Waved off a grand slam b/c ball not in play yet...I think I screwed up

[Phil]

Little league. 10-12 year olds. 2 outs, bases loaded, home team changes pitchers. As umpires for this particular league, we are instructed that after a pitching change, when the game is about to resume, to announce the count on the batter, the runners on base, and the number of outs (presumably to the new pitcher, but of course loud enough so all can hear). I have no clue if this is common in other little leagues. Anyway, I'm standing behind F2 and giving this information, but the batter has already dug in and the pitcher winds up and pitches. I have not put the ball in play. As the pitch is coming in, I'm yelling "No pitch!" but the batter swings and hits one over the fence to center. I wave it off and of course the VC goes bananas. Did I over officiate? In hindsight, I think I might have.

Let me have it. I'm here to learn and improve.

[Paperipper17]

Nope. Until you put it in play, nothing can happen. You clearly said "No pitch!" No matter what the batter did, that means no pitch.

[jnazz]

No, you didn't over officiate. You had not put the ball back into play yet. You even tried to kill it before the batter had swung. No pitch, period. Think of it this way, if you let the play stand (and assuming the HC was on the ball) what would the HC have done? The play would likely have been protestable.

One thing I would recommend is to shut this down earlier. As soon as you see F1 ready to pitch and the possibility of an early pitch, hold up your hand and say, "Hold on Pitcher. Hold on!" You can even step to the side (opposite the batter) when doing this.

[Phil]

No, you didn't over officiate. You had not put the ball back into play yet. You even tried to kill it before the batter had swung. No pitch, period. Think of it this way, if you let the play stand (and assuming the HC was on the ball) what would the HC have done? The play would likely have been protestable.

One thing I would recommend is to shut this down earlier. As soon as you see F1 ready to pitch and the possibility of an early pitch, hold up your hand and say, "Hold on Pitcher. Hold on!" You can even step to the side (opposite the batter) when doing this.

Thanks for the comments. This is a good idea. The kids in this league, to their credit, like to get in the box quickly and don't delay on the mound. That said, it seems like they rarely are actually waiting for me to call "Play." I try to call it as soon as the batter is clearly ready in the box (when it needs to be called), but the pitcher is definitely not waiting for me.

So the thing about this is, I overheard at least one comment from one of the kids that the grand slam got waved off because "the ump wasn't ready." There's also this nagging feeling in the back of my head that there's some rule interpretation that if the pitcher is clearly ready (he was) the batter is ready (he sure seemed to be, since he hit a HR), and if the pitcher pitches then it is assumed that the ump has put the ball in play. Which as I'm typing it, seems ridiculous, but are kids really taught to wait for the umpire to signal "Play"?

[jjb]

It is never "assumed" that you put the ball in play. It's out of play, until you put it in. Good call.

Now, since we're in "learning" mode: you DO put the ball in play, by pointing at the pitcher, and saying "Play", don't you? I mean EVERY TIME the ball goes out of play. Foul ball/change of pitcher/you gave "time", right? If you do, you're covered. If you don't, what will you say to the coach who says "I've never seen you put the ball in play, yet: how am I supposed to know when it's in play or not?"

It's a simple habit: you don;t have to make a big deal about it. Point, wave, thumb your nose, whatever it takes to signal the ball in play. but, make sure you do it!

[Paperipper17]

So the thing about this is, I overheard at least one comment from one of the kids that the grand slam got waved off because "the ump wasn't ready." There's also this nagging feeling in the back of my head that there's some rule interpretation that if the pitcher is clearly ready (he was) the batter is ready (he sure seemed to be, since he hit a HR), and if the pitcher pitches then it is assumed that the ump has put the ball in play. Which as I'm typing it, seems ridiculous, but are kids really taught to wait for the umpire to signal "Play"?

Kids, parents, and coaches are always going to say stupid stuff about things they don't understand. In a similar vein, as PU in a HS game, I ended the game by rotating to third and calling out a runner on a throw from right field. Leaving the park, my partner and I overheard a parent at the concession say "Good thing the home ump was paying attention. I guess the base guy forgot there was a runner on." That taught me two things: 1. They don't understand that nothing we do is by accident (well, some things may be, but they don't know that), and 2. They always assume that we're highly incompetent.

No one but ourselves understand the things we do and the reasons for them, and if you don't just laugh off the baseless comments, you'll go crazy.

It's never assumed that you put the ball in play. You have to put it in play. I doubt that coaches teach that, but if you enforce it, kids will start to learn.

Don't second-guess yourself. You did the exact right thing.

[yawetag]

You can even step to the side (opposite the batter) when doing this.

This is the best thing to do. It puts you in a position to show that you weren't going to do a thing with the pitch except kill it.

Thanks for the comments. This is a good idea. The kids in this league, to their credit, like to get in the box quickly and don't delay on the mound. That said, it seems like they rarely are actually waiting for me to call "Play." I try to call it as soon as the batter is clearly ready in the box (when it needs to be called), but the pitcher is definitely not waiting for me.

The kids need to learn at a young age that the umpire puts the ball in play, not them. Unfortunately, at the lower ages, there's a lot of umpires that don't EVER do it, so it's hard for them to learn. Keep doing it correctly and they'll learn.

[Phil]

Now, since we're in "learning" mode: you DO put the ball in play, by pointing at the pitcher, and saying "Play", don't you? I mean EVERY TIME the ball goes out of play. Foul ball/change of pitcher/you gave "time", right? If you do, you're covered. If you don't, what will you say to the coach who says "I've never seen you put the ball in play, yet: how am I supposed to know when it's in play or not?"

Yes, I had called time before the pitching change. And I do point to F1 and say "Play" when the ball needs to be made live. I just don't think the kids always remember that I need to do that before anything can happen.

[Mr Umpire]

I would not step to the opposite side of the batter. Go behind him. Which shoulder of F2 do we not set up behind? Why would you go to that same side completely exposed and not even prepared to take a foul ball shot?

The rest is fine. Ball was not in play so no HR to be given. Sorry, kid. Next time, reserve your swing for when it is.

[PeteBooth]

Phil' timestamp='1306380166' post='54031']

Little league. 10-12 year olds. 2 outs, bases loaded, home team changes pitchers. As umpires for this particular league, we are instructed that after a pitching change, when the game is about to resume, to announce the count on the batter, the runners on base, and the number of outs (presumably to the new pitcher, but of course loud enough so all can hear[.

The aforementioned must be a LL or youth thing. I realize that is what your league wants you to do BUT what you describe is the COACHES reponsibility NOT the umpires. Our job is to record the change on our line-up card, allow F1 to take 8 warm-up throws and it's time to play. F1 and the batter were ready and the reason you were not is because you were the one giving the INFO. This delays the game.

Anyway, I'm standing behind F2 and giving this information, but the batter has already dug in and the pitcher winds up and pitches. I have not put the ball in play. As the pitch is coming in, I'm yelling "No pitch!" but the batter swings and hits one over the fence to center. I wave it off and of course the VC goes bananas. Did I over officiate? In hindsight, I think I might have.

As another poster pointed out - Do you put the ball in play after every stoppage?

Technically speaking when F1 has the ball, B1 in the box ready to hit and F2 ready to receive it, by definition play is live. I know the rule says the umpire is to call play but let's face it some umpires do NOT put the ball in play and there needs to be some indication that the ball is live. You were "covered" because you said No pitch As soon as you said NO Pitch the ball is dead at that moment.

In summary, I would have an umpires meeting with the "powers that be" and get rid of this notion that the umpire is to instruct F1 what the 'deal is" That is the role of the coach. As mentioned our role as umpire is to simply record the change. That way you do not waste time and as soon as F1 is ready it's time to play. IMO, if you di not have to give the INFO this type of scenario would NOT happen. We do not want coaches umpiring the game and in the same token we should not coach when we umpire.

Pete Booth

[mazzamouth]

Yep you screwed the pooch on this one...LOL Just kidding.. It is nothing till you put it in play...

You asked about other leagues if we tell the pitcher the count or outs.. If the count is not a 0-0 I will tell him when I am getting ready to put the ball in play.Other than that It is not my job to tell him the outs.

[SnareDrum]

I think I'm one of the very few umpires in our league that "puts the ball in play". How do I know? Often/Sometimes I point and say "play!" and the catcher stands up and says "Huh?"... the batter steps out and looks at me like, "What?"... The pitcher does seem to know, but he now has to wait for his catcher and the batter. No, the players are not learning about what "put in play" is all about because they're coaches aren't teaching them and we aren't either... unless they learn by screw-up. Most believe the hand up means "Don't pitch. Hold on a second" (Had an F1 try a pickoff with my hand up last week. I killed it and said the hand up meant "Time"... got a collective "It does?" from seemingly the entire park).

What is interesting is watching the NCAA & MLB blues on TV... I don't see many of them doing this... Across the board, it seems the higher the league, the less you see it.

No, I do not give "the situation" to the relief pitcher in any league, but I will tell him the count (by loudly announcing it) if he inherited a batter.

[sdix00]

+1 on what Roger K said.

Check out this thread on preventing quick pitches. It has a couple comments on avoiding this.

http://umpire-empire.com/index.php/topic/7103-quick-pitch-my-fault/

I worked with an experienced partner this year when something similar to this OP happened to him. Partner never stepped out and yelled "TIME" or "NO PITCH!". Rather, after the play the DM came out and said, "Blue, you never put the ball in play. That hit doesn't count". PU said, "I did put the ball in play. I am sorry you didn't hear it. You pitcher obviously heard it, however."

[mstaylor]

As mentioned it is not our job to give the pitcher the situation. It is our job to put the ball in play. If your league insist you do that then do it from beside the plate. Do not step behind the plate before you are ready to put the ball in play. It is my habit to always announce the count, if there is one, before I put the ball in play. I do it every time. I don't care if the guy hits six foul balls in a row and the count doesn't change. The routine teaches the pitcher to wait. If the pitchers aren't waiting for you, make them.

[mtnump]

"No pitch!" means no pitch, no matter the reason. I doubt many of us yell "no pitch!" without a good reason and if you haven't put the ball in play before the pitcher starts his motion then that would be a great reason. Since I have a better bead on the batter, I will generally tell them to step out until I am ready to put the ball in play. When I am ready, I put up the stop sign and when the batter is ready point and "Play!" This is not on every pitch or every stoppage, but you know when you have a pitcher with a quick trigger or they tunnel in.

We do give the situation to the new pitcher, but I trot out to the mound during his last warm up and tell him where his runners are, the count and the outs. Then I trot back to the plate and put the ball in play. If I am working with someone I know, we will pregame it and have the BU do it. If BU is in B or C he is right there so no undo delay. Sounds like this is not the norm in a lot of places. Regardless of the reason for the stoppage, the pitcher needs to wait until the ball is put into play before pitching. We need to make sure that we are doing that so they come to understand what is happening. Kids aren't dumb, after an inning or two they get it.

[mstaylor]

Giving the pitcher the situation happens all the time in youth ball. In HS or above it is not done. I don't do it anywhere, nor do I use the hand up much, if at all.

[yawetag]

In HS or above it is not done.

In HS or above, it shouldn't be done. It is, though.

[Forest Ump]

If you are having problems with pitchers pitching when time is out, walk out and tell the pitcher that when your hand is up, time is out and they do not pitch. Note: Do this for youth leagues only. Remember, it is you who controls the game, not the battery or the coaches.

[NFUA_44]

Cut off the hand, it does nothing more than slow the game down. Think about it, the moment you call time, or raise your hand everybody relaxes. Now they all have to get reset to start play again. Just check out the pace of a game where it isn't used and you will see what I'm talking about. 3 years ago I was grinding game management techniques into my new crop of up and comers, and we abolished the use of the hand altogether. Keep the ball in play whenever possible, it keeps them in the games, moves it along, and the players will play better.

Once in a while you get this pitcher who wants to quick pitch it. First time it happens, let out a LOUD "Time" and make sure he understands that he has to wait for the batter to be ready. Later, chat up F2 and ask him to wait for the batter to get set before he gets to sign happy. This is no different than calling balks. Once you call it, with command and respect, the lesson will be learned.

As to the giving of the situation, though I understand it on a small field, we are not coaches. There are a plethora of people around the new pitcher coming into the situation that should be telling him what he's got. Sit back and let them handle it. If he asks give him the count and outs, but anything else is just hand holding. These kids aren't dummies, they will quickly learn to figure it out. Neither Umpire has anything to do in the vicinity of the pitcher warming up, so why waste the time? My .03 cents, ymmv

[mjr_2013]

Just curious (you made the correct call), how did the batter's AB end?

[Umpire in Chief]

Good call Although a tough one. Sticking by an unpopular but correct call is one of the things which separates an average umpire from a really good one.

[Phil]

Just curious (you made the correct call), how did the batter's AB end?

If I remember correctly, I believe he hit another fly ball to the outfield, but it was caught. R3 tagged up and scored, R2 moved to third.

[Phil]

Thanks to everyone for the thoughtful replies. They are much appreciated, as well as the encouragement that I did the right thing. At the time I made the call, I was thinking that the only thing that could cause this to blow up in my face would be if a coach tried to argue the "implied" live ball:

Technically speaking when F1 has the ball, B1 in the box ready to hit and F2 ready to receive it, by definition play is live. I know the rule says the umpire is to call play but let's face it some umpires do NOT put the ball in play and there needs to be some indication that the ball is live. You were "covered" because you said No pitch As soon as you said NO Pitch the ball is dead at that moment.

But like Pete said, the "No pitch" saved me.

[dumbdumb]

Maybe this one will make you feel better. Left the whole article in for any of those who can remember Stan the man.

Other cases are at the end of this article.

CARDINAL BASEBALL: STAN “THE MAN†MUSIAL

This article comes from Stan Musial’s daughter, Janet Schwarze, and KC Star writer Joe Posnanski.

Read it and see if it makes you get misty eyed, like me.

Stan Musial never got thrown out of a game – never.

Think about this for a moment. Musial played in 3.026

games in his career, or about as many as his contemporaries

Joe Dimaggio and Johnny Pesky combined. He played

across several different American eras – he played in the

big leagues before bombs fell on Pearl Harbor , and he

retired a few weeks before Kennedy was assassinated.

He played when Jimmy Dorsey and Glenn Miller ruled

the Top 40 charts, and he played when Elvis was thin,

and he played when Chubby Checker twisted. He played

before television and after John Glenn orbited the earth.

And he never once got thrown out of a baseball game.

There was this game in 1952, the year the Today Show came

to television and the year the Diary of Ann Frank was published, and Musial’s Cardinals trailed

the Brooklyn Dodgers by two runs in the ninth. The bases were loaded. There were two outs.

Musial faced pitcher Ben Wade. The two battled briefly and then Musial connected for a home

run. Grand Slam! Everyone at Sportsmans Park stood and cheered wildly. Musial started to

run around the bases in his own inimitable way, not too fast, not too slow, all class. No

showboating. And it wasn’t until he rounded first and headed for second that everyone seemed

to notice at once that the third base umpire was holding up his arms. A ball had rolled onto the

field just before the pitch. The umpire had called a heartbreaking time out. Home plate umpire

Tom Gorman realized he had no choice. He disallowed the home run. The stadium went black.

The fans went mad. Manager Solly Hemus raced out of the dugout, got into Gorman’s face and

called him every name in the book. Finally, Gorman had no choice and threw Hemus out of the

game. Peanuts Lowery came at Gorman like a tag-team wrestler and picked up where Hemus

had left off. Gorman tossed him too, and before it was over four more Cardinals got the heave

ho. Gorman felt like the sheriff in a Western cleaning out a rowdy saloon, throwing out people

through the glass windows.

Then Musial, who in the confusion had not been told anything, trotted over to Gorman. He

calmly asked what had happened. Gorman explained and Musial replied, “Well, Tom, I guess

there’s nothing you can do about it.†Stan stepped back in the batter’s box while fists shook and

boos reverberated around him. He promptly tripled off the top of the center field wall to score

three runs and give the Cardinal the victory. “Stan, Tom Gorman said after the game ended, “is

in a class by himself.â€

Musial was such a Dodger tormentor that it was Brooklynites who gave him the nickname, “The

Man.†As he came to bat in the 9th inning, after an already productive day, fans moaned, “Oh,

no! Here comes the man again!â€

Stan grew up in Donora , Pennsylvania , during the Depression. They were a family of eight in a

five room house. The smoke and fumes from the nearby zinc factory mushroomed so thick and

poisonous that no vegetation would grow near the factory. The barren hill near his family’s

house was a constant reminder that the air was killing them. Stan’s father, a Polish immigrant,

worked in that factory and, not too many years after Stan started playing ball, died from the

pollution.

Not that a tough childhood explains everything. Still, there was something about Stan Musial

that did not let him forget Donora, did not allow his fame to change him. “I’m so lucky to get

paid for playing baseball,†he used to say. He said it so often that jaded reporters rolled their

eyes. Harry Caray who first gained fame as a Cardinal broadcaster on KMOX, would tell the

story of a beaten down Musial going hitless in a Sunday doubleheader. The heat was unbearable

that day – hell could not have been much hotter that St. Louis summer day – and after the game

Musial walked slowly to his car. He looked down. He looked discouraged. Musial never

seemed to think of baseball as a job, but a daytime doubleheader might be the closest thing.

“Watch this,†Caray said to a friend as they observed the scene, and sure enough when Musial

got to the car, there were a hundred kids waiting for an autograph. Stan leaned against the hot

car and signed for every kid. That was Musial.

There was something unique about the time in America that produced Stan Musial. Actors

didn’t swear on TV or in the movies. Female teachers all wore dresses. Men wore a suit and a

hat when they went to a ballgame. Singers performed on stage wearing a suit and tie. Football

players didn’t celebrate their own touchdowns. Maybe people back then wanted their children to

believe in a world where baseball players drank milk and said “golly†and married their high

school sweethearts. Musial is from his time. He drank privately, though very little. He married

Lillian his high school sweetheart on his 19th birthday seventy years ago. He wanted to be a role

model. He seemed to need to feel like he was giving kids someone to respect. That, as much as

anything, drove him. Teammates had a standing wager on how many times he would use the

word “Wonderful†on a given day. They usually guessed low.

Stan was terrified of making speeches. Friends say this is why he started playing the harmonica.

Yet he almost never turned down a speaking engagement. He was the first player to earn

$100,000 but when he felt his skills had diminished, he asked for, and received, a pay cut.

Joe Black used to tell a story. The Dodger player was pitching against the Cardinals one day

and the Cardinal dugout was yelling some racial taunts. “Don’t worry, Stan†someone said.

“With that dark background on the mound you won’t have any trouble hitting the ball.†After

the game, Black was in the clubhouse and was surprised when he looked up and saw Musial.

“I’m sorry that happened,†Musial apologized. “But don’t worry about it. You’re a great pitcher

and you’ll win a lot of games.â€

Chuck Connors, the Rifleman, used to tell a story. He was struggling as a hitter for the Chicago

Cubs in 1951. He asked his teammates what he should do and they all told him to talk to

Musial. He went to Musial and asked for help. Musial spent 30 minutes with an opposing player

in the batting cage. “I just wasn’t a good hitter,†Connors said. But he never forgot the kindness

showed to him by Musial. Another player, Ed Mickelson, only got 37 at bats in the major

leagues. Yet one night Musial invited him to dinner. “I get really nervous when I come to bat,â€

Mickelson confessed. “Me too, kid,†Musial confessed. There are countless stories like that.

Stories about Musial’s common decency. He could make anyone feel like a million bucks. “I

was a rookie and Musial treated me like I was the Pope,†Mickelson said. He was still in awe

50 years later.

Musial’s American League counterpart was the great Ted Williams – the Splendid Splinter. Yet

his relations with the working press were so bad they dubbed him the Splendid Spitter.

Musial was so beloved in New York that the Mets held a “Stan Musial Day†when he retired. In

Chicago, the Cardinal traditional rivals, Musial once finished first in a “favorite player†poll

among Cub fans, edging out Hall of Famer Ernie “Let’s Play Two†Banks. Bill Clinton and

Brooks Robinson (Orioles) growing up about an hour apart in Arkansas , were inspired by him.

Most of it, of course, was about his performance on the field. Despite missing a year due to a

WW II stint with the Navy, he amassed 3,630 hits. During his 22 years he won 7 batting titles

and had a .331 average. He cracked 1,337 extra base hits (only Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds

have hit more). He stretched out more than 900 doubles and triples. Only Tris Speaker had

more. He had 475 home runs yet he humbly told reporters he was a singles hitter. He once hit

five home runs in a double header, a record matched only by St. Louisan Nate Colbert. He won

the first extra-inning All Star Game with a home run. He had an unforgettable swing and that

famous peek-a-boo stance. He probably inspired more quotes from pitchers than any other

batter. Preacher Roe: “Throw him four wide ones and then try to pick him off first base.†Carl

Erskine: “I’ve had good success with Stan by throwing him my best pitch and then backing up

third.†Warren Spahn: “Once he turned on your fastball your infielders were in jeopardy.†Don

Newcombe: “I could have rolled the ball on the ground to Musial but then he’d have hit it with a

golf club.â€

Stan had no weakness in his swing - fastballs up and in, curveballs away, forkballs in the dirt –

he hit them all. He compiled his best year in 1948 – a season for the ages. He hit 46 doubles, 18

triples, 30 homers, scored 135 runs, had 131 RBIs and amassed a .376 average. Musial was like

that. Four other times he hit better than .350. He walked twice as much as he struck out. He

won the Sporting News “Player of the Decade†award for the 1950s. He was voted National

League MVP three times.

Bob Costas said Musial was hard to evaluate because he did so many things well. “He never did

just one awesome thing. He never hit in 56 games in a row. He didn’t hit 500 home runs. He

didn’t get 4,000 hits. He never hit .400 like Williams. Stan’s life might not make a great movie,

but I can tell you that throughout his baseball life he hit baseballs into gaps and ran hard out of

the box. It seems like Musial’s name is never mentioned when people talk about the greatest

players. A lot of fans have forgotten Musial because he played for a Midwest team. A few years

ago baseball was picking its All Century Team. Stan Musial did not even receive enough votes

to be listed as one of the Top 10 outfielders. True, he did not break Ruth’s home run record like

Aaron. He did not break barriers like Jackie Robinson. He didn’t swear colorfully like Ted

Williams. He didn’t get thrown out of baseball like Pete Rose. He did not hit three homers in a

Series game like Reggie Jackson. He didn’t glare like Bob Gibson. He didn’t throw like

Clemente. No, Musial just played hard and consistently. If he hit a line drive that knocked the

pitcher down he went to the dugout after the game to see if he was all right. He wasn’t perfect,

but he didn’t see any harm in letting people believe in something. He was always the gentleman.

“Musial had an understated greatness that maybe isn’t meant to be shouted from the rooftops.

Maybe Musial is just meant to be quietly appreciated. Every so often, even now, you can read an

obituary somewhere in America ’s heartland and you will read about someone who loved Stan.

Every so often you will meet someone about 56 named Stan and you’ll know why. In my book,

he was the best!â€

Bill Nunes

8/28/1960: Ted Kluszewski of the White Sox pinch hit in the eighth inning of a game at Baltimore. The Orioles’ Milt Pappas, leading 3-0, delivered a pitch as third base umpire Ed Hurley called time. Klu hammered a three-run homer to right, but it was called back by Hurley. Baltimore won 3-1.

9/20/1972: In the first inning of a game in Anaheim, Kansas City pitcher Steve Busby hit a grand slam homer off Lloyd Allen. Unfortunately, first base umpire John Rice called time as the play started which nullified the blast. John Mayberry had already hit a slam in the inning so the Royals would have been added to the very short list of teams with two grand slams in one inning.

4/10/1976: On the second day of the season in Milwaukee, Don Money batted with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth and the Brewers behind the Yankees 9-6. Before Dave Pagan delivered his second pitch to Money, New York manager Billy Martin yelled to first baseman Chris Chambliss to call time. Chambliss asked umpire Jim McKean. Money hit the pitch and circled the bases. The Brewers celebrated and went into the clubhouse thinking they had won for the second time in two games. However, before Money crossed the plate Martin was on the field arguing with McKean. After a couple of minutes of Martin’s tirade, the umpires sent for the Brewers to come back on the field. The Brewers were obviously upset about the call. First base coach Harvey Keunn said that the pitcher was already in his motion when Chambliss yelled for time. Some Brewers went so far as to say that Martin intimidated McKean into reversing the homer. The Yankees won the game, 9-7, and the Brewers protested the outcome to no avail.

9/6/1978 (Game 2): In the top of the third inning in Anaheim, umpire Bill Deegan called time when a paper airplane landed on the field. Angels hurler Paul Hartzel delivered his pitch just after the arbiter's call and John Lowenstein hit the ball over the right field fence for an apparent home run. However, due to Deegan's time out call, Lowenstein lost his homer and later walked and scored in the inning.

[IHSAUmp08]

I was taught by a respected verteran to always put the ball back in play. Everytime, no matter what the situation. After every foul ball, time out, conference. With runners on, or no one on. It's important to put it back in play because you may one day have a coach say, "he never put the ball in play". That's when you're in a world of trouble. I believe you did the right thing. Nothing happens until you put the ball in play.

Little league. 10-12 year olds. 2 outs, bases loaded, home team changes pitchers. As umpires for this particular league, we are instructed that after a pitching change, when the game is about to resume, to announce the count on the batter, the runners on base, and the number of outs (presumably to the new pitcher, but of course loud enough so all can hear). I have no clue if this is common in other little leagues. Anyway, I'm standing behind F2 and giving this information, but the batter has already dug in and the pitcher winds up and pitches. I have not put the ball in play. As the pitch is coming in, I'm yelling "No pitch!" but the batter swings and hits one over the fence to center. I wave it off and of course the VC goes bananas. Did I over officiate? In hindsight, I think I might have.

Let me have it. I'm here to learn and improve.