Call timeout from outfield

[Caught in Rundown]

Babe Ruth weekend tournament 8u. With a runner on first, ball hit to left center gap. Runner on first goes around third but stops on baseline, batter rounds first base, both runners feint but no try to advance. The centerfielder retrieves the ball, runs toward the infield, but never leaves the grass. Then he throws his hands up to call timeout and the umpire grants it. The batting team claims the outfielder cannot call timeout, that the ball must return to the pitcher before timeout is granted. Is this a common tournament rule or is this a baseball rule in general that outfielders cannot call timeout for any reason? Someone said the kid was playing smart by calling time so the runners would have to remain, someone else said action was still on. When is the umpire supposed to call timeout? I always thought he had full authority to call it it whenever. There was only one umpire. I noticed from reading through here that's uncommon in most places. It's pretty common here in California.

[JonnyCat]

Anybody can ask for time, players, coaches, managers. It is up to the umpire to grant the time request.

Umpires should only grant time when play is considered relaxed. Relaxed is typically when any play is over, the offense is not trying to advance, and the defense is not trying to put anyone out. Usually when having only one umpire, calling time lets him get back into position without the risk of missing something when his back is turned to the field.

In this case, seemed like the proper procedure, but I wasn't there. Did anything come of it? Arguments, or just play on?

23 hours ago, Caught in Rundown said:

The batting team claims the outfielder cannot call timeout, that the ball must return to the pitcher before timeout is granted.

And this is a byproduct of 8u tournaments. Coaches do not know the rules, or bother to learn them. However, there could be a tournament rule that says this. Knowing the rules, and any modifications is incumbent upon managers, coaches, and umpires. Another however, often at the lower levels, you won't get the most experienced umpires. And shame on the tournament for being too cheap to pay for 2 umpires.

[Jay R.]

My guess is this a confusion from Babe Ruth's Cal Ripken Division "Special Base Running Rule," which mirrors Little League (Majors and below). From the Babe Ruth/Ripken rulebook:

"Rule:  When a pitcher is in contact with the pitcher’s plate and in possession of the ball and the catcher is in the catcher’s box ready to receive delivery of the ball, base runners shall not leave their bases until the ball has been delivered and has reached home plate. Once the catcher has secured the ball and the runner has stopped his forward progress, the runner must immediately return to the base. NOTE:  The ball remains live [emphasis added] and should the catcher make an errant throw to the pitcher or make a play on the runner, the runner can then attempt to advance."

I would not be surprised if coaches and parents thought that time was called at the end of every play. They seemed to think so in the LL chapter I umpired in from 2013 to 2019.

LL teaches its umpires not to call timeout unnecessarily, to force kids to learn to make the throw to the pitcher while also checking runners. Presumably the emphasis in Babe Ruth is the same (I've never worked in their leagues, so don't know what the national organization or any chapter is teaching the umpires). However, there does not seem to be a Babe Ruth rule prohibiting outfielders from asking for time, or requiring that the ball be in the infield or held by an infielder (a fairly common standard for ending play in the coach-pitch youth leagues I've coached in). 

As @JonnyCat noted, if there's only one umpire, he may need to call time to reposition at the end of a play. 

[Caught in Rundown]

On 5/26/2026 at 7:54 AM, JonnyCat said:

And shame on the tournament for being too cheap to pay for 2 umpires.

I'm not sure if that is the issue out here. I think it is just difficult to find umpires, at least in our area of the state.

[JonnyCat]

2 hours ago, Caught in Rundown said:

I'm not sure if that is the issue out here. I think it is just difficult to find umpires, at least in our area of the state.

Understood, Its a problem in most areas.

However, if the pay was much better, and the abuse wasn't there, then we'd have lots more umpires. Sadly this is lost on most associations and organizations. JMO.

[MadMax]

There are 3 essential components to the equation to solve this problem; we (umpires) have control over 2 of them. The third is under the control of gentlemen like @beerguy55 and @Coach Carl, but I concede, it is highly variable. 

The first element, and most immediate and direct, is to not call Time. Stop. Deny (the request, the urge, the temptation, etc.). Resist. Hold fast. Stick to it. Respond to the “requests” with: 

• “No.”
• ”Nope”
• ”(You) don’t need it.”
• ”Nah”
• ”No need”
• ”Noppity noppity nooooo.”

In 94% of cases, our granting of Time is a concession, not a compulsion. In the professional game, the protocol – note, not codified rule – is to call Time, not only to change the baseball (cuz they gots plenty), but because the slightest twitch can result in an Out or an Advanced base, “needlessly”. That’s not part of the “professional game”. This isn’t the case of amateurs, especially of single-digit-age tots. They should be able to throw a ball 10-15 feet, they should be able to catch said ball, they should be able to get themselves up to their feet from a on-butt or on-knees position, and if you say, “but they’re still learning!”, then I’ll immediately counter with, “And experience is the best way to learn!” 

The second element is we need Tournament Directors / Site Supervisors / League Admin who will reinforce us and this perspective, rather than kowtow to the bleating, “outraged” coaches, and sabotage us. Games are snappier, with more action, and more experiential learning, than being halted every. two. seconds. because. we. need. time. called. to. give. two. thousand. frenzied. signs. to. an. infield. who. doesn’t. know. exactly. what. to. “do”. anyway. 
Coach, you and I, and everyone here know it’s going to be R2-&-R3 in one pitch, regardless of if you have “a play” on or not. Heck, it’ll likely be R2, with a run scored cuz that pitch… vooooop! <clink> … just went over my head clean to the backstop. 
Didn’t have that play “on”, didja? 

But truly, we need TDs and admins to hold the line, and reply, “That’s the way it is.”, not with, “I’ll talk to him (the umpire)”, or, “Yeah, he’s a stickler about that.”, or, “He won’t be doing your games in the future.” Those replies tolerate and coddle those coaches. Which attribute directly to the third element… 

Which is, coaches must stop coaching this (the granting of time) as an entitlement, an expectation, and as a counter-tactic (to aggressive base running). It is not benefitting their charges (kids), nor is it benefitting the game. 

[Coach Carl]

Under Objectives of the Game (OBR Rule 1):

1.02 The offensive team’s objective is to have its batter become a runner, and its runners advance.

1.03 The defensive team’s objective is to prevent offensive players from becoming runners, and to prevent their advance around the bases.

Getting the umpires to help you fulfill one of the objects of the game is a no-no and umpires should not succumb to it.  Stop them yourself. 

Younger ages have rules in place to account for differences from the adult game.  One of them is no leading off on 60 foot basepaths (or stealing would be pretty much a non-competitive play).  There is no reason for an umpire to call time for the defense to stop runners when the rules proscribe a specific way to do it.   This problem takes care of itself as the kids get older.   Play on larger diamonds makes it a much riskier play for the offense to test the defense in close quarters. 

[Thatsnotyou]

My biggest pet peeve is my base umpire calling time whenever requested. My general response is “no” or “for what purpose” or “get up” (baserunner). Calling time for anything and everything, to me, is the easiest tell that you’re not a very seasoned umpire. 

[The Man in Blue]

On 5/26/2026 at 9:54 AM, JonnyCat said:

And shame on the tournament for being too cheap to pay for 2 umpires.

On 5/28/2026 at 9:10 AM, Caught in Rundown said:

I'm not sure if that is the issue out here. I think it is just difficult to find umpires, at least in our area of the state.

On 5/28/2026 at 11:55 AM, JonnyCat said:

Understood, Its a problem in most areas.

However, if the pay was much better, and the abuse wasn't there, then we'd have lots more umpires. Sadly this is lost on most associations and organizations. JMO.

 

Yet, we are going to waste an umpire on an . . . checks notes . . .shakes head in disgust . . . gags a little . . . 8u . . .  tournament?!  

Shame on all involved.

It is true, we do not have enough umpires.  However, we also have far too many games being played and far too many games that think they need umpires.

[JonnyCat]

11 hours ago, The Man in Blue said:

It is true, we do not have enough umpires.  However, we also have far too many games being played and far too many games that think they need umpires.

I agree, there shouldn't be 8u "tournaments." They probably don't need umpires either.

However, that is the expectation from the parents, coaches, and tournament organizers. Regardless if it is misguided, that's the expectation. And with that expectation, the organizers should provide proper officiating.

And you get proper officiating with good pay, no abuse, and support from the tournament. If you're going to have these "tournaments," then you should provide the necessary officials, including 2 on every game.

If the conditions of the work environment are good, then I have no issues working those games. If not, then well that's why there's a shortage.

Yes, there's too many games and probably shouldn't be. But that's not the reason there is a shortage of officials.

[The Man in Blue]

Two things determine a shortage: supply and demand.

Increase demand, and you have a shortage.

Decrease supply, and you have a shortage.

Both are contributing to the shortage of umpires, as are a number of factors that fall under one of these two umbrellas.

"I have no problem if they want to pay me $70 to do a 75-minute 8u coach pitch game by myself."  Meanwhile, a Varsity contest cannot find a second official for that same night.

No, I am not comparing the levels of play and saying one is more important than the other.  I am saying neither of those exist in a vacuum.

Sorry, I will not place this issue solely on the heads of umpires.  We don't magically spawn whenever Ol' Smitty Assignor keeps sending out seven e-mails a day saying "I know you still need to help me cover 8 games I haven't found umpires for, but the 6u Mighty Nap Dragons National Elite Team just added a day-night double header that needs covered, so pick what game you want."  [Delete e-mail]

[beerguy55]

There are still coaches who believe they "call" time, rather than "request" time.  And then by extension, players and parents.

This needs to be better trained at all levels/opportunities:

• Any national/state/provincial certified coach training curriculum
• The season-beginning coach/league meeting
• Listed in the league bi-laws somewhere before ejection penalties
• Listed in the tournament rules somewhere before mercy limits and tiebreaker scenarios
• Part of the "code of conduct" document given to parents and players
• Hung on the backstop of every ball diamond ever constructed in perpetuity

If you can't stand up without taking your hand/foot off a base or can't throw the ball 15 feet without missing by ten feet, your coach sucks.

 

[BLWizzRanger]

11 minutes ago, beerguy55 said:

If you can't stand up without taking your hand/foot off a base or can't throw the ball 15 feet without missing by ten feet, your coach sucks.

 

why the need, better yet, urge to stand up if the runner is engaged with the bag and the fielder is holding a tag against them?  Just stay there. they aren't goinig anywhere with the ball that close.   I will work to get the fielder to throw the ball back to the pitcher before granting time for the runner to get back up.

[noumpere]

1 hour ago, BLWizzRanger said:

   I will work to get the fielder to throw the ball back to the pitcher before granting time for the runner to get back up.

Good first step.  Next, work to not grant time for the runner to stand up.  Since the ball isn't near, the runner isn't going to be out if he comes off the base for a fraction of a second.

[jimurrayalterego]

Agree with not granting time unnecessarily. I do grant time for the occasional runner who got a load of sand down his pants🙂

[BLWizzRanger]

4 hours ago, noumpere said:

Good first step.  Next, work to not grant time for the runner to stand up.  Since the ball isn't near, the runner isn't going to be out if he comes off the base for a fraction of a second.

Yeah, misspoke. I wouldnt call timeout after getting the fielder to throw the ball back to the pitcher. No need.

[The Man in Blue]

4 hours ago, jimurrayalterego said:

Agree with not granting time unnecessarily. I do grant time for the occasional runner who got a load of sand down his pants🙂

Obligatory . . . 

 

[Thatsnotyou]

I rarely call time at the plate, too. If there’s no long delay and nothing weird going on, and a batter wants time, I just say no. Usually results in a convo later, but I explain that if there is no delay, and we’re ready to go (and it was after a foul ball so we had plenty of time to get ready)…let’s go. No time.
 

Calling time to disrupt the pitcher or whatever isn’t gamesmanship, it’s a waste of time. Stay in here and hit.
 

Once you start the time game, good luck stopping it. 
 

“Your box!” coming from a dugout tells you all you need to know  

Also…no, it’s my box.