Catcher calling time for ump to clean plate. Denied.

[y4acres]

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.

 

[Cannonball]

Neither player nor coach can call "time." Only the Umpire can call time.

 

[djcarter1966]

Per other post just have catcher reach down and wipe the plate off not a big deal.

 

[Mike Alwine]

I think there is more to the story, However, the safety of the kids is paramount. If the kids cannot clearly see the plate ( and an injury were to occur) the umpire is not doing his/her job. It looks to me, on the surface, that a team was killing time, and the Ump finally had enough of it.

 

[radness]

As a Catcher, dirty plate & ump dont care,

With the ball in pitchers glove in circle.
I STEP FORWARD
AND CLEAN IT !!!

NOTHINGS being pitched without the catcher!
No time out needed.

 

[EdLovrich]

A couple of thoughts:

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

2)

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.

 

[CoachJD]

I wonder if he would've been more likely to clean it if the pitcher said she couldn't see the plate, whether true or not. He took it as a personal insult, but if you ask him to clean it for your benefit, he might do it.

 

[rslaubaugh]

I always teach my teams catchers that its their job to protect and take care of the umpire. If that means helping the ump keep the plate clean then i expect my catchers to do it.