time limits/ wasting time question

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A hot topic the past couple weeks has been the whole stalling/time limits/ revert back to / etc etc . My question is do you think we are wasting too much time between innings ? The coach's preach on/off quick but at 10/12u is just is'nt being done. Anyone else agree with me that the standard throw a few balls around has grown into 4- 5 minutes for each team per inning , meaning we waste 8-10 minutes every inning. This is just a huge pet peeve for me. Am I alone ? Maybe we would'nt be getting in 3-4 innings in 70-80 minutes games if blue/coach's/players would get with it !

It seems like we spend more time warming up than we do playing. MD

 

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It goes both ways MD. There have been times when we were ready to go - catcher has gear on already and runs out after out #3 - takes a pitch and takes it down and the other team is in a huddle being talked to by their coach. Then the batter has to find her helmet, then her batting gloves then she realizes she needs a bat. The umpire can keep a game moving better than anyone, however, there isn't much incentive for them to get in as many innings as possible. Actually the more time a team messes around, the less they have to ump in a timed game.

 

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Yeah' I never thought much about the O not being ready to hit. That happens too. Overall the time between innings just needs cut about 2 min by each 1/2 inning and you gain approx 15-20 minutes. 4 min x 5 innings = 20 minutes more to get deeper in a game. MD And Yes Blue is the main dude that can fix the problem . Speedem up blue !

 

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This wasted time is a big pet peeve for me, too. Fortunately, if I'm working the game I have the chance to do something about it!

Most rule sets say that the pitcher has one minute to deliver her five warm-up pitches between innings. That one minute begins from the instant that the third out is recorded in the previous half-inning.

If the catcher isn't ready, too bad. Get another player to catch the warm-up pitches. If a catcher is late getting out, then the pitcher just might have her warm-up throws reduced or eliminated when we hit the one minute mark.

I'm not suggesting that an umpire should be fanatical about this, timing off the one minute with a stop watch, but keeping the game moving along and enforcing the between innings drill is all a part of good game management duties. The simpliest ways to handle this is to encourage the players to hustle in and out, encourage the coaches to have their catchers ready to go and for the umpire to actually count the warm-up pitches between innings- like you're supposed to!- allowing no more than five.

If we are in a non-timed game, I might be a little more relaxed about this, as long as the teams are generally quick about changing sides. Sometimes I'll loose track of the warm-up pitches while a coach discusses substitutions or I grab a quick drink of water on a 90-degree day. But I still don't allow prolonged wasted time between innings.

In a time limit game, I consider enforcing this rule to be more critical. The wasted time between innings can be the difference between playing the entire game or having to cheat kids out of the last couple of innings.

A few years ago I took a closer look at this for one of the local rec leagues where I worked. By enforcing the one minute between innings, most of my games went the full seven innings. In contrast, games by other umpires that let the between innings routine drag on for several minutes were only getting in about 4-5 innings, on average.

Coaches can set the tone by hustling their players in and out, having the catcher ready to go and making their subs as quickly as possible. While that might help, if the between inning downtime is dragging out, I still put most of the blame on the umpire. He is responsible for controlling the pace of the game and should be enforcing (within reason) the one minute limit between innings.

 

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I think we're all in way too big of a hurry as it is, let alone trying to speed things up even more. Heaven forbid anyone ever take an infield and outfield ball out there or throw the ball around the horn.

 

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Just like the theme song from BatMan ---the signal goes up and POOF , there he is ! Good time for you be lurking ! I wholeheartly agree . If we just had Bretman clones ;D MD

 

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I think we're all in way too big of a hurry as it is, let alone trying to speed things up even more. ?Heaven forbid anyone ever take an infield and outfield ball out there or throw the ball around the horn. ?

interesting viewpoint --is it possable they don't screw around as much at your age group JoeA ? maybe 14u-16u are not busy discussing the Jonas brothers or Hannah Montana ? And coaches surely micromanage the younger ones moreso than the older ? MD

 

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Just like the theme song from BatMan ---the signal goes up and POOF ?, there he is ! ......? ?MD

That's funny, for a second there I thought you changed your name to StatDan


Also, I agree Mr. Abraham the games do seem rushed more but we are artificially shoehorned into a game that was never meant to have a clock. What is unique about the sport is all but gone.

 

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I agree with all of the above...Possibly more Bretman's behind the plate would help...

When I have witnessed an umpire that states before the game how the between innings stuff is going to work...and actually enforce it...the games seem to move along without seeming as if it is being rushed. I certainly understand that subs need to be reported and recorded and the 'Men in Blue/Red" need hydrated just like the players...But I have witnessed some officials that have a good grasp on keeping each inning "consistent"!

There have also been some that will state the rules pre-game and then act as if no guidelines are in place...We all know what happens then...Coach A notices that Coach B got more time in the 2nd inning and is bound and determined to get his kids equal time...A natural response but one that the umpire could prevent..

 

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I think the time element of our game is really ruining the experience. I agree with Joe. This game was meant to be played at a somewhat leisurly pace as was baseball. Within reason of course.

That is one of the draws of our sport. Relaxing, as a fan and watching from our cush chairs. It's not unlike being pushed to rush through a round of golf.

Get rid of the time constraints or at least make them realistic. Get the 5-6 game weekends which are really only 15-20 innings.

 

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We had a bad example of wasted time two years ago in Greenville. We were tied game 1-1 and other team was up with only 3 or 4 min. of the game left. 1st girl up get struck out. Next girl gets hit and runs to first base, she is clearly out and "twists" her ankle crossing the base. We still have time to get that last out and end with a tie game. But coaches go out to the "hurt" girl. And instead of walking her out the first base door. Creeps with her all the way, limping and cying across the whole field to the 3rd base dugout. Next girl gets up, 2 stikes, time up, ball game over. Reverts back to previous inning and we lose 0-1. Thing is the "hurt" girl was running just fine next game. We tried to get the umps to stop the clock for an injury but they wouldn't do it. They wanted to stay on time.

 

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I'm not against the relaxed ,leisurely pace, assuming the time limits go away. It's just the 2 don't mix very well. MD

 

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the time limits only seem to be an issue on the losing end....then you notice every shoe that needs to be tied, every time out to confer with the batter/pitcher, etc, etc...BUT, in general most teams do a great job of hustling on and off and having the batter ready...sour grapes are sour grapes, but I don't think it's an epidemic with the amount of time in between innings...it's up to asst coaches,statmen like me to let the girls know who is coming up to bat and who is on deck, etc

now about drop-dead time limits, we ARE the ones getting into these tourneys so we're lying in those beds knowing full well the rules and expectations before the tourney....have team ready to go, which most are anyway

so what's the rub? man, just think if tony larussa had a time limit, he'd have the Cards undefeated come play-off time...make the rules bow to you, not the other way around...

 

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Well said Statman....I have never entered a tournament with a drop dead limit...Partially just lucky and partly intentional...

Also, with a regular time limit umpires will start the next inning the second the 3rd out is recorded...If the home team takes their time getting on defense it doesn't matter.