This was a new one on me

CoachBroker · Jul 22, 2015

I am an AC on DD'd team. Both my DD and the HC's DD pitch. At the end of our turn at offense I will usually walk out to the circle and fill in the ruts left by the opposing pitchers drag foot. Both of our pitchers like a fairly flat surface in front of the rubber. For the first time ever the plate ump approaches me in the third inning and informs me that I cannot be doing that any more or he is going to start considering it a plate visit. Our catchers not even out of the dug out and in most cases I am leaving when the pitcher arrives in the circle for her warm up pitches. I am not doubting the rule but wanted to get clarification that he was correct in informing me of that. This was following ASA rules.

KCM · Jul 23, 2015

I never checked into rule either but have had a similar situation couple years ago from an ump. I just let all the infielders meet in circle before warm up to fill it in.

BretMan · Jul 23, 2015

Sounds like a bad/made up call to me...

A "plate visit"- or, as its know in the rule book, a charged conference- is defined as when a team representative requests time or delays the game to confer with another team member. Your little bit of grounds keeping isn't being done after requesting time and appears to not be delaying the game.

Comp · Jul 23, 2015

No such rule. There is 1 minute between innings for the teams to get ready and warm up. The ball is dead and no playing action can occur during that period. As long as the teams are ready to play when the minute is over, the coach can talk to the pitcher all they want. Now, if they delay the game resuming, then we have a charged conference.

PATRLR · Jul 23, 2015

At one of the Mass ASA State championships this year, the UIC was making sure the umpires were enforcing this - no plate visit between innings or it's a charged conference. Didn't affect me, so, I didn't question or investigate and assumed it to be the rule.

Makes me wonder if this is directive coming form somewhere?

Comp · Jul 23, 2015

Someone doesn't know their rules then. As bretman has stated the rule says calls time or delays the game. A coach speaking with their players between innings is neither calling time nor delaying the game. If they are calling it a charged conference, are they also calling it an offensive conference if the coach talks to the batter between innings?

BretMan · Jul 23, 2015

PATRLR said:
At one of the Mass ASA State championships this year, the UIC was making sure the umpires were enforcing this - no plate visit between innings or it's a charged conference. Didn't affect me, so, I didn't question or investigate and assumed it to be the rule.

Makes me wonder if this is directive coming form somewhere?

Were the between inning meetings causing the time between innings to get dragged out over one minute? That would be the only way you could justify banning these meetings under any official rule.

PATRLR · Jul 23, 2015

BretMan said:
Were the between inning meetings causing the time between innings to get dragged out over one minute? That would be the only way you could justify banning these meetings under any official rule.

Obviously I didn't time em. All I can say is they didn't seem unusually long. I doubt it was over a minute.

During some downtime I mentioned to the UIC that my daughter's high school AC would walk from his first base post across the diamond, pickup the ball and wait for the pitcher to arrive, hand it to her, offer some pleasantries and continue to his dugout. I asked if that would be a conference. I was told yes.

Like I said, it didn't affect me, so, I just took the UIC's word as correct. And I find it a bit interesting that it's popping up elsewhere now.

MTR · Jul 24, 2015

WTF IS A PLATE VISIT?

And, as noted, there is no rule concerning a coach visiting the pitcher, catcher or any other defender between half innings.

CoogansBluff · Jul 25, 2015

Kinda similar, but can an umpire object to a coach talking to his/her defensive players in a huddle after they come off the field and before they enter the dugout? Had an umpire put a stop to that in a recent tournament. I guess one concern would be that if you're outside the dugout, you could get hit in the head by something. But don't think there is a rule. I assume a particular tournament can make it a rule. Doubt that happened either, though.

This was a new one on me

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