A circus after ball 4

[StrikeDavis]

This situation took place in a varsity high school game last week.  

Runners on first and second, nobody out, ball 4 thrown to the batter.  The defensive coach yells to the plate umpire, "Time when he gets there."  The runners on first and second reach second and third, respectively.  Meanwhile, the batter stops about half way to first to take his elbow guard, ankle guard and batting gloves off and tosses them towards the dugout.  The runners assume the batter had reached first and time was called, jog over to have a meeting with the third base coach.  The pitcher realizes that time had not been called and throws the ball to the third baseman who tags both runners standing in the third base coaches box.  The base umpire calls both runners out.  

This play was brought up at a meeting.  Discussion was mostly centered around the following:  Are you calling the runners out?  What are you doing to prevent this situation from happening?

[Rich Ives]

Stupid runners.  Stupid 3B coach.

[ricka56]

I'm calling TIME if BR stops to remove equipment instead of going directly to 1B. The DHC shouldn't have to wait for BR to undress to have his conference. Matter of fact, I don't need to see BR touch 1B, "coach, you can have TIME". Or if you see something stupid like this about to happen...call TIME. This isn't LL where a BR tries to go take 2 bases. Just call TIME. 

[jtcoldshot]

In this situation I would probably call time as soon as the BR stops to take his stuff off.  Everyone knows the coach wants time after the walk so I would give it to him.  I don't see any reason the runners would try to get cute and steal another base knowing their coach wants time so if the defense thinks they are going to get a couple free outs because the BR hasnt "touched first base yet so there isn't time" Im not calling the runners out.

[maineump]

He stops to take off his sporting goods store - I give the time. It hurts the offence more than the defense. To the OP, I would not call them out.

[noumpere]

I'm probably granting the TO as soon as the coach asks -- even if it's before BR stops.  YMMV.