Calling time / Holding a tag (LL Juniors)

[Larry in TN]

I received the following question for a LL coach with whom I have worked previously.  Rule set is Little League Juniors division (modified OBR).

 

Is an umpire permitted to direct a player to either stand up or throw the ball somewhere?  For example, a runner is on base and dives back into the base.  Is the umpire permitted to tell the player to stand up?  On a similar play, is the umpire permitted to tell the baseman to throw the ball back to the pitcher?  Or to tell the pitcher to stop stepping off the rubber or stop throwing the ball to first base? 

 

If so, under what rule in the rule book is the umpire permitted to direct the player's actions?

 

If the player refuses to stand up or throw the ball back to the pitcher, then what recourse does the umpire have against the offending player or team?

 

I immediately knew which umpire he was talking about and the situation.  This particular umpire gets annoyed (as do I) when these 12-13yr olds act like they're still in T-Ball by requesting "time" every time they slide back to a base before standing up or the fielder holds a tag, seemingly indefinitely, on a runner who's already back on the bag waiting for him to call "Time" before throwing it back.  I try to teach the kids to do it right and only call time when they really need it but many coaches want them to do this "just to be safe".  Drives me nuts.

 

Anyway, my answer to the questions were that no rule prevents the umpire from directing the player to throw the ball back to keep the game moving or requiring him to grant a time out request.  If anything, 9.01© allows it.

 

Is there anything else that's applicable?  Comments on the umpire doing this to try to speed up the game?

 

Thanks...

[KLAH316]

I always say "Lets go...." and "Let him up"

[stevis]

In a standoff situation, I usually do this with an additional comment about how "we're not getting an out that way today, gentlemen."   if they persisted,  I'd talk to a coach between innings if I had to. 

 

This is also what I teach my junior corps.

 

Mind you, this has to be a true "nothing" situation.  If I've got a runner struggling to stay on base from his own momentum or unbalanced position, of course I'll let that go.

 

I wouldn't stop them from throwing to first or stepping off, but a "let's go" in the latter would be encouraged.   At that level throwing to first will eventually take care of itself with a ball down the right field line.

[BalkHawk]

Umpire Hell...

[Magic]

The most annoying thing about doing little league baseball. I usually say something to the effect "Let's Go." And if it persists maybe I will throw in "This isn't Tee Ball". Within the rules there isn't much we can do unless you want to try and enforce a delaying the game rule?

[grayhawk]

Players need to know how to stand up without losing contact with the bag.

That said, if a fielder just keeps his glove on him indefinitely, I'll instruct him to let him up.

In no case will I grant time for a runner to simply stand up or for a fielder to throw the ball to the pitcher.

[JaxRolo]

Don't call time. Tell fielder to throw it back.

It's never been a problem. After 1 or 2 times they stop.

There is no rule addressing this that I can remember.

If a coach has a problem with it. Oh well!

[Stan W.]

I say all those things as most of us do.....(let him up, no time just to throw the ball in) and I avoid 9.01C at all costs.....unless your pitcher disintegrates a bird in mid flight by hitting it with a ball.....

 

now, I don't know LL, but what of 9.01B?

 

Each umpire has the authority to order a player, coach, manager, club officer or employee to do or refrain from doing anything that affects administering the rules. 

Edited September 3, 2014 by Stan W.
clarity

[Rich Ives]

I say all those things as most of us do.....(let him up, no time just to throw the ball in) and I avoid 9.01C at all costs.....unless your pitcher disintegrates a bird in mid flight by hitting it with a ball.....

 

now, I don't know LL, but what of 9.01B?

 

Each umpire has the authority to order a player, coach, manager, club officer or employee to do or refrain from doing anything that affects administering the rules. 

 

How does holding a tag affect the administration of the rules? You'll lose that protest.

[Stan W.]

 

I say all those things as most of us do.....(let him up, no time just to throw the ball in) and I avoid 9.01C at all costs.....unless your pitcher disintegrates a bird in mid flight by hitting it with a ball.....

 

now, I don't know LL, but what of 9.01B?

 

Each umpire has the authority to order a player, coach, manager, club officer or employee to do or refrain from doing anything that affects administering the rules. 

 

How does holding a tag affect the administration of the rules? You'll lose that protest.

 

 

To the protest committee:

 

In the judgment of this umpire, these actions were a concerted action to delay the game and were of an obvious unsportsmanlike nature

[Rich Ives]

 

 

I say all those things as most of us do.....(let him up, no time just to throw the ball in) and I avoid 9.01C at all costs.....unless your pitcher disintegrates a bird in mid flight by hitting it with a ball.....

 

now, I don't know LL, but what of 9.01B?

 

Each umpire has the authority to order a player, coach, manager, club officer or employee to do or refrain from doing anything that affects administering the rules. 

 

How does holding a tag affect the administration of the rules? You'll lose that protest.

 

 

To the protest committee:

 

In the judgment of this umpire, these actions were a concerted action to delay the game and were of an obvious unsportsmanlike nature

 

 

And after the committee gets up after rolling on the floor laughing . . . 

 

 it still didn't affect the administration of the rules.

[Thunderheads]

it's a waste of time.....period.

 

"safe" ........throw the ball back .......  

 

it's that simple

[JaxRolo]

Why are we even talking "protest" here!

 

I'm going to quote a very wise man here:

 

"it's a waste of time.....period.

 

"safe" ........throw the ball back .......  

 

it's that simple"

[DVA7130]

"Walk it up, walk it up!"

 

I will not time unless there is a rulebook reason, or I in the authority that has been dictated to me as umpire deem it necessary.

 

Let baseball happen. If the kid wanders off base, you get an out and he will never do it again. 

[blue23ll]

It's funny when a player slides into a base, and says "Time" and immediately, without waiting for time to be called, steps off the base.  I had a player do that, get tagged out, and the coach goes ape yelling, "BUT HE CALLED TIME".....that coach is probably on the protest committee too....

[ALStripes17]

It's funny when a player slides into a base, and says "Time" and immediately, without waiting for time to be called, steps off the base. I had a player do that, get tagged out, and the coach goes ape yelling, "BUT HE CALLED TIME".....that coach is probably on the protest committee too....

Had the same thing happen to me this past Spring.

Coach jumped up and down saying "I called Time! I called Time!"

After the next pitch, the broken record was still going so I educated him by saying "Coach, you REQUEST time, Im the one that CALLS time, and I never called it."

Didn't hear a word out of him the rest of the game.

[jjb]

I was reading another forum, and I got a suggestion I decided to try.

 

10-year old game, the coach is telling his runners "Every time you go back, ask for time". The fielders are holding the glove on the runners until they hear me call Time, and I keep telling the fielder "throw it back", without success. So, I told the fielder "throw it back"......

 

....and turned my back on them and walked away......

 

.....when I turned around, he was throwing it back.....

[Senor Azul]

Both the OBR and the Little League (LL) rule books make it abundantly clear who is in charge of the game and it is not the LL coach.

 

Let's start at the beginning with rule 1.01:

 

Baseball is a game between two teams of nine players each...under jurisdiction of one or more umpires.

 

Rule 4.01(e) tells us exactly when that jurisdiction begins:

 

As soon as the home team's batting order is handed to the umpire-in-chief the umpires are in charge of the playing field...

 

You have already mentioned 9.01(b) and c. Here's more from rule 9.00:

 

9.04(a) ...his duties shall be to: (1) Take full charge of, and be responsible for, the proper conduct of the game.

 

As the only official representatives of baseball on the field, it is our duty as umpires to maintain the integrity of the game at all times. That's why the umpire is granted all authority to administer the game.

[DVA7130]

I was reading another forum, and I got a suggestion I decided to try.

 

10-year old game, the coach is telling his runners "Every time you go back, ask for time". The fielders are holding the glove on the runners until they hear me call Time, and I keep telling the fielder "throw it back", without success. So, I told the fielder "throw it back"......

 

....and turned my back on them and walked away......

 

.....when I turned around, he was throwing it back.....

I have done that too in young stuff. If they don't get the picture, turn your back and go back to position. Let them know that you are not going to see anything.

[Ump29]

Don't call time. Tell fielder to throw it back.

It's never been a problem. After 1 or 2 times they stop.

There is no rule addressing this that I can remember.

If a coach has a problem with it. Oh well!

 

Good Answer. What I go with. Most times I will not call time. They will get the message in a short time.

[Jimurray]

Don't call time. Tell fielder to throw it back.

It's never been a problem. After 1 or 2 times they stop.

There is no rule addressing this that I can remember.

If a coach has a problem with it. Oh well!

 

Good Answer. What I go with. Most times I will not call time. They will get the message in a short time.

There are reasons to call time. Most of the time it's after they walk it up and find they have a load of dirt in their shorts.

[Ump29]

They can deal with this while standing on the bag. No need for time.

[jjb]

I don't  mind calling Time if there's a legitimate reason to do so. However, I'm not going give a runner Time "so I don't get tagged out" any more than I'll give a fielder Time "so they run any more".

[Cav]

Barring an injury in youth ball, I try to remember to neither call "safe/out" nor "time" until the play is complete, and the play is not complete while a fielder is still in the act of tagging a runner.  On a good day the teams make the adjustment; some sooner than others.     

[BillKen]

I straight up tell the 1st baseman...don't hold it on him...you get your shot and then throw it back.  I'm not calling him out.  Never had a problem

[DVA7130]

I straight up tell the 1st baseman...don't hold it on him...you get your shot and then throw it back.  I'm not calling him out.  Never had a problem

Now that's coaching.

Fielders are supposed to hold it on, the problem is when runners forget they are supposed to get up.