Finish Inning Plus One

OhPhat

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Many if not all of us have been there where It is obvious a coach is stalling to run out the clock in a game which is not designed to be a timed game.

My DD played in the Celine Wyatt tournament this weekend were 65 minutes finish the inning plus one inning. This is our first time playing in this format and I have to say I really this format is really great to eliminate stalling.

I wish other TDs would consider this format.
 

flygirlsdad

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Much better than USSSA 70 min timed games but still doesnt eliminate stalling completely.
 

BA824

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My 1st time with this as well and liked it but we still had a team use stall tactics in last inning of timed played. Called time, went to the mound, talks the switched pitchers with 2 outs nobody on base. Didn’t even hide what they were doing and claimed it was part of the game
 

AnotherSoftballDad

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As long as there are timed games...stalling is going to happen. It stinks, but it is reality. Finish the inning, plus an inning is the best way to go if there are going to be timed games.
 

OhPhat

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My 1st time with this as well and liked it but we still had a team use stall tactics in last inning of timed played. Called time, went to the mound, talks the switched pitchers with 2 outs nobody on base. Didn’t even hide what they were doing and claimed it was part of the game
We also had a little stalling but the plus one does seem to minimize the effect of stalling.
 

Xrayaries

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Limit visits and put up a pitch timer. Batter has 8 seconds to step back in the box.

Some of these pitchers out there are like human rain delays without stalling. IE dirt, Rosen bag, towel, sweat band. Walk in a circle. I'm so close to yelling at them.
 

BretMan2

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USA put the “finish the inning, plus one more” in their official rules a couple of years ago. But, for some reason tournament directors either don’t like it or aren’t even aware of it.
 

DanMaz

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i like finish inning plus one more. eliminates stalling. (honey tie your shoe!! - no, i mean both shoes!!)
 

sftball follower

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Anytime I was involved with a tournament with this format I also liked; however, there never seemed to be enough time allotted to stay in schedule. Fields always seemed behind. Just my experience but did like format
 

OhPhat

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Anytime I was involved with a tournament with this format I also liked; however, there never seemed to be enough time allotted to stay in schedule. Fields always seemed behind. Just my experience but did like format
We played in the Celine Wyatt tourney this weekend using this format and it seemed to work well.
 

Bob_Himmelein

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A TD tried 5 inning games a few years ago. Seemed to work OK, but as always, they got some complaints from games that finished early etc. Not sure what the right answer is. I hate timed games and ties, but when you talk to coaches, may are OK with the ties. I have not seen a great deal of stalling, we normally play 75 minute, finish the inning, but have an extra mercy rule, where if a team is behind by 15 runs at anytime after 45 minutes, the game ends immediately. This is helpful in helping teams not get embarrassed or wasting playing time, pitching etc. Also, helps keep games on time.
I think the biggest thing is to not overbook fields to pack more teams in.
 

Wolfpack31

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We have played this format multiple times now and I am certainly a fan.

Although its typically still never a complete 7 inning game, this format is as close as it gets in terms of knowing when the game will end. Meaning it's nice to know we are finishing the inning and we have 1 more left as opposed to there are 5 min left in the game. It somewhat takes the "timed game" element off the table mentally as a coach.

I would take 60 min finsish + 1 inning over 75 or 80 min finish inning any day!
 

Kurt Kuster

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I tell my umps it's 90 seconds from last out to batter up. If the pitcher isn't ready. Ball one. If the batter isn't ready strike one. I don't see a ton of stalling. I see teams that take forever between innings. We do 75 minutes complete the inning and the time is on the scoreboard so everyone can see it. If I think you're stalling I will stop the clock, give a warning. Happens again you forfeit the game.
 

yocoach

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My teams have also played this format many times. I remember about 14 or so years ago it seemed that every tournament we were in was played with this format. This was the year where everyone was trying to get away from drop dead timed games and were experimenting with other formats. The following year most every tournament we played in went to time limit finish the inning. I wish more had stayed with the +1. As everyone said, it takes a lot of time stalling out of the game. It also allows you to play the game more in line with how it was intended to be played.
 

hammerhead20

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As a Tournament Director, I've done this format with Adult Tournaments. You would be surprised how quick things move until that plus one inning. Couple of really long innings and you could easily get hours behind. I am a fan of 90 minutes finish the inning. Good teams are getting no fewer than 5 innings with a good chance of getting all 7 in.
 

Doom Leader

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Take less teams, charge more for entry fee and play 7 inning games, every team wants 7 inning games why can we not get this done?
 

hammerhead20

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Take less teams, charge more for entry fee and play 7 inning games, every team wants 7 inning games why can we not get this done?
Because of skill level. I would never run a 7 inning tournament at the "B" level or below. You would have some games that would simply never end. Teams want full games, but they also don't want to play in tournaments that can run hours behind because of a game or 2. 90-100 minutes finish the inning will get you full games or close plus keep you to a consistent schedule. I also think teams like to play multiple teams at tournaments. I would rather have a time limit and see an extra couple teams then 2 long games with less teams.
 

Doom Leader

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Totally agree with all that!! Then play 1:30 minute games?
 

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