Mechanics Question

[Steve M]

IF you wait until the pitcher has the ball in the circle, THEN you know nothing else can happen and the play is over. Sometimes you can see that the play is over before the ball gets to the circle and it's OK to call time. Apparently your partner was not convinced that all was done at the same time you were. I prefer to have the ball in the circle, but have called time a few times while the ball is somewhere in the infield and being requested.

[Chess Ref]

Partner is a noob....the kind of partner who will nitpick you to death but then took 2 of my calls with the justification of mechanics aren't set in stone. Both of the calls were textbook nothing going on that needed deviation from the book.
Having said that, the action was done, but I wanted to hear what you guys have on that particular scenairo.