Sun Delay

[Guest Nick]

Would anyone consider delaying a game for sunshine?  HS Game the sun is directly in the pitcher’s eyes. It is so bad the pitcher can not see the throw back from F2. At one point after a foul ball out of play PU rolled the ball out to F1. Fortunately during the time the sun was a problem, no come backers were hit to F1. 

[beerguy55]

1 minute ago, Guest Nick said:

Would anyone consider delaying a game for sunshine?  HS Game the sun is directly in the pitcher’s eyes. It is so bad the pitcher can not see the throw back from F2. At one point after a foul ball out of play PU rolled the ball out to F1. Fortunately during the time the sun was a problem, no come backers were hit to F1. 

I don't see why not.  I've seen umpires delay for the period of time the sun is setting over the pitcher's shoulder, where the umpire can't see the pitch to call it, and by extension the batter can't see anything.  

[Mister B]

Just have the catcher smack the glove and call strikes. 

[MadMax]

15 minutes ago, Guest Nick said:

Would anyone consider delaying a game for sunshine?  HS Game the sun is directly in the pitcher’s eyes. It is so bad the pitcher can not see the throw back from F2. At one point after a foul ball out of play PU rolled the ball out to F1. Fortunately during the time the sun was a problem, no come backers were hit to F1. 

You know what’s funny, there’s nothing in the Rules that prohibits a pitcher from wearing sunglasses.

So, let him wear sunglasses.

”But but but!”, I hear some of you sputtering... The Rules state the pitcher cannot wear anything distracting. Sunglasses, in and of themselves, are not distracting. A glint off a mirrored set of shades, however, is. So it comes down to this thing called “umpire judgement”...

... anyway...

Has anyone considered delaying a game on account of the sun? My good fellow, we’ve called for a delay, without a moment’s more of consideration, in several games I’ve called. On several fields here in Phoenix (and one in particular back in Milwaukee), the setting sun is descending right above-and-behind the pitcher with such intensity, it hurts to be standing and facing it, let alone trying to see a rock being thrown at you at 70+ mph. So a delay of a 5-15 minutes is usually implemented so as to allow the sun to descend below the tree line / ridgeline / batter’s eye, etc.

Ask @KenBAZ about it – Mariners Field 4, or Reds Field 6.

[Aging_Arbiter]

11 minutes ago, MadMax said:

the setting sun is descending right above-and-behind the pitcher

 

One of my town fields has the same issue.  We put lights on that field.

[umpstu]

Used to have delays at games with the Bourne Braves because the sun was directly behind the pitcher. Every time there was a game at the school there would be a delay.

[aaluck]

Had to delay for 30 minutes every day.  Sun was directly behind pitcher. Catcher, batter and umpire all blind.  They finally moved the games on that field after sun went down, only.

[Stan W.]

Yes, IN my time umpiring, I have come across a number of fields that that were ill constructed allowing the sun to set directly from center field over the backstop. The last 30 minutes of the sun set the sun was directly in the Pitcher and fielders eyes, making it a safety issue.   It was about a 20 minute delay.

[KenBAZ]

There are times here where we have to communicate with our partners that they'll have to take fly ball coverages because we just can't see. Other times I've absolutely looked across the plate to call pitches.
@MadMax makes a good point that a number of the fields we have problems with are part of the big spring training complexes. With a dozen fields designed for use in the mornings there are bound to be these kinds of issues. There is a field in the Angels' complex that can't be used after about 4 PM much of the year.

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[Tksjewelry]

Had a game two weeks ago where we delayed a game, only about 15 minutes but a pitch came in and catcher, batter, and myself all bailed on a pitch. Strong glare coming off an office building across the street.

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