Teams making up their own time limits

[Bluefoot]

I had four-game stint, Men's ASA SP, yesterday morning. The first game was scheduled at 8:30 am, the last at 12:15 pm. Although 1:15 is scheduled per each game, there is no time limit. Miraculously, the third game was over and both game 3 teams had cleared out of their dugouts by 12:23 pm. The home team for game 4 was warmed up and ready to play at that time. The game 4 away team had been warming up in the parking lot behind the left field fence for nearly half an hour and begins strolling down the line to their dugout. I tell the coach that his leadoff batter has two minutes to get in the batter's box or I will start calling strikes (as opposed to a forfeit). He says that he does not have his lineup made out yet and needs more time. I tell him that the game has a 12:15 scheduled start, it's now 12:25, and he should have had his team ready 10 minutes ago. Now I don't want to be a jerk, but I don't want to wait all day for them either.

In this same game, the same team changed pitchers between innings. The new pitcher is out there for a while before the catcher appears to warm him up. After 2 warm up pitches, I say play ball. The pitcher says that he gets 3 pitches. And I tell him that he gets one minute max (I had allowed more since he was a new pitcher). He says that he had to wait for his catcher. I tell him that that's his problem. He throws another warm up pitch. I call ball one.

In general, the players complain that it's a Sunday morning Class C Beer League and things should not be so strict. I tell every team in pre-game, that except for each league's own unique rules, that I am calling the game under ASA rules, and that's what I do.

Any thoughts or suggestions to handle these situations? Or do you think that am I making a situation our of something I shouldn't? I think it's important to be consistent in applying and enforcing the rules, as I've been hired to do.

[nelyak]

Even Beer leagues are paying to have umpires so why do they want you to let THEM run the game?
I think you did just right. If you let them take this inch what mile would they take during the game?

[Rick Vietti]

The league sounds to loosy goosy. If this is through a Rec Department, they need to stipulate some guidelines so that you do not have to give ultimatums.

Slowpitch leagues need to have time limits, forfeiture time limits, run rules etc... If they don't then the umpire is put into a position of running the league.

You did great under the circumstance but I would push back on the league administrators for some solid guidelines.

[Bluefoot]

There is a 15 minute grace period for the first game only of any day's schedule. The team was just trying to bully/intimidate me, which did not work. At one point early in the game, they had 3 players swinging bats in front of the bench. When I told them they were allowed just one on deck batter, they all went nuts. I could have easily thrown out the coach for all of his complaining during the game. But I did not axe him as I felt that I was still in control of the situation and thought that it was the best way to handle it, as I'm sure that I will be working this team's games in the future. As I new umpire I did not want to be perceived as someone who's quick to dismiss someone and could not handle their attempts to be confrontational. I find that I am actually able to ignore the comments, and I stick to just concentrating on making the right calls, and sticking to the rules as they are written.