drop dead, like or dislike?

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Just wondering what everyone's opinion on this. I think it take's away from the game. I definately hate it think it's one of the dumbest rule's there is. I've seen what I call bush league thing's happen so often I'm surprised anyone who uses the format even get team's to play. It seem's to penalize team for making a comback. The international tie breaker to me is the fairest and most exciting. 2 yrs. ago we were playing in a tournament in lucasville we lost three game's that we came back to take the lead only to lose because they reverted back to previous inning. One game really stick's in my crawl because the coach changed pitcher's 3 time's in the inning just to stall. To me that is bush. We did get our revenge though next time we faced them we run rolled them. I think this format allow's for thing's like this. Really like to hear your thought's.

 

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I'll go out on a limb and take a wild guess that not one single person here is going to come out and say, "I really love drop-dead time limits"!

 

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It depends on if youre winning or not..... :lmao:

 

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It depends on if youre winning or not..... :lmao:

If we are winnnig its the greatest rule ever written

 

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I think its pretty obvious that nobody likes drop dead...but I also believe that most understand why its in place. The better question should be what rules or tweaks can be put on to drop dead to ease the delay of game temptation for teams with slim leads as the deadline approaches? pitching change limits? visits to the circle time limits shrunk/enforced?
just my opinion.

 

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Hate it. Seems to bring the worst out in coaches, fans, players. While it is an element that if mastered can help you it puts too many times the question of sportsmanship. Let them play the inning out. Would rather have two out innings than that silly rule. Do the rewards out weigh the problems? I think not.

 

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I think its pretty obvious that nobody likes drop dead...but I also believe that most understand why its in place. The better question should be what rules or tweaks can be put on to drop dead to ease the delay of game temptation for teams with slim leads as the deadline approaches? pitching change limits? visits to the circle time limits shrunk/enforced?
just my opinion.

There's already one handy rule in place to help address this:

"A forfeited game shall be declared by the umpire in favor of the team not at fault...If a team employs tactics noticably designed to delay or to hasten the game."

I'm not suggesting that an umpire should jump in and call a forfeit at the first sign of a possible delay. Generally, umpires are taught to avoid forfeits at all costs and to use them only as an absolute last resort. But it can help if, at the first sign of illegal stalling, the umpire reminds the offending team's coach of the possible consequences if the tactics continue.

That usually gets them moving along pretty fast!

 

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I thought long and hard on this topic. I considered all aspects, weighting pros and cons. After due consideration I conclude...

Hate it.

 

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Hate it as well, seems very unfair, I would prefer time limit with finishing current inning. But I also hate it when there are scheduled game times and you end up playing hours behind. Always seems to happen at a particular park close to my home. Ugh!

 

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It depends on if youre winning or not..... :lmao:

So true!!
Actually, would love to see teams play 7 innings that way endurance and team depth comes into play. In travel ball with timed games, it is usually who gets the jump in scoring first. In running a tournament though you have to be realistic and have to have timed games to get them in. That being said I not a big fan of drop dead..... unless it gives us the win!!!!!!!!

 

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The question should be;
At a travel ball tournament; would you prefer to play all seven innings of the game, just like God intended the game to be played but have fewer games and no ability to stay on schedule OR have a time limit, be able to stay on schedule and have a 4/5 game guarantee?

You will need to schedule at least 2 hours for each game, from start to start. That will drop the usage of a field from 8 games per day to 6 games. If one game goes into extra innings or is a run-fest the entire tournament must wait for the delayed teams which delays more teams. The tournament is then controlled by the slowest game on each slot.

Also now the umpires will want to get paid similarly per day wether they do 6 or 8 games. The field rentals will be per day for not as many games. This will lead the TD's to either find more fields (read more cost) or allow fewer teams. This fewer teams will mean less income for shirts and food. All this means the prices will rise for these tournaments.

You vote for tournament formats with your attendance. Would you really pay 25% more for a tournament with less teams and no enforceable schedule? I don't think so. You will complain about it on this forum but no one would allow the TD's to make the adjustments necessary to implement a complete 7 inning game format for all games.

So at least one of us likes the time limit. Perhaps if you really thought about it you would to. Play some friendlies with no time limits, make it to the Championship game or go to your high school game. Trying to stuff 250 games into a weekend does lend itself to a timeless format.

 

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I like time limits of 1 1/2 hours per game and you have to finish the last inning. No time limit for the semis and finals - ITB if needed. We will all get used to games possibly starting a little late as it gets later in the day.

 

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80 min at the older ages will give you a complete game usually if they are decent teams and if not you want it over anyways. We do 80 min indoors finish the inning but did fall behind a little as two games went into ITB. So I do understand why some places do the drop dead just doesn't work for me.

Will consider no new inning after 70 or 75 min just much more limited indoors on space and time.

 

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Vote for the ITB in lieu of drop dead.

 

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The question should be;
At a travel ball tournament; would you prefer to play all seven innings of the game, just like God intended the game to be played but have fewer games and no ability to stay on schedule OR have a time limit, be able to stay on schedule and have a 4/5 game guarantee?

So at least one of us likes the time limit. Perhaps if you really thought about it you would to. Play some friendlies with no time limits, make it to the Championship game or go to your high school game. Trying to stuff 250 games into a weekend does lend itself to a timeless format.

You seem to be arguing for time limits and some of your points are good ones.

But this thread is specifically asking about drop dead time limits- the lowest regarded and most reviled form of time limit on the planet!

I bet anyone would pick a "finish the inning" time limit over a drop dead time limit if forced to choose between the two.

 

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Hate it as well, seems very unfair, I would prefer time limit with finishing current inning. But I also hate it when there are scheduled game times and you end up playing hours behind. Always seems to happen at a particular park close to my home. Ugh!

NO doubt. I've started timing the inning transitions when I see how poorly Blue & Coaches are managing the transition. Last year I saw an entire game that waisted 20 minutes of game time simply transitioning IN/ON the field. Most games would go the full seven if Blue, Coaches, and players would respect the inning transitions TIMELY.

There was 1 ump in particular that was at a Wilmington Tourney last summer that thought he was PERFORMING and no kidding waisted at least 1-2 minutes every 1/2 inning BSing with the crowd, players, and coaches while the pitcher had already taken her alotted # of warmups.

Are we paying to play or paying to be entertained by Blue? Coaches and Players are sometimes their own worst enemy here also. Kids can't find their gloves in the dugout, Coaches chatting in dugout too long...

 

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OK, I'll bite.

Although it was not the way the game was intended to be played, I have found the strategy of coaching in a 'drop dead revert back to a previous inning' to be enjoyable - as have my players. It is what it is, when its the rule - score early and play defense.

I wrote this in another post. Our players still talk about this game. If we would have lost, so be it - but it was fun.

Here's an example, last season we were playing in a weather-related 45 min drop dead game. We were down 2-1 going into the bottom half of 7th inning of the semi-finals with 5-6 minutes left on the clock. The rules was drop dead revert back to prevous inning. We get runners on 2nd and 3rd with 2 outs. My bench coach is flashing me hand signals as to how many minutes are left. The clock is down to 1 minute. My batter gets a base hit to center field. The runner from 3rd scores and knowing how much time is on the clock and the revert back rule, I send the runner from 2nd figuring she will either score and the game will be over or get thrown out ending the inning before the time limit and thus eliminating the revert back rule because it was a completed inning allowing us to go into whatever version of extra innings was determined.

To make a long story short, the winning run slid into home the ball popped out of the catchers glove and as we're jumping up and down celebrating the buzzer went off.

Two things come to mind: 1) Adapted coaching style to the rules of the game. I never would have sent the runner from 3rd under normal circumstances given where the ball was hit. 2) Even if we hadn't pre-thought before the hit to send the runner from 2nd regardless. I would have gotten the umpires attention and told the runner to leave early to end the inning before the buzzer sounded thus preventing the game from reverting back to a 2-1 loss.

 

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Last season, Ohio St and New Mexico State were playing in a tourney hosted by New Mexico St.. Ohio St wanted to play the game, but also did not want to miss their flight home. They set a drop dead time. After the bottom of the 4th, OSU was down by a run. In the top of the 5th Ohio St took a two or three run lead (can`t remember ) When Ohio St made their last out there was @ 13 minutes to go until drop dead. Well, the New Mexico coach stalled as much as she could, took her time subing kids, had a conference with the home plate ump. Long story short she waisted so much time they did not even send one batter to the plate. The entire time Ohio St was in the field waiting. It was a pretty pitiful act of poor sportsmanship by the NMS coach. It was all over the college forums. The OSU coach was a furious, and asked the umps to drop the drop dead, and finish the game (this IS college after all) However the NMS coach held her to the drop dead and would not play any longer. Needless to say OSU will not be playing in that tourney any time soon.

 

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Hate it. But as many have pointed out coaching takes on a different strategy. It sure points out what some will do to win at all costs. I'm old enough to have seen about every known tactic to win the game. You get a bunch of upset parents and players when you are way ahead, but revert back to the last complete inning. I think I have seen about ever stall tactic you can try. The shoe strings were one of the best.

 

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Drop dead for pool games okay.
Do away with it once you get into bracket play. Lost that way a couple of weeks ago in bracket and that is a tough loss, especially when your up two runs.