If Softball HAS to Have Time Limits…

[flash277]

I would definitely support the reduced innings aspect of tournaments, but I have to say that I still don't think that is the problem. Time limits aren't about limiting play (though they can have that effect), they are about keeping things on schedule for the bigger picture.

When you go to a tournament and see your games are averaging 3 or 4 innings while other teams are playing 6 or 7 innings in that same time limit, you need to look at your team and see what you are doing wrong. Sometimes that is the result of a long, high-scoring inning (or two), but if it is a consistent pattern you are doing something wrong.

I have written in multiple threads on the many, many ways poor coaching manifests itself during a game. That is not something that is fixed by time limits or fewer innings, but it is something that is mitigated by a tournament which needs to to stay on some semblance of a schedule for the sake of the hundreds of other people impacted by that one coach's shortcomings. You can complain that you were down 22-0 and didn't get one more at bat, but the tournament staff, umpires, concession staff, grounds crew, and four other teams that are waiting for your game to finish ... all of them want to get on about their day, not stand around and watch while you give up five more runs. Truth is, the only people who are ever offended by time limits are the coaches who failed and the parents who want to blame somebody (anybody) else.

Here is another umpire perspective: MONEY. You can say this is greedy or selfish, but I would disagree whole-heartedly because it isn't just me. Most of those people I mentioned above ... tournament staff, grounds crews, concession staff, etc. are being paid hourly. If you want to hold things up to keep carrying on with your antics, pony up and pay all the people that are waiting on you.

I have said before that my time is not worthless. I know not every umpire is like me, but I spend a lot of money every year on registrations, training and camps, and equipment. When I call a high school varsity softball game, there is no time limit. We play 7 innings (barring a run rule) and are typically done in 1:30 to 1:45. For that, I am paid about $75 per game. When I go work a tournament, I make about $45 per game. No offense, but I am not working non-time limit games for about half of my standard fee.

My comments may seem a bit harsh, but they are meant to. The sad reality is that this whole endeavor is not about just you and your team. Youth sports is a business and a business has costs it needs to control. If you want to play full games and not worry about "getting screwed by the clock" then take control of your team and your game: be prepared and hustle.

I was doing a High School game this season, it started the same time as the lacrosse game on the next field started. It was bottom of the 4th inning when that game ended and those referees where walking back to their cars, and there I was behind the plate thinking, I'm officiating the wrong game.........

 

[Towny9]

One of my main gripes with time limits is that umpires set the clock for a ten (or five) minute warning. When that goes off they slow walk to the clock to shut the alarm off and by the time the game restarts another few minutes have gone by. The ten minute warning becomes an eight minute warning.

 

[Towny9]

One of my main gripes with time limits is that umpires set the clock for a ten (or five) minute warning. When that goes off they slow walk to the clock to shut the alarm off and by the time the game restarts another few minutes have gone by. The ten minute warning becomes an eight minute warning.

 

[PJR202]

1 timeout per inning allowed for circle chat. 60 seconds.

Mandatory double knot shoe tie inspection before leaving the dugout each inning. Would take 30 seconds tops.

10 second limit on swinging or adjusting between pitches.

No timeouts in the last however many minutes of play.

 

[Rolling Hard]

Two timeclock killers:
1) Poorly used wristbands for pitch calling. Nothing worse than watching two grown men or women (but usually men) sitting side by side on their matching buckets both looking down and pointing to a sheet of paper discussing what pitch to throw next.
Solution: Maybe have umps warn coaches for slow pitch calling. It would be subjective. Maybe a 5 count to get the next pitch in. Think of the basketball ref counting the time it takes the ball to cross midcourt. If coach fails to get pitch called in due time, a ball is called.

2) After the 3rd out of an inning, players take way too much time getting out of the dugout and into their defensive positions. And what can make matter worse if all the players have to wait for the last batter so they can gather and do a little defensive cheer before they trot out to the spots. OR bad coaching/time management that results in the pitcher not getting any warm-ups between innings because the catcher was the last batter. Be better coaches.
Solution: The ump carries a stopwatch and after the 3rd out of an inning is recorded, he hollers 1 minute (or maybe 90 seconds). Teams/pitchers have to throw a pitch before time has expired. If the 1st pitch isn't thrown before 90 seconds has expired, the batter walks.

These two simple solutions would make those 1:30 games become 6 or even 7 innings on a regular basis.

 

[The Man In Blue]

Why not just stop the clock for all of the tomfoolery in the last 5 minutes so that there's no reason to do it? Seems simple.

I get what you are saying, but still think if you introduce a rule there should be a way to apply it. I do agree with not getting behind and with all the other comments about playing faster to start.

What is the tomfoolery? What rules would you introduce?

I ask this because it has to be specific. Is it tomfoolery the entire game, or is it legal the whole game and then all of the sudden illegal in the last five minutes?

I'm catching up on some Little League Softball World Series games today. There is no clock on these games, but this is a great illustration.

In the first inning of the Illinois/Indiana game, the Indiana coach calls for time after his pitcher walks in a run. So after ball four, after the runner reaches first, after his pitcher looks to the dugout, then he asks for time. He then stands in the gate talking to his other coaches for another 25 seconds (I checked the timer on the broadcast) before he ever comes out of the dugout. His pitcher is staring at him, the umpire is staring at him, the crowd is staring at him. It is another full minute before the relief pitcher even gets to the circle. Is it tomfoolery in ...

• in an untimed game?
• in the first inning?
• in the last 5 minutes?
• when the clock runs out?
• when the other team does it?
• when your team does it?

 

[The Man In Blue]

I think no matter what people come up with, there will always be some way to game the system; however, that doesn't mean we shouldn't limit the ways they can game the system.

Laws won't prevent every single instance of every possible crime, but they do prevent some crimes! It would be silly to argue we shouldn't have laws because sometimes people still break them (or, worse, get away with breaking them).

We could pretty easily come up with a couple simple rules that could eliminate most of the stalling. Let's do that and deal with whatever new tricks people come up with when necessary.

"Game the system" or "play the system of the game"?

We have rules in place and smart coaches will use those rules while the fans and lesser coaches complain.
Would you support better and more consistent enforcement of those rules by umpires (which is what we need) when they are called against your team in the first, second, or third innings? Or do we really just want them enforced inconsistently to our benefit at the end of the game?

 

[The Man In Blue]

I was doing a High School game this season, it started the same time as the lacrosse game on the next field started. It was bottom of the 4th inning when that game ended and those referees where walking back to their cars, and there I was behind the plate thinking, I'm officiating the wrong game.........

... said every baseball umpire in the 5th inning, as he watches the softball crew leave.

Seriously though, I've had people trying to recruit me for lacrosse around here. Not many officials and it is a growing (and supposedly easy to officiate) sport. If you are looking to add to your repertoire ...

 

[The Man In Blue]

One of my main gripes with time limits is that umpires set the clock for a ten (or five) minute warning. When that goes off they slow walk to the clock to shut the alarm off and by the time the game restarts another few minutes have gone by. The ten minute warning becomes an eight minute warning.

Agree with this. The clock should not be set ahead of time, it should be set for the full game time. You can always go look at it. If you really need a "warning" then set a second timer.

I have never run into this, but I can totally see umpires doing it. I'd be curious if this is a local practice or if the UIC/TD instructs them to do this.

 

[The Man In Blue]

1 timeout per inning allowed for circle chat. 60 seconds.

Mandatory double knot shoe tie inspection before leaving the dugout each inning. Would take 30 seconds tops.

10 second limit on swinging or adjusting between pitches.

No timeouts in the last however many minutes of play.

I appreciate you are actually offering some specifics!

So ... increase the number of conferences already allowed? While there is not a 60 second cap by rule, most umpires use this as their baseline.

I know a number of umpires who will announce it is a shoe tying time out and tell everybody to check their shoes. Kind of humorous.

#3 already exists. It is inconsistently enforced. If it is going to be strictly enforced, it needs to be done so the entire game.

Would you still favor this when your defense needs to calm down or needs to talk strategy with the tying run on third base? No pitching changes allowed?