When do you call "Time!"

[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

[mcrowder]

As rarely as possible. Softball is a live-ball sport. I'll go innings sometimes without calling TIME once. "TIME!" for no apparent reason is one of my pet peeves. No need for ANY umpire to call time during the scenario presented here.

[Steve M]

When the ball is in the circle, under the control of the pitcher, and runners are on their bases. Before that, something might happen, so I don't call time.

[mcrowder]

Steve, unless you are doing slowpitch, why do you call time in the sitch you describe?

[baldgriff]

For clarification I do SP and predominately Adult leagues. I call time when the defensive team has possesion of the ball in the infield and when there are no players attempting to advance.

[noobie]

... and you're working by the 2006 ASA book with no local overrides, point at 8-4-F(2) at your protest hearing. You're on solid ground.

I've had the same thing happen, just no protests. I now warn both managers in the pre-game that I'm enforcing 8-4-F(2) [I always explain what that means]. It works very well.

PS: I've learned not to "hate" the other crewmembers, no matter how much I might disagree with them. I've gotta work with 'em sooner or later. They can run their fields they way they wanna. I'm gonna run mine my way. So goes the one-man system.

[mcrowder]

What rule are they protesting your misapplication of? Did they protest at the time of the call? Does your league require a protest fee, and if so, how many beers will it buy? If they did not protest at the time of the call (and outside teams cannot protest at all!), then they are not "protesting"... they are merely biitching and complaining, which means nothing.

[CecilOne]

Originally Posted by Steve M

When the ball is in the circle, under the control of the pitcher, and runners are on their bases. Before that, something might happen, so I don't call time.

(partly for mc)
And only if needed:
- sub or CR
- charged conference
- clean plate
- injury
- catcher equip problem
- etc., not just to suspend play

But if I'm working alone, it's automatic if I turn my back on the runners.

[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.

[Steve M]

Originally Posted by mcrowder

Steve, unless you are doing slowpitch, why do you call time in the sitch you describe?

That's assuming that the defense has asked for time. Other than that, I won't normally call time.

[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.

[mcrowder]

Originally Posted by Steve M

When the ball is in the circle, under the control of the pitcher, and runners are on their bases. Before that, something might happen, so I don't call time.

Sorry if I misunderstood. Since this was your answer to the question, "When will you call time?", it sounded like you were saying that when the ball is in the circle, under the control of the pitcher, and runners are on their bases, you will call time.

Which (unless you're doing slowpitch) you shouldn't do.

[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!!