Timed Play?????????

[grcsftbll]

Two hours in 10U!? Here we got 60 min pool and 75 minute bracket a lot in 10U. Sometimes in 12U we got 75 minute pool and 90 minute bracket.

 

[bmakj]

I can understand timed play during a tournament but during their rec. season when they are single games I don't think there should be a limit. I guess I'm alone on this LOL. I like to watch a game play out, the way games were meant to be played. It's frustrating for her when they're down or having a rough start and finally get going & get some momentum and then the game is called. I suppose I can see both sides but I could sit all day and watch softball LOL

yes, but chances are there is another game on that field.

also, for rec, umpires play a role in this, umpire associations would charge more if they did not have some type of time limite. at 10u rec. I would see at times needing 3 or more hours to get to 6 innings (walkfests, lots of errors, etc), even with run limits.

 

[MadBandit22]

My niece plays 10U ball, both rec. team and a travel team. All games are given a 2 hour time limit. When did this happen and why? It is extremely frustrating to me, baseball/softball is not and should not be a timed game. Can someone please explain this?

I understand what your saying about rec league. Seems strange to me to have a time limit on a one and done rec league game.
At that age with all the walks and errors games do tend to drag on. But hey so what it’s all about fun and getting practice so let them finish. Never heard of time limits for rec in our area.
Travel is a far different animal. Like others have mentioned you need to keep a schedule to be consistent. Many different times and ways to end games.
If I had my way I would go with 90 minute finish the inning games. Gives you a better chance to have the game play out rather than the front runner get a lead and milk the rest of the maybe what 5 innings?

 

[CHSUmp97]

The primary reason why I quit umpiring baseball and transitioned to softball was because I loathed working 3-1/2 hour “games”. I would never accept an assignment for a rec softball game that will go much beyond 90 minutes. I’m guessing many of my colleagues feel the same. So be careful what you ask for; you may not find many experienced umpires who would want to work those games.

Trust me, these girls are 10 years old and younger. They won’t be scarred for life if they start rallying from a big deficit and then they reach the time limit. The only people who care about that are coaches and fans. And I assume 10-year-olds still do have homework and other things they need to do that should be more important than playing three hours of rec ball.


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[canyonjoe]

One thing I always preach on timed games is to have your team ready do play. It's hard as a coach, but plan your changes before the game and let them know so after the 3rd out or run limit you can put a team on the field quickly.

 

[MadBandit22]

My niece plays 10U ball, both rec. team and a travel team. All games are given a 2 hour time limit. When did this happen and why? It is extremely frustrating to me, baseball/softball is not and should not be a timed game. Can someone please explain this?

Good point mentioned about umps. Our rec league was volunteer umps more often than not parents or relatives. If umps are paid they will want to get in and get out in a reasonable amount of time and understandably so.

 

[The Man In Blue]

The primary reason why I quit umpiring baseball and transitioned to softball was because I loathed working 3-1/2 hour “games”. I would never accept an assignment for a rec softball game that will go much beyond 90 minutes. I’m guessing many of my colleagues feel the same. So be careful what you ask for; you may not find many experienced umpires who would want to work those games.

Trust me, these girls are 10 years old and younger. They won’t be scarred for life if they start rallying from a big deficit and then they reach the time limit. The only people who care about that are coaches and fans. And I assume 10-year-olds still do have homework and other things they need to do that should be more important than playing three hours of rec ball.


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I tried to keep my previous comment short, but it was 100% honest and a line I used often.

I haven’t transitioned out of baseball completely, but I won’t work summer/travel baseball any more.

You tell a softball coach “You have 90 minutes” and usually the coach will bust out 6 or 7 innings.

You tell a baseball coach “You have two hours” and he will fill every moment of that two hours and then get mad he doesn’t have more time to stand around between innings.

Be real ... you aren’t there for two-plus because the game is good and the kids are having fun. You are there for two-plus hours because
*the catcher isn’t ready to go between innings
*nobody is stepping up and warming up the pitcher
*the coach has to change his defense every inning and waits until they are going out to do it
*the pitcher wants 10 warm up pitches (all of which are hitting the backstop) and THEN ...
*the centerfielder is chasing down the throw down to second WHILE ...
*the defense has to huddle around the pitcher and talk some more for a while
*in the mean time, Leadoff Lucy is in the bathroom and Shortstop Sally is in the concession line
*the coaches are having social hour at the end of the dugout
*the bookkeeper is trying to fix the last two innings in the book and isn’t sure if Leadoff Lucy should even be up
*once Leadoff Lucy does get on base (a 6 minute four pitch walk), we need a courtesy runner ... but we don’t know who

... and during all this the umpires are doing NOTHING to control the pace of the game,

You don’t need two hours. You need to get your act together.

With a little less humor ... I would rather play two 60-75 minute games than one 120 minute game on a “league night”. The kids will get MUCH a more out of the quicker pace and the team gets a chance to reset and start over no matter how bad teh first half/game went.

 

[Sweet Lou]

My niece plays 10U ball, both rec. team and a travel team. All games are given a 2 hour time limit. When did this happen and why? It is extremely frustrating to me, baseball/softball is not and should not be a timed game. Can someone please explain this?

Because people have lives and don't want to hang around for a 3.5 hour walk fest?

10U rec can be painful to watch at time. I believe our rec league has had a no new inning after 2 hours for as long as I can remember. When games do go 2 hours it's usually because no one can throw strikes.

At travel most games are no new inning after 70, 80, 90 minutes depending on tour rules and whether it is pool or bracket. Some are drop dead which can stink. Championships games usualy have longest limits or sometimes none. You often get more innings in a 70 minute travel game than a 2 hour rec game.

 

[Yanko70]

We have a 6 inngs or 1:45, no new, limit in our rec league, mostly because it's also generally a school night. Games start at 6 and generally we get to 5 or 6 inning by 7:45. Also have a 10 run rule after 4.

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[Cagman]

Field space is so limited that you have to keep games moving. We play 75 min for 8/10U and 90 min above.

In TB tournaments we seem to do 60 minpool games and 75 min bracket games. but I understand at those events it’s about money. More teams = more money.

I’ve played one 6 inning game in 4 years of coaching softball. Not including high school, which is always 7. I agree with the original poster, a 7 inning game is so much more enjoyable to be a part of. It’s the way it should be. Just not feasible at all levels.