Do you call time every time a play has ended?

I make a conscious effort to avoid calling 'Time'.

Slow pitch or fast pitch?

Tom,
Why does that matter?
mick

ASA 10-8-I. In slow pitch, play is suspended "..when all immediate play is apparently completed..."

Thus, by rule, we do not have to call time, yo?
mick

In slow pitch you are supposed to call time as soon as the ball is on the infield and all play has ceased. In fastpitch, I rarely called time unles it was requested by a player.

I guess I don't follow that.
If it's merely a custom, then fine. But, the call of 'Time' is a platitude. Play is already suspended by rule, just like after a foul ball. :confused:
mick

Its ASA fastpitch

OK, mick, I didn't quote the entire rule, but since you ask...

<font color=blue><b>RULE 10 - UMPIRES. Section 8 - SUSPENSION OF PLAY.</b> I. (Slow Pitch Only) When, in the judgment of the umpire, all immediate play is apparently completed, the umpire should call time.</font>

I don't get why this is a "platitude."

Calling time is how the umpire suspends play in this situation. In a foul ball, play is suspended by the call of "foul ball". In both cases the signal from the umpire is the same - arms raised, palms out. The ball doesn't kill itself. Time doesn't declare itself. The umpire calls it.

[Edited by Dakota on May 1st, 2003 at 10:29 AM]

Mick,
Not for nuttin, but if I don't call TIME! when calling the adult slowpitch men's league, they will juke around on the bases till the cows come home. I find that I don't have that problem in fastpitch and only have to call time when the coaches request, or when I need to get say -a bat or person- off of the field.
Cindy

Except for identified dead ball situations (e.g. foul ball, interference call, look back violation, etc.) in fastpitch the ball is live most of the time. Review ASA 10-8.

If you are the plate umpire, you suspend play before you brush off the plate.

If you are calling the game solo, you should call time before you turn your back on the field of play if there are runners on base.

I call a lot of solo fastpitch. I try to return to position behind the plate while keeping my eye on the field, runners, etc., rather than call time. Sometimes, though, it is best to call time just to get reset.

Also, remember, players / coaches do not call time - they request that time be called. Until you call time, the ball is still live - even if the coach has entered the playing field or the batter has stepped out of the box.

That works.
 

Thanks, Tom.
Calling 'Time' makes sense with all the words.
mick

Dakota and Ima Green Blue.
 

I, also, call generally call 'Time' whenever I turn away from the field to get reset, or dust, ...or whatever.

A trick that I generally keep in my pouch, and that I am very comfortable using, is the "Implied Time Out". That is to say, if, for some reason after action has ended, I 'fail to call time', and I have turned away from the field, then 'Time-Out' is <u>effected, implied and understood</u>.

I don't have a problem selling it, ...or believing it. ;)

mick

I've used the "implied time out" a few times myself. I get no arguments either - probably because the "action" restarted because some runner / coach thought they could take advantage of my temporary lapse.

However, in my "continuous self-improvement" mentality, I consider having to resort to that to be the result of a mistake on my part.

Yeah, and I told my bookie that because I bet Tampa Bay half the season, a $1,000 on them in the Super Bowl should have been implied.

You call time because it is prescribed by rule and/or mechanic. By not calling time when appropriate, you are just opening a door for Pandora to step through and it will happen. As it is now, even after you have called time, the players still try to sneak an extra base or out.

Telling players that you meant to call time, but for whatever reason you didn't, just isn't worth the trouble and I have seen players question the umpire's ability to work the game because of it.

Now, getting back to the original question, no alwaysask, I do not. I only call time when it is appropriate, like a reasonable request by a coach or player, or when I must take care of some other game management issue such as dusting off a base or the plate.

I have seen this happen before in FP, and 99.9% of the time it is because the umpire working the game works both FP and SP and this is a habit that they are in.

Scott

I have to echo Mr. Rowe, who is as usual on top of it all. Calling AND signaling time when required by rule or when you judge it necessary, or appropriately requested prevents problems, and maintains control.

Side story. Last year I had a game with a pitcher that was TOTALLY deaf. Good, promising pitcher. About mid second inning, I got a little lazy with the call and the signal after a requested time, mid at bat, by a fielder for an equip. problem.

Most of the local girls are VERY on top of things, and so we don't have many problems with game proceedings. We all expected brief delay, so batter didn't step clear out, catcher stayed in crouch, I stood there watching the fielder fix the problem. The deaf pitcher didn't pick up on the situation, and suddenly here came a fast ball, clocked her catcher, caromed up off my mask, off the backstop, came back toward the batter! Needless to say, that cured my laziness for the day!

Pitcher could read lips, but only if you a) removed the mask so she could see your lips, and b) actually looked at her. Morale of the story: make sure everyone knows what you called if you want them to respond appropriately.

I have had this happen in a Major Church SP NC a few years ago. Guy behind the plate was a nice guy and a good umpire, but he rarely works SP. My partner and I often just looked at each other, glanced over our shoulders to see the BU, back to the field, returning to his position behind the plate. Never said a word. Just as we looked back, the SS makes a quick throw-back trying to catch a runner off the base.

I have little doubt that if they had made the tag for an out and I said that it didn't count because the BU should have called time and didn't, that may have been my last NC.

Where I've had to use this is in single-man league games where I screwed up and turned my back without calling TIME.

Example: I hear a ruckus - I look around to see the pitcher turned around & facing 2B, with her foot just out of the circle. R1 is off 2B, but returning.

You can imagine - offense claims pitcher faked a throw; defense claims runner left the bag. I say - I had TIME, so whatever, it doesn't matter.

Of course, the truth is, I screwed up. Just like your partner did...

At least I learned from it!

I make it a point when alone in FP, to inform both teams in pre-game that as soon as I turn my back, it's automatically a dead ball. I don't turn until the pitcher has the ball in the circle and the runners are stopped.

Does anyone have trouble with players (especially SP catchers and SS) yelling "time", when it's too soon and the runners being affected?

If "Guy behind the plate was a nice guy and a good umpire, but he rarely works SP.", why a SP NC?

As to "In slow pitch you are supposed to call time as soon as the ball is on the infield and all play has ceased"; I think it's "ball under control in the infield area", rather than "ball is on the infield".

Players can call time as much as they want. If the runners are stupid enough to listen to what the infield is saying instead of the ump, then they deserve what they get.

Have to disagree with Mike. I don't believe for a second that he'd bet on Tampa Bay.

You would be correct, I went with the Delaware alum, Rich Gannon. After listening to all the hype, I questioned my bet, but made it anyway. But that's okay, I told the casino cashier that I meant to be a grand on the over. She said, no problem, here's your money.

I know this is an old note, but when I did a search, it was the most appropriate.

Last night I worked a women's slo-pitch game. With runner on 1B, batter singled to RF. Ball retrieved and thrown in to F4. At this point R1 is on second and BR was a couple of feet off first.

Since I considered the play was apparently over, I called time. Just as I did, F4 threw the ball over F1's head. Runners take off, defense is chasing the ball down. Once we got everyone to stop, coach goes on a rant about his runners were still moving and the pitcher wasn't on the "mound".

I tried explaining it to him, but he said he was an umpire. So I guess I was to infer that he knows it all, being both and umpire AND a coach.

Maybe when you stand in the 3B coaching box, you lose something?

In the Adult T-Ball Game, I mean Slowpitch game...
 

if you do not call time when all play appears to cease then the players typically do stupid things which cause you to have to make rulings on silly plays and then get the little boys and girls all upset.

I have found its easier to call time than to let the little boys and girls create a chaotic situation or maybe even get someone hurt.

I'm just saying.

Absolutely. Play is over, kill it before they do something stupid.