the 'evil' timed games (ASA)

[okla21fan]

Now that the clock has been a part of many Championship play games (ASA), what are (if any) rule citations or even umpire manual citations for 'stopping the clock'? And if there are none, (I cannot find any) and if we believe the clock can be stopped, what are some good guidelines to use and teach?

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by okla21fan

Now that the clock has been a part of many Championship play games (ASA), what are (if any) rule citations or even umpire manual citations for 'stopping the clock'? And if there are none, (I cannot find any) and if we believe the clock can be stopped, what are some good guidelines to use and teach?

Personal opinion - Physical injury requiring on-field medical attention or field maintenance.

Everything else is up to the TD.

[RKBUmp]

As already stated, locally we are told the clock does not stop for anything other than field maintenance or an inury that requires additional medical attention and the player cannot be removed from the field. We get coaches all the time that will come out and want to argue a call at length and want the clock stopped.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by RKBUmp

As already stated, locally we are told the clock does not stop for anything other than field maintenance or an inury that requires additional medical attention and the player cannot be removed from the field. We get coaches all the time that will come out and want to argue a call at length and want the clock stopped.

I'll only stop the clock during an argument if it becomes obvious to me that he's arguing to kill some time - often, just the step toward the clock ends the conversation when they are not there for legitimate reasons. Did this once on a substitution, where it appeared to me he was obviously stalling.

I'll stop it on injury only if we need external help (medical personnel, etc). I would conceivably stop it on injury if I thought they were milking clock, but this has never actually come up.

And of course... no one has mentioned rain, probably because it's obvious.

[okla21fan]

In just 3 responses, (and how they varied). there appears to be a need for this to be address (and published) by the National Staff at the very least in the umpire manual. As a group, there seems to be a lack of consistency here.

and I am not really referring to 'stalling techniques', as when one introduces a clock to a game that was designed to be untimed, then inevitable will happen. We don't criticize the QB for minimizing offensive plays late in game by milking the play clock (for example). That being said, why should I (as the plate umpire) be concerned with a batter (or pitcher) maximizing time in-between pitches (as long as there is no violation)?

But when does an 'injury' become long enough to stop the clock? or
What about calling the UIC to the field for a protest? (some may only take a moment, others longer.

there just seems to be a need for a guideline (much like we have in the 'lightning/weather guidelines).

[BretMan]

The lack of uniformity on clock stopping issues has always bugged me.

It's even led to a few arguments on the field, with coaches pleading to either stop the clock or keep it running, depending on whichever is most advantageous to them at the moment. And when it comes up, you get the inevitable "but another umpire told us...", or, "that's not what they said in our other game...".

I've had different umpires try to tell me that "you always have to stop the clock for (fill in the blank)". I've had others tell me that you never stop it. I've had umpires from both camps try to back up what they're saying with "it's in the rule book" (no, it's not).

Until somebody comes up with a uniform set of guidelines, how and when to stop the clock will never be enforced uniformly. It will remain a troublesome "point not covered by the rules", subject to the whim of each individual umpire under the umbrella of Rule 10.