Official start time?

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Does anyone have any idea when the official start time should be "logged" in a game that has a time limit? First pitch, or when the home team takes the field at the beginning of the game? I'm asking because we have been on the short end of this a few times this past season. The time started when the opposing team took the field (yep, we lost the coin flip), only down by a run or two, ran out of time to start the last inning.In hind sight, the 5 minutes they took infield could have been the difference in getting one more shot to score a couple more.I know what your thinking, they could have put up a couple more just the same. But it's not over 'till it's over, or your called on time.

In case your wondering, these games seemed to drag out usually due to an injury, or coaches taking too much time between innings to rally their troops. Or by several delays in arguing with the ump, but often all of the above.
Maybe intentional to take advantage of the time limit rule, not that I have ever been guilty.

Thoughts, opinions, or official ruling welcomed.

Bucket But

 

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The umpire usually anounces when the time starts.

 

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I realize that, my question is first pitch or when the home team mosies on to the field to start the first inning?

 

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Does anyone have any idea when the official start time should be "logged" in a game that has a time limit?

In most tourneys, it's at the discretion of the home plate umpire. I have seen it after the flip, first pitch, or anytime in between. I personally like it to be at the first pitch, to get more time. But in reality, if I were the UIC, it would be after the flip, and then a quick reminder to both coaches to have his players hustle on and off the fields, because we are on the clock.

 

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I agree Lady Knights, the game would move much smoother on those terms.

 

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It's always been as soon as the meeting at home plate ends in every tournament I've coached.

The reason there is no good answer is that this game was not meant to be played with a time limit. The artificial concoction forces us to make up stupid rules and procedures as we go.

 

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Most tournaments we have been involved it is when the home team takes the field.

 

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We are always been told after coin flip your on the clock. Have never seen it any other way that I recall

 

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I have seen it 3 ways. After coin flip. When home team takes the field. 1st pitch. I have even seen it change game to game within a tournament. I agre with Joe on the issue but if we are going to have them lets be consistent on the start time. When I run our tournaments we tell them umpires when to start the clock. At 1st pitch.

 

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Straight by-the-book:

In ASA, the time officially starts when the first pitch is thrown.

In NSA, the game starts when the defensive team has taken their positions and the umpire signals and says, "Play".

I would imagine that other organizations might have their own definition of when the game starts, so the answer depends on which rule set your game is being played under.

I have worked many tournaments where the umpires have been instructed to "start the clock" as soon as the pre-game conference ends. That seems to be a common practice.

I have worked local leagues that have their way of covering this, ranging from the game starts at the printed scheduled start time to not addressing it at all.

Add all those confusing directives to the long list of reasons why I hate timed games...

Whatever the official start time, allowing one team to take "five minutes of infield" once the clock has started is excessive and poor game management on the part of the umpire. If the clock is running, let's play ball!

There are rules that address the between-innings time limits. The pitcher has one minute to deliver her set-number of warm-up pitches. In a timed game, I'm pretty strict in enforcing those rules.

There are also rules to address tactics to delay or hasten a game and those can be enforced if stalling gets out of hand. After a warning if a team continues to unecessarily delay the rules do allow the umpire to declare a forfeit. That extreme measure is reserved for extreme cases and should be used only as a last resort.

Did I mention that I hate timed games...

When using a clock, I have found a few things that help stem off any contoversy. The first thing I will do is carry my own timer and make the teams are aware that my clock is the official clock. As the game starts, I will give the start time on my clock to the scorekeeper and ask them to make a note of it. From there, if you keep the teams hustling in and out between innings, enforce the one-minute limit for warm-up pitches and address any unecessary delays promtly, clock-related problems should be kept at a minimum.

But I still hate timed games...