Time requested on ball four

[chalen]

F2 catches ball four and immediately requests time. When do you grant it?

Do you wait until BR reaches first, or gets most of the way there and appears unlikely to continue to 2B? Or do you just confirm that someone is covering 2B?

Would you grant time immediately if 2B and 3B are occupied and those runners are not going anywhere?

Your answer probably depends on the age/level. Younger BRs are more likely to attempt to continue past 1B.

[Gfoley4]

I was at the White Sox game today and I noticed the PU call time a few times to exchange balls or something before the batter got to first

[ricka56]

I was taught that we are supposed to wait until BR has reached his awarded base, no more advancements, nor plays are being made before granting time.

 

If F2 is trying to ask for time to prevent BR from continuing to advance ? Sorry

[Magic]

Grant time as soon as BR reaches first and there is no attempt for advancement. So in High School and above it is as soon as he touches 1st. Everything else wait to see what is going to happen first.

[JHSump]

When I get to the MLB (haha) I will grant time before the BR reaches 1B.  But in any games I currently do (youth league through college club), I wait until the BR reaches 1B and all runners appear to be settled in.

[noumpere]

In games where the players run better than they throw and catch, wait.

 

When the opposite is true, grant time.  You will be looked at as way to "strict" or OOO if you wait at Varsity or above (at least most of the time) -- if there is just R3 and you think it might be some continuouos "walk-off" play (in Varsity; not above) then wait a bit.

[Mike Prince]

Time shouldn't be called (in most cases) until the playing action is over.  As far as the original question, the earliest time should be called is after the BR reached 1B, but you must also judge that all playing action has ended as well.

[JaxRolo]

It doesn't depend on which level you work. Just wait a few seconds till he gets to first and there is no further action.

[grayhawk]

In games that matter, I wait. In most summer ball, I just grant time after a quick glance that BR isn't up to something.

[Jocko]

F2 wants time? Granted uoon request. HC wants time? Wait on the BR.

[MidAmUmp]

Why wait until he gets to 1st? Where is the B/R going to go with he pitcher in the middle of the infield with the ball? I call time when it's asked.

On another note, I don't call time to clean the plate for the same reason.

[Magic]

Why wait until he gets to 1st? Where is the B/R going to go with he pitcher in the middle of the infield with the ball? I call time when it's asked.

On another note, I don't call time to clean the plate for the same reason.

Because we were taught by out association to wait until the runner gets to 1st. I have no idea why, but even the JC unit in this area wants you to wait until BR gets to 1st.

[MidAmUmp]

Why wait until he gets to 1st? Where is the B/R going to go with he pitcher in the middle of the infield with the ball? I call time when it's asked.

On another note, I don't call time to clean the plate for the same reason.

Because we were taught by out association to wait until the runner gets to 1st. I have no idea why, but even the JC unit in this area wants you to wait until BR gets to 1st.

Ask for a reason at your next meeting? I'm curious. Keep the game moving. At the college level a batter isn't going anywhere and if he does, the batter following him will be going to 1st with a bruise somewhere.

Most of these damn hitters want time after their at bat anyway so they can take off their Barry Bonds starter kit.

[Magic]

Why wait until he gets to 1st? Where is the B/R going to go with he pitcher in the middle of the infield with the ball? I call time when it's asked.

On another note, I don't call time to clean the plate for the same reason.

Because we were taught by out association to wait until the runner gets to 1st. I have no idea why, but even the JC unit in this area wants you to wait until BR gets to 1st.

Ask for a reason at your next meeting? I'm curious. Keep the game moving. At the college level a batter isn't going anywhere and if he does, the batter following him will be going to 1st with a bruise somewhere.

Most of these damn hitters want time after their at bat anyway so they can take off their Barry Bonds starter kit.

I will do one better. I will make some phone calls and find out what the reasoning is. I never gave it much thought as I was climbing the food chain. You are told to do it so you do it.

[Jimurray]

Why wait until he gets to 1st? Where is the B/R going to go with he pitcher in the middle of the infield with the ball? I call time when it's asked.

On another note, I don't call time to clean the plate for the same reason.

Because we were taught by out association to wait until the runner gets to 1st. I have no idea why, but even the JC unit in this area wants you to wait until BR gets to 1st.

Ask for a reason at your next meeting? I'm curious. Keep the game moving. At the college level a batter isn't going anywhere and if he does, the batter following him will be going to 1st with a bruise somewhere.

Most of these damn hitters want time after their at bat anyway so they can take off their Barry Bonds starter kit.

One reason might be that NCAA requires it, but I agree with others that if you know action is/will be relaxed, you can grant it:

"A.R.—After a base on balls, the umpire shall not call time until the runner has stopped at first base."

And of course we are not talking about ball 4 WP.

[Jimurray]

Why wait until he gets to 1st? Where is the B/R going to go with he pitcher in the middle of the infield with the ball? I call time when it's asked.

On another note, I don't call time to clean the plate for the same reason.

Because we were taught by out association to wait until the runner gets to 1st. I have no idea why, but even the JC unit in this area wants you to wait until BR gets to 1st.

Ask for a reason at your next meeting? I'm curious. Keep the game moving. At the college level a batter isn't going anywhere and if he does, the batter following him will be going to 1st with a bruise somewhere.

Most of these damn hitters want time after their at bat anyway so they can take off their Barry Bonds starter kit.

One reason might be that NCAA requires it, but I agree with others that if you know action is/will be relaxed, you can grant it:

"A.R.—After a base on balls, the umpire shall not call time until the runner has stopped at first base."

And of course we are not talking about ball 4 WP.

To expound about whether action will stay relaxed, don't grant time at levels below college when you know the coaches have enmity for each other and one or the other likes to pull a "Joe Torre" walk out to the pitcher after ball 4 without even a glance your way. Something will happen no matter what you do. Not granting time will be the best option.

[umpcoachfather]

i dont grant time unless the play is over.  cause the moment you grant time before he gets to first - here comes the coach telling you the BR was instructed to continue on to 2nd. 

[Senor Azul]

Not only does the NCAA require by rule 6.1a the umpire to wait for the batter to reach first before granting time (as Jimurray points out), but so does the Fed rule set. Its rule 2-4-2 says:

If a batter receives ball four, the umpire shall not grant time until the batter reaches first.

 

This point is not covered in the OBR but there is an official interpretation. It comes from Mike Fitzpatrick the former director of PBUC and it is dated November 2001. It states that the OBR position on this question is the same as the Fed rule.

 

This information can be found in the BRD on page 80 of the 2014 edition.

[RichMSN]

Why wait until he gets to 1st? Where is the B/R going to go with he pitcher in the middle of the infield with the ball? I call time when it's asked.

On another note, I don't call time to clean the plate for the same reason.

 

Bingo.  When I do volunteer LL stuff, I'll wait as many times the BR goes right to second.  I'll also wait if we have R3 only and the batter walks in any game.  Otherwise?  Time, go ahead.

 

Cleaning the plate?  I have time if I need it.  I'm not calling it, though.  Keep the ball live.

[MidAmUmp]

Know your audience.  Lower levels (youth ball) are more likely to force a play, so I would recommend waiting until the B/R reaches 1st base before calling time.  The higher up you go, the less likelihood there is for a B/R to try to advance past 1st, so I don't see anything wrong with just calling time.  Sometimes the catcher can get out there, say his stuff and get back, ready to go by the time the B/R has reached 1st and got his body armor off.  No delay!!!

[noumpere]

Exactly what I meant in post #6 -- but you write prettier than I do.

 

Maybe the best answer is that if you have to ask the question, you should wait to grant time.

[MidAmUmp]

Exactly what I meant in post #6 -- but you write prettier than I do.

 

Maybe the best answer is that if you have to ask the question, you should wait to grant time.

I've been told I have a pretty mouth.

[RichMSN]

 

Exactly what I meant in post #6 -- but you write prettier than I do.

 

Maybe the best answer is that if you have to ask the question, you should wait to grant time.

I've been told I have a pretty mouth.

 

 

Squee!

[umpstu]

 

Exactly what I meant in post #6 -- but you write prettier than I do.

 

Maybe the best answer is that if you have to ask the question, you should wait to grant time.

I've been told I have a pretty mouth.

 

And you live in the Ozarks with your own banjo