Delaying play to run clock time off

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Jun 8, 2016
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Even though I don’t agree with your approach, I understand your thought process. I do have a question however on how you would handle a game in which a pitcher or batter is being actively evaluated by a College Coach in a close ball game? Do you still use the same approach to make it to the next game?
Not Marriard (obviously) but I don't think you are giving college coaches/talent evaluators enough credit here..

Again, to me this is one of those "choose your battles" sort of thing. I wouldn't do it myself but I wouldn't necessarily refuse to have a beer (if I drank) with a coach who did it in particular if it wasn't over the top.
 
Dec 15, 2012
102
18
I agree and I wouldn't do it but in the taking pitches case if the pitcher throws strikes the no problems right?

Anytime you put a clock on a sport those things are going to happen..why do you think they put a shot clock in college basketball (hint: 4 corners)
I remember several games where coaches would instruct their players to not swing the bat until they have 2 strikes. The 3B coach would then proceed to go through 30 seconds of signals between pitches.

Full disclosure. My DD played on younger teams that did this routinely. This method helped us win our first tournament after nearly 18 months of hard work. We thought we had won the World Series and the 10U girls were elated. Fast forward to 14U and she was playing on a strong regional softball team. We were in a tight ball game and the girls were asking how much time was left. Coach replied:”it doesn’t matter as we are here to play softball not kill the clock. We are going to win or lose on the field.” That was the last time anyone asked about the clock. As an aside the coaches also never looked or asked about the time with the umpires.
 
Dec 15, 2012
102
18
Not Marriard (obviously) but I don't think you are giving college coaches/talent evaluators enough credit here..

Again, to me this is one of those "choose your battles" sort of thing. I wouldn't do it myself but I wouldn't necessarily refuse to have a beer (if I drank) with a coach who did it in particular if it wasn't over the top.
I’m definitely not going to refuse a beer with almost anyone! College Coaches can definitely evaluate talent fairly quickly. They are however also interested in seeing how a player performs under pressure and how the react after a strikeout, an error, or a tough loss. No coach expects a player to be perfect but they are looking for players that can handle adversity. These are more difficult to evaluate but you can get a glimpse during tight ball games.
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
I’m definitely not going to refuse a beer with almost anyone! College Coaches can definitely evaluate talent fairly quickly. They are however also interested in seeing how a player performs under pressure and how the react after a strikeout, an error, or a tough loss. No coach expects a player to be perfect but they are looking for players that can handle adversity. These are more difficult to evaluate but you can get a glimpse during tight ball games.
Right but they would also know that the kid's coach is stalling and probably wouldn't hold it against them. If they were interested enough I am sure they would figure out a way to see what they needed to see...Now if the coach was being evaluated for a job that might be a different story depending on how the evaluator views things ;)
 

marriard

Not lost - just no idea where I am
Oct 2, 2011
4,312
113
Florida
Even though I don’t agree with your approach, I understand your thought process. I do have a question however on how you would handle a game in which a pitcher or batter is being actively evaluated by a College Coach in a close ball game? Do you still use the same approach to make it to the next game?

I would say well over 90% of active evaluations of our players happen in showcases or camps. So timing and winning/losing really is a secondary concern - if that. Winning or losing a showcase game rarely matters once coaches start turning up to watch your players.

A lot of showcases are now adding brackets on Sunday - and college coaches are coming out during bracket games. However the longer the day goes, the more college coaches show up as teams get eliminated or they just wake up. We just played a showcase last week where we got to the last 8. Game one at 8am - 2 coaches. Game 2 at 11:30 8 coaches. Game 3 at 3pm 16 coaches.... So if we can find a way to get to the next game, you are absolutely right we are going to find a way to do so. That is why we are there.

If they are there looking specifically at one of our players, then they are going to see her ALL game (win or lose) - what do they care if we take a pitch or a time out in a very close game right at the end or make sure we don't have to play another inning in this game? Maybe they care if we did the shoelace thing or a catcher swap - but we don't do that - and I doubt it would change their view of the player anyway (maybe their view of us but then we are not the ones being recruited). I will say none of the games were effected by time - they were 90 minutes finish the inning and I don't think we got less than 6 innings in any game.
 

marriard

Not lost - just no idea where I am
Oct 2, 2011
4,312
113
Florida
@marriard ,
I still think it was the best decision for our group of players.

Finding the best competition and the right goal/level for your team. Absolutely.

I honestly don't care about the trophy at the end. That has never been the goal.

I just want the team to play more softball.
 
Jul 16, 2013
4,659
113
Pennsylvania
Finding the best competition and the right goal/level for your team. Absolutely.

I honestly don't care about the trophy at the end. That has never been the goal.

I just want the team to play more softball.

Yeah, I don't think anyone disagrees with that. I know I certainly don't. But I consider my job as placing the players in the best position to be successful. They are the ones playing the game. I want to prepare them as much as I possibly can, and then let them do their thing and stay out of their way. Sure, there are things I do during a game to help out, but there are things other coaches do that I will never do. For example, tie your shoes between innings, not on the field...

As far as managing the clock, one of the few things I do is talk to the pitchers. I want them to know that they dictate the pace of the game. In some cases it requires that they work a little quicker. Sometimes a little slower. But the overall impact this will have on the number of innings we will play is limited. Otherwise, substitutions and timeouts are taken as they are needed, and not for any time wasting purposes.
 
Oct 4, 2018
4,611
113
I agree and I wouldn't do it but in the taking pitches case if the pitcher throws strikes the no problems right?

Anytime you put a clock on a sport those things are going to happen..why do you think they put a shot clock in college basketball (hint: 4 corners)

Go Heels!
 

Strike2

Allergic to BS
Nov 14, 2014
2,044
113
Of which 'stalling' is not one of them.

An umpire may have some discretion over certain things - your examples are good ones that sometimes are included - they could have a major influence of the game. But you don't really have wide discretion - despite a lot of 10U parents having fits, stalling is not against any rule and you don't get to make rules up just because you want to.

I have never seen an umpire suspend a clock for 'stalling'. In fact I am sure every UIC and tournament director I have worked for would drag the umpire over the coals if they ever did so.

There's stalling within the rules...conferences, pitching changes, etc, and then there's stalling using unsportsmanlike conduct. Sudden and time consuming "equipment problems", extended conferences, conversations, and arguments are all things that the umpire can and should control to keep the game moving. If a team out of conferences is obviously doing something to delay play, such as tying shoelaces and fixing suddenly broken catchers gear, the umpire should be more than a bystander.
 

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