When do you call "Time!"

[CecilOne]

Originally Posted by BuggBob

An out fielder has the ball, the runner at 2nd is off the bag. The outfielder throws the ball into the pitcher, but throws it over her head. Runner advances to 3rd. Pitcher says we had time. I respond no you did not the ball was still in the out field. "Every other umpire calls time."

(Rant on with many bad words) I hate the other umpire! (rant off)

Right now as I write about this three teams are protesting and complaining to the league about my horrible call. That's right three teams two which weren't even involved in the game. So to be sure that I was not a total dork, when do the rest of you call time?

Bugg

We had three procedural things yesterday, possibly all in one game, lots of spectator yelling, all correct by umpires
Get on with your next game, and keep up the good work

[Mountaineer]

I know I'll get ridiculed for this - but I call time every opportunity! If the play is stopped and in the circle and runners on bases - I kill it. I don't want anything happening at this point. If something goes on at that point it's gonna be a headache or someone is going to be put out. Just the way I was taught.

[mcrowder]

Originally Posted by Mountaineer

I know I'll get ridiculed for this - but I call time every opportunity! If the play is stopped and in the circle and runners on bases - I kill it. I don't want anything happening at this point. If something goes on at that point it's gonna be a headache or someone is going to be put out. Just the way I was taught.

If you're calling slow pitch, then you won't get ridiculed.

If you're calling fast pitch, then you are using extremely poor mechanics. Blame your teacher - you were taught poorly.

What are you going to do if a runner takes off for 2nd with the ball in the circle? The rest of us call her out for her illegal act (LBR). You, however, have killed the ball - no out can be called during a dead ball.

Fast pitch softball is a LIVE ball sport. Your desire to not have anything happen after the ball is delivered to F1 is not within the rules. Your desire should not come into play at all.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by mcrowder

If you're calling slow pitch, then you won't get ridiculed.

If you're calling fast pitch, then you are using extremely poor mechanics. Blame your teacher - you were taught poorly.

What are you going to do if a runner takes off for 2nd with the ball in the circle? The rest of us call her out for her illegal act (LBR). You, however, have killed the ball - no out can be called during a dead ball.

Fast pitch softball is a LIVE ball sport. Your desire to not have anything happen after the ball is delivered to F1 is not within the rules. Your desire should not come into play at all.

Why not call time? Some on this board are aware of my feelings. I believe FP should take from the SP game. Eliminate the LBR and call time when it is obvious all further play, offensive or defensive, is complete.

There is no good reason, other than to steal a cheap out, to keep the ball live. If play is suspended, the umpire, coaches, players, parents, etc. do not have to worry about a runner inadvertantly stepping off a base, the pitcher putting the ball between her knees to fix her hair, the drawing of a circle, whether the foot is on the circle or just outside of it, whether the runner leaned toward 2B when returning to 1B or not, yada, yada, yada.

Oooohh, but what if the runner refuses to go one way or the other and just stands there? You do the same as in SP, kill the play and reset for the next pitch. Don't give me all the old school "what ifs" because they are irrelevant to my opinion and since this is my post and rant, it's the only one that counts.

[AtlUmpSteve]

Rant on, Don Quixote. Tell you what; I will buy you all the beer you can drink at every ASA National Council Meeting and National UIC Clinic every year your version is an approved fastpitch mechanic (call time whenever no active play) and/or rule (no LBR), and you buy the beer at every one where it isn't.

Wooohooo!! Free beer for me for life!!

[wadeintothem]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

Why not call time? Some on this board are aware of my feelings. I believe FP should take from the SP game. Eliminate the LBR and call time when it is obvious all further play, offensive or defensive, is complete.

There is no good reason, other than to steal a cheap out, to keep the ball live. If play is suspended, the umpire, coaches, players, parents, etc. do not have to worry about a runner inadvertantly stepping off a base, the pitcher putting the ball between her knees to fix her hair, the drawing of a circle, whether the foot is on the circle or just outside of it, whether the runner leaned toward 2B when returning to 1B or not, yada, yada, yada.

Oooohh, but what if the runner refuses to go one way or the other and just stands there? You do the same as in SP, kill the play and reset for the next pitch. Don't give me all the old school "what ifs" because they are irrelevant to my opinion and since this is my post and rant, it's the only one that counts.

I agree with this.. especially timed tourneys.. I speed up by calling time so we dont have to wait for the outfielder to slowly walk the ball in and other crap.

When all play is stopped.. I call time and say "ok throw the ball in lets go"...
At a play at the base I also call time when the play is over so they dont stand there holding their mit on the runner hoping for some cheap out. "Time - you can get up".. thats the end of it.

I been working a bunch of little ball lately and the thing about baseball I hate is how much time is wasted on BS. I recently had a pitcher throw the ball to first base 10-12 times in a row. I later found out the runner and pitcher had a feud going on. Thats 5-7 minutes of my life I'll never get back...

In the sitch above though.. if the runner was off the bag.. then I wouldnt call time because the runner is still "in play"..

I do call time when its all over, but if play is still on going I dont call or grant time.

Mens FP is real quick to try to call time when its unwarranted.. This weekend I had a situation with a play at first and overthrow and the runner started to advance.. but the ball bounced back to the 1basemen .. so he yelled time.. luckily he made it back and I didnt have to listen to him boohooo (as men in C Div love to cry) about how he had "time" as he was tagged out.

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by Mountaineer

I know I'll get ridiculed for this - but I call time every opportunity! If the play is stopped and in the circle and runners on bases - I kill it. I don't want anything happening at this point. If something goes on at that point it's gonna be a headache or someone is going to be put out. Just the way I was taught.

Questioned, maybe. Not ridiculed. (I don't know you well enough to ridicule you without it appearing to be a flame... hang around, it'll happen! )

My question: Why do you consider an out for a player violating the LBR to be a headache? 1 down, 41 to go!

In the one-man game, it IS a PITA to deal with runners, LBR, etc. while returning behind the plate. I have generally been able to keep my eye on the field while returning to position, and don't call TIME. In the 2-man game, there is no reason at all to call TIME while returning to position.

[Mountaineer]

Originally Posted by Dakota

Questioned, maybe. Not ridiculed. (I don't know you well enough to ridicule you without it appearing to be a flame... hang around, it'll happen! )

Feel free to ridicule! I know you don't know me well but I can promise you I can take it as well as I can dish it out. Heck, I'm a sports official - if I'm thin skinned then I need to find a different hobby!