Calling Time, pitcher/catcher denied?

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Apr 17, 2016
3
0
10U USSSA rules.

Cross posting. Game scenario. Muddy field, playing in the rain, light drizzle with heavy sprinkles. Plate is covered with mud. Pitcher asks for time to the plate ump and ask to clean the plate. Ump says NO. Catcher asks for time. Plate ump says NO. Catcher asks the ump to clean the plate, Ump says "NO, I know where the plate is!" Catcher reaches down to wipe the mud off plate. At this time, I yell " Hey Blue, way to make the girls work for your money!" Plate ump stands up ripps off her masks and ejects me from the game. In the mean time while they watch me walk out, catcher continues to ask for her to clean the plate and tells her NO! Catcher goes ahead and cleans the mud off herself.

My question. What is the call on denying pitcher and catcher time for cleaning off the plate? Can the UMP deny both of them? I don't care about me getting ejected. This was only one bad play/call after another during this game.
 

MTR

Jun 22, 2008
3,438
48
10U USSSA rules.

Cross posting. Game scenario. Muddy field, playing in the rain, light drizzle with heavy sprinkles. Plate is covered with mud. Pitcher asks for time to the plate ump and ask to clean the plate. Ump says NO. Catcher asks for time. Plate ump says NO. Catcher asks the ump to clean the plate, Ump says "NO, I know where the plate is!" Catcher reaches down to wipe the mud off plate. At this time, I yell " Hey Blue, way to make the girls work for your money!" Plate ump stands up ripps off her masks and ejects me from the game. In the mean time while they watch me walk out, catcher continues to ask for her to clean the plate and tells her NO! Catcher goes ahead and cleans the mud off herself.

My question. What is the call on denying pitcher and catcher time for cleaning off the plate? Can the UMP deny both of them? I don't care about me getting ejected. This was only one bad play/call after another during this game.

Simple answer is yes, the umpire can. Don't mean I agree with her, but there is no requirement the umpire suspend play or grant a request for time. Personally, I believe the lack of action by this umpire pretty stupid. Then again, if it was that bad, none of you should have been on the field to begin.
 
Sep 29, 2014
2,421
113
No need to make a big deal about it. Once the ump says no, next pitch the catcher stands up throws the ball back, bends over and wippes off the plate, then goes back to catch end of story. Sometimes we make things much harder than they have to be.
 
Apr 17, 2016
3
0
Thank you! This ump was something else. Like I said it was a poorly called, screwed up game to start with.
 
Feb 13, 2021
880
93
MI
Cross answering from other post:

A couple of thoughts:

1) As has already been said, players and coaches may REQUEST time, only the umpire can grant/call it.

2)
y4acres said:
This was only one bad play/call after another during this game.
I have to wonder if some of these bad calls were disputes over balls/strikes. Making a point of "asking" (telling?) an umpire to clean the plate is just camouflaged arguing of balls and strikes.

3) Any umpire worth their salt will keep the plate clean on their own. That being said, if weather conditions are sloppy (as it sounds this game was) it can be a losing battle and if the game is on a time limit then yes, an umpire knows where the plate is and can work with some light mud on it.

4) This is mostly one of the myriad 'have to be there' situations and there is usually more than just the issue addressed in the OP going on.
 
Jul 22, 2015
851
93
10U USSSA rules.

Cross posting. Game scenario. Muddy field, playing in the rain, light drizzle with heavy sprinkles. Plate is covered with mud. Pitcher asks for time to the plate ump and ask to clean the plate. Ump says NO. Catcher asks for time. Plate ump says NO. Catcher asks the ump to clean the plate, Ump says "NO, I know where the plate is!" Catcher reaches down to wipe the mud off plate. At this time, I yell " Hey Blue, way to make the girls work for your money!" Plate ump stands up ripps off her masks and ejects me from the game. In the mean time while they watch me walk out, catcher continues to ask for her to clean the plate and tells her NO! Catcher goes ahead and cleans the mud off herself.

My question. What is the call on denying pitcher and catcher time for cleaning off the plate? Can the UMP deny both of them? I don't care about me getting ejected. This was only one bad play/call after another during this game.
The ump CAN do that. Should they? Not normally, but in wet weather there isn't a great way to clean the plate because the normal way (dusting with our brush) doesn't work. You end up with a muddy, smeared plate and a nasty brush. Of course, there are much better ways to handle it than what was described here.
 
Jun 19, 2016
858
63
In my experience asking to umpire to clean the plate never works in your favor. If they wanted it clean they wouldn't clean it. This is not uncommon when it is muddy. Never carry a paint scrapper and ask them if they need it....once...and if they say no then forget about it and move on.
 
Mar 14, 2017
453
43
Michigan
The pitcher asked and got an answer. Why did the catcher ask again? Then the coach starts chirping out snide remarks.

Sounds like a classy organization. I have a feeling we aren't getting the full story here.
 

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