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How much time does a batter have to take signs from her coach? Some take an inordinate amount slowing the game down.
This is usually but not always the coach’s fault. Their batters have been told to pay attention and then some are very slow to get their signs going, or they are waiting for the runner at first to pay attention to them before running through their signs. And of course, many coaches have this convoluted series of signs because they know that a parent, or an assistant coach, or a player perhaps has been assigned to steal them. So they run through an assorted bunch of nonsense while their batter stands there waiting for the key and the sign, which often never comes, thus slowing down play inordinately. The frustration in all of this is that there is nothing we can do to hurry the coach along. On the other hand, when I see a batter standing waiting for signs that obviously are not coming, or if they dawdle coming back to the plate I say quite sternly, “Stand in, let’s go!” “MY” catchers love it when I do that. Finally, when they drift away after each pitch I tell them “Stay close!” or “Keep a foot in the box!” It usually works quite well. IC
If memory serves me correctly the batter has 10 seconds to be in the box and ready to bat either from when the umpire says to play or the pitcher is on the rubber ready to pitch.
If they take too long try charging an offensive conference and see if that speeds them up; I’d warn both teams that that’s what I’d do if they take too long before doing it.
How many offensive conferences is a team allowed in a game? I could not find the answer in a rule book.
I think they are limited to 3 defensive conferences in a game.
Sec. 9 CHARGED CONFERENCES
b) DEFENSIVE CONFERENCES
There shall be only three charged defensive conferences, in a seven-inning game, between the manager, or the team representative from the dugout, with the pitcher or with any other defensive player.
Exception: U14 will have 5 conferences in a 7 inning game.
1. For every inning beyond seven, there shall be one charged defensive conference per inning.
2. Conferences are accumulative and do not start over with a new pitcher entered into the game.
3. If all three conferences (5 for U14) are not used in the first seven innings, they are lost and a team must then follow the one per extra inning rule.
4. A conference includes players in the field leaving their position and going to the dugout for instructions, regardless of whether “Time” has been requested or not.
5. It is not a charged conference if the coach/manager notifies the plate umpire of a change of pitchers either before or after communicating with the pitcher.
6. The manager may legally enter fair territory to talk with any defensive player, while the new pitcher is taking his warm-up pitches, without a conference being charged.
7. The conference is over when the manager/coach crosses the foul line returning to the dugout.
8. It is not a charged conference for the defence if they confer during a charged
offensive conference, provided they are ready to play when the offence is ready.
Effect 9b 1: The fourth, (sixth for U14) and each additional charged conference in a seven-inning game, or for any charged conference in excess of one per inning in an extra inning game, shall result in the pitcher, who is the listed pitcher at the time of the excess conference, being declared an Illegal Pitcher, who may not pitch for the remainder of the game.
Comment: Now only 3 defensive conferences in a game. If the game goes to extra innings they have 1 conference per inning during the extra innings. Unused conferences cannot be carried over to the next game. U14 will have 5 conferences. The penalty remains the same which is removal of the pitcher from the pitching position for the remainder of the game. The pitcher could play any other position.Thanks for the feedback Keith.
Based on our discussion last might, (correct me if I am wrong) a team is allowed 1 offensive conference/inning. A conference can be when ie: the 3rd base coach calls time to chat with the batter.
Your example is correct and is the most common form of offensive conference but it includes any stoppage in play when a coach wants to talk to a runner, another coach, etc.
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