ASA Rule Changes

[AtlUmpSteve]

Originally Posted by Dakota

Curious about the 10 second rule. Why do you think a change there needs to happen?

The current ASA rule allows the batter to wait for 10 seconds after directed in the box by the umpire; and, it isn't standard to direct the batter into the box until there has been a substantial delay, and that might take 10 seconds or so from the time the ball has been returned to the pitcher. The end result is that batters can take up to, or even longer than 20 seconds to get ready, while the pitcher is required to pitch with 20 seconds.

While game management skills can keep these from being in conflict, not everyone displays those skills. I find that what often results is a cat and mouse game of one-upmanship; batter stays out, pitcher waits for batter, batter asks for time, and on. This issue has been recently addressed by both NCAA (first) and (then) NFHS, by making the batter be ready to hit within 10 seconds of the return of the ball to the pitcher. This gives the pitcher at least 10 seconds to decide when to pitch and be in compliance.

In my opinion, this is a better game management tool and allows a better game flow and tempo to occur than the current ASA rule. Not always an issue, but more of an issue in some ASA games than NFHS or NCAA, because of the rule differences. One foot in the box doesn't mean ready to hit within 10 seconds, and the 10 seconds works better, IMO.

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by AtlUmpSteve

...While game management skills can keep these from being in conflict, not everyone displays those skills....

This is the crux, IMO. I have few problems keeping the batters from lollygagging and keeping the batter/pitcher mind games to a minimum, but I agree not all exhibit these skills.

For one thing, I consider slow-to-get-ready batters to be a team characteristic, and not an individual batter (or worse, at-bat) characteristic. What I mean by that is once a batter for a team has earned the warning to get ready, they are all on a short leash for lollygagging.

Maybe from a bigger picture perspective it is needed, but for me, it is unnecessary.

[DaveASA/FED]

Originally Posted by AtlUmpSteve

While game management skills can keep these from being in conflict, not everyone displays those skills.

I understand what you are saying, and I honestly don't care either way. But from my experience, the umpires that don't have game management skills enough to get the batters into the box and ready to hit with the rules as they are today won't have the "ability" (substitute stones, guts, gohonas(SP?)) to enforce this rule if it was passed.