so from a coaches point of view, I feel you should give them as much time as needed to feel comfortable as long as there is no deliberate delay of game and that you would know was happening just by the time of the game and score....

Wow that was one long sentence...

coachfanmom · #6 (**permalink**) Tue May 17, 2005, 03:03pm

actually wasn't a sentence since I ended it with a ... lol Mr./Mrs.??? Technical

Rattlehead · #7 (**permalink**) Tue May 17, 2005, 04:05pm

I have worked from 10 to 16's so far. This last weekend It was 16's. There was one team I had two games with and I kid you not every single batter every time required a comment.

It was obvious that the coach had taught them not to get into the box until they got the sign. They checked and groomed before every pitch.

I almost said something to the coach but his team was getting severly descimated, and making huge mistakes that he was blaming on my partner and I. He was fuming at me as I had called one of his girls out twice for illegally batted (contact with the plate while ball is batted.) balls.

Last thing I wanted to do was stir up the coach.

mcrowder · #8 (**permalink**) Tue May 17, 2005, 04:21pm

In games like that, it's hard to force yourself to do the same things you would do otherwise... but you need to. Don't let the current attitude of the coach, or the current abilities of the team change the way you manage the game - it's not fair to the other team.

If these guys were delaying on every pitch, a word with the coach was likely in order. Consider the other team's pitcher, shaken from her rhythm by these batters taking picnics between pitches.

IRISHMAFIA · #9 (**permalink**) Tue May 17, 2005, 09:16pm

Is this equipment certified and meet the standards set forth in the rule book?

If not, get it off the field and keep it off the field.

Hard-a$$? Maybe, but you are not getting paid to stand around and watch the flowers grow. Nor do you get overtime. How long do these games last? Twenty to forty seconds per batter is around 10 minutes for every time through the batting order and that is just for one team. If both teams do it, you are wasting nearly an hour of the day.