Balls in!

[crazyaboutcoues]

Had a wierd situation that I had never encountered in the 12 years of doing high school baseball.

 

Local tournament chapionship game:

 

A team from El PasoTexas was playing in a NM tournament, they huddled up every half inning before going out to play defense. I kept asking them to hustle out but was pretty much ignored ( i was on the bases and my partner behind the dish was acting like no big deal). They would take between 3-5 min between innings. Top of the 7th 3hrs and 10 minutes into the game. After 2 minutes huddled up they took the field and after two pitches I said balls in they ignored me. I walked up to the first baseman and told him balls in. he ignoredme and kept throwing the ball around. I looked at the head coach and told him we need to finish this game was again ignored.

 

What would you do in this situation?

[ALStripes17]

That's a pre-game issue. You and your partner need to be on the same page about side changes.

Other than that, some of the guys here may have some other suggestions.

[Rich Ives]

Fix it in the first inning, not the 7th. Too late then.

[Mike Prince]

I'd expect the PU to be controlling the between innings flow, as he can direct the catcher to throw it down as well as get the on-deck batter into the box.  Infielders won't throw the balls in until the catcher tells them he's coming to 2B on the last pitch.

 

But as Rich said, the first inning is the time to take care of this.  You and your partner let it go on for the first 6 innings, so it's not reasonable to expect it to end in the 7th.  I'm not big on going to my partner between innings, but in this case it may have been a good idea to get together and make sure you guys were in sync on how to handle this.

[maven]

1. Definitely address in the 1st, as Rich says.

 

2. This is an issue for the PU to address, since he manages warm-ups. If I were BU, I'd be talking to him after the 1st inning to address this.

 

3. For the PU: work first through F2. Remind him that his team has 1 minute to warm up, including any hugging they need to do. Ask him to help you out by having his team ready to play. You two are working together to manage the game.

 

4. If that doesn't work, remind the coach that his team has 1 minute to warm up. After about 1 minute, stop F1, and call for a batter. Instruct F1 to pitch. By rule, he has 20 seconds.

 

5. If that doesn't work, restrict the head coach to the dugout.

 

6. If that doesn't work, eject the coach, then the next coach, until they have to forfeit for lack of coaches.

[JaxRolo]

I agree its to late to start enforcing. Not your job to say balls in.

 

Hope you had a post game talk with your partner to help him improve his game management in the future.

[cyclonehokiece]

I always tell coaches before game that they can huddle but send F1 and F2 or someone else to warm up F1 immediately. Balls in given when Max - 1 is reached. If they don't, go over to huddle and say "need a pitcher and catcher" and that normally gets things moving.

As BU, your job is to stand in short right and maybe count pitches of PU is dealing with logistics (lineup changes, etc) but you get this by pregaming it or by association edict.

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[Thunderheads]

If you don't like how fast things are moving .........do you say "balls in" ....or do you say to F2 ........"send it" ......  ?? just wondering, don't want to hijack

[Mike Prince]

I usually will let both F1 and F2 know when there are 2 pitches left both verbally and with two fingers extended so that the on-deck batter sees this as well.  I then let them take it from there.  If F2 doesn't let anyone know he's throwing down to 2B (this will happen in rec ball, I have never had it happen at upper levels), then I will yell "Balls In!" only then - I don't want to steal F2's thunder as a leader on the field unless I have to

[Thunderheads]

I usually will let both F1 and F2 know when there are 2 pitches left both verbally and with two fingers extended so that the on-deck batter sees this as well.  I then let them take it from there.  If F2 doesn't let anyone know he's throwing down to 2B (this will happen in rec ball, I have never had it happen at upper levels), then I will yell "Balls In!" only then - I don't want to steal F2's thunder as a leader on the field unless I have to

exactly .... that's why (see prior post) I'll tell F2 (if needed) "send it catch" ....then, he can still be 'in-charge' ... 

[blue23ll]

They have a ,minute between innings, they can warm up or huddle, they can't do both.

[BigUmpire]

Once you let them ignore you once you lost all control.

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[ricka56]

Team from El Paso ignoring your instructions...did you try using spanish?

[Pops]

1. Definitely address in the 1st, as Rich says.

 

2. This is an issue for the PU to address, since he manages warm-ups. If I were BU, I'd be talking to him after the 1st inning to address this.

 

3. For the PU: work first through F2. Remind him that his team has 1 minute to warm up, including any hugging they need to do. Ask him to help you out by having his team ready to play. You two are working together to manage the game.

 

4. If that doesn't work, remind the coach that his team has 1 minute to warm up. After about 1 minute, stop F1, and call for a batter. Instruct F1 to pitch. By rule, he has 20 seconds.

 

5. If that doesn't work, restrict the head coach to the dugout.

 

6. If that doesn't work, eject the coach, then the next coach, until they have to forfeit for lack of coaches.

I especially think that #4 will work after they ignore you. The opposing team's batter will gladly jump into the box after you say, "That's enough, let's have a batter."

[BT_Blue]

Team from El Paso ignoring your instructions...did you try using spanish?

They are the only state in the union with a bilingual constitution.

Now that being said... They have one minute to be ready. By rule if they are not ready after the minute you are allowed to start assessing balls to the count. I also like the idea of restricting knucklehead HC to the dugout. But you have to nip this in the bud early. The first inning I will maybe let this slide a tad (not 3-5 minutes in the OP but maybe an extra 30 seconds or so). The second inning this stops here and now with all penalties the rules will afford me. HC will not get a third chance...

[Dash Riprock]

If they are taking too much time, limit the warm-ups.  "Next one down [catcher's name]."  Whether or not he throws it down, get out and clean the plate.  If they take 2 minutes, F1 gets zero warm-ups.

[CougarUmp]

If they are taking too much time, limit the warm-ups.  "Next one down [catcher's name]."  Whether or not he throws it down, get out and clean the plate.  If they take 2 minutes, F1 gets zero warm-up

It's part of my plate meeting every game.  I tell them the last thing a baseball game needs is to take MORE time.   Did the left fielder's arm really get tight between inning 6 and 7?  In August!

 

New pitcher I'm a little more lax about.   

 

As for being ignored.....I hope it was lesson learned to stop that quick.  

[maven]

It's part of my plate meeting every game.  I tell them the last thing a baseball game needs is to take MORE time.

Do you cover all rules and mechanics at the plate meeting?

 

Seriously: the plate meeting is for just 3 things:

1. Everyone legally equipped?
2. Lineups
3. Take us around, coach.

Now we play. Keep it simple.

 

Guys who go on and on at the plate meeting come off as confrontational and looking for trouble. Don't create problems at the plate meeting, just deal with them properly when they arise.

[catsbackr]

 

If they are taking too much time, limit the warm-ups.  "Next one down [catcher's name]."  Whether or not he throws it down, get out and clean the plate.  If they take 2 minutes, F1 gets zero warm-up

It's part of my plate meeting every game.  I tell them the last thing a baseball game needs is to take MORE time.   Did the left fielder's arm really get tight between inning 6 and 7?  In August!

 

New pitcher I'm a little more lax about.   

 

As for being ignored.....I hope it was lesson learned to stop that quick.  

 

I would hesitate bringing up anything about TIME.  We never want to appear that we are RUSHING the game.  We want the game to FLOW, and rules are in place to keep the game flowing.

[grayhawk]

Had a wierd situation that I had never encountered in the 12 years of doing high school baseball.

 

Local tournament chapionship game:

 

A team from El PasoTexas was playing in a NM tournament, they huddled up every half inning before going out to play defense. I kept asking them to hustle out but was pretty much ignored ( i was on the bases and my partner behind the dish was acting like no big deal). They would take between 3-5 min between innings. Top of the 7th 3hrs and 10 minutes into the game. After 2 minutes huddled up they took the field and after two pitches I said balls in they ignored me. I walked up to the first baseman and told him balls in. he ignoredme and kept throwing the ball around. I looked at the head coach and told him we need to finish this game was again ignored.

 

What would you do in this situation?

 

I'm a little late to the party, but thought I would comment anyway.  As the base umpire, I would not take it upon myself to tell them "balls in" unless my partner was busy with other duties (such as taking changes).  In your case, I would speak with my partner about the pace, and suggest that he move things along with the that team (reminding him of the 1 minute limit between innings).  Ultimately, it's his responsibility to manage the battery, so he needs to step up and get the game moving using all means necessary as listed in the rules including assessing balls to the count, and restricting and then ejecting the head coach if voluntary compliance is not given.

[Chip]

I make a brief mention about keeping the changeover tight because I do mostly 12U and 10U games that have time limits. 

 

 

It's part of my plate meeting every game.  I tell them the last thing a baseball game needs is to take MORE time.

Do you cover all rules and mechanics at the plate meeting?
 

Seriously: the plate meeting is for just 3 things:

1. Everyone legally equipped?
2. Lineups
3. Take us around, coach.

Now we play. Keep it simple.

 

Guys who go on and on at the plate meeting come off as confrontational and looking for trouble. Don't create problems at the plate meeting, just deal with them properly when they arise.

 

[Mike Prince]

 

I make a brief mention about keeping the changeover tight because I do mostly 12U and 10U games that have time limits. 

 

 

It's part of my plate meeting every game.  I tell them the last thing a baseball game needs is to take MORE time.

Do you cover all rules and mechanics at the plate meeting?

 

Seriously: the plate meeting is for just 3 things:

1. Everyone legally equipped?
2. Lineups
3. Take us around, coach.

Now we play. Keep it simple.

 

Guys who go on and on at the plate meeting come off as confrontational and looking for trouble. Don't create problems at the plate meeting, just deal with them properly when they arise.

 

 

 

That's why there's a time limit!  The rules will cover you between innings (if you apply them).  No reason to even mention anything about rules in the plate meeting, that's not what it's for.

[CougarUmp]

I post here to learn.  It's my 2nd season.  I have thick skin and welcome constructive criticism.    

 

Maybe stating I cover it every game was an overstatement.  I definitely don't ramble on and on at the plate meeting.   I do line ups, get home coach field specs, equip legal. 

[bluejerred]

A catcher that calls the balls in loud and proud without prompting always brings about joy-joy feelings to me because it shows hustle and team leadership on their part and allows me to take care of other responsibilities on the field such as substitutions and so forth.  Also, chances are, a catcher with confidence to lead is a catcher with competence to catch.  It never fails that when you have to babysit a catcher to keep the game moving, you are getting hit with pitches and getting a game dragged on with dropped 3rd strikes.  I might be wrong but it always seems like that is the pattern when I'm on the plate.