Keep the Game Moving!

Tips on how to speed up a Youth League Game

By Richard B. Siegel

• The first way to speed up the game is to get the game started on time! (Or a few minutes’ early if both teams will comply.) When you allow the managers to casually go through their pre-game drills and pep-talks at their own pace, then they first start exchanging line ups at "game time," you might think you are just being accommodating and cooperative. However, you’re making the mistake of letting THEM take control of the game. You should always try to arrive at the site of the game at least 30 minutes prior to the published game time. Even if you haven’t yet changed into your umpire uniform yet, put on your umpire’s cap (figuratively and literally) and walk out to the field and greet the managers so they know you are there. Assuming the game time is 6:00pm, say to each of them: "Please have you’re field drills done and line ups ready to be exchanged at 5:54 sharp. We’ll meet at home plate to go over the ground rules. THE GAME STARTS AT 6:00." Then return to the field at 5:50 to inspect the field and equipment. If you find they are not close to being ready to play, start barking your displeasure. However, you will begin to find your little 5:30 chat very often sets the tone that; 1) YOU are in charge; 2) this game WILL move along; 3) time wasting actions will not be tolerated; and of course 4) you get the game started right on time!
• Tell the managers at the pre-game conference at home plate that you’re going to run a snappy game. Everyone hustles in and out between innings, to move the game quickly. Tell them to have their catcher suited up and ready to immediately start catching warm-ups at the end of that team’s offensive inning. If the catcher batted or was a runner, tell the manager to have ANY OTHER player with mask ready to warm up the pitcher. If only nine players are present, another fielder already in the game (i.e. the right fielder) can be that warm-up catcher.
• If the team violates the above "tip," give one warm up pitch and play. They’ll be much quicker getting out there next inning!
• Keep the time of any offensive and defensive conferences to a minimum. During any conference, dust off the plate, then walk close to the conference, hover nearby showing signs of impatience. If you feel they have had enough time order the conference to end.
• Although most youth league rules have not adopted rules regarding batters stepping out of the batter’s box between pitches (as is the case in High School), "urge" batters to stay in the box. You can order them back if the pitcher has the ball and appears to be waiting to pitch. If a batter refuses to step in, by rule 6.02c you may order the pitcher to pitch and call the pitch a strike.
• As plate umpire, immediately hustle out to the mound after the third out to inspect the ball and place it on the mound, or to wait for the pitcher to come out of the dugout. When the teams see you hustle, they will hustle.
• Tell the catcher to carry a "message" to his pitcher to take less time between pitches, if the pitcher is taking too much time. If necessary enforce rule 8.04; or if runners are on base, rule 8.05h.
• Unless you can’t throw well, the umpire can speed things up if he, not the catcher, throws a new ball to the pitcher after a foul ball has been hit out of play.
• If you have given out your last spare baseball, shout over to the bench for them to get another ball out to you as soon as there is a time out. Don’t get caught having no spare baseballs when the next pitch is fouled away. Don’t hold up the game while the coach digs through his ball bag for another new baseball.
• When making the ball live, loudly announce "play!" pointing to the pitcher to move things along.
• If a batter knocks one over the fence for a home run, always allow his teammates to come out to the plate to congratulate him. This is legal and it is a very important moment for the batter-runner and his family. However, as soon as the batter-runner touches home plate, toss a new ball to the pitcher and usher the batter-runner off the field as quickly as you can. The rest of his team will follow him off the field.
• About 30 second before you plan to start an inning, if there is no base coaches in place, look to the offensive dugout and see if there is a base coach on the way out. If you don’t see one coming out, call for him to take his position. Complain if he suddenly asks for a "moment" to get to his box just as you are about to call "play." If a team doesn’t want to put base coaches out there, don’t worry about it.
• If it’s the end of the 3rd or 4th inning, see if some substitutions are going to be made, and tell the coach to report them now.
• Do not allow unnecessary coach/umpire conversations. Youth League coaches can often be clueless about the rules. However, during a game is no time to be explaining the rules. A "quick question" can easily turn into a ten minute explanation. If a coach wants a lesson on a rule, ask him to meet you at your car after the game. (He almost never will.)
• Defensive teams have no inherent right to infield and outfield warm-up balls between innings. When you’re ready to start order the pitcher to throw "one more pitch!" Tell the catcher to "throw it down" and he’ll tell his teammates to get the "balls in."
• As strictly as you can, enforce the eight warm-up pitches, or one-minute rule. (Rule 8.03) Many leagues reduce this number to five warm-ups after the pitcher’s first inning. This is a published rule and you will not get a beef on this. A relief pitcher also gets eight his first time out.
• Don’t be a "clean freak" with home plate. Dust off the plate while the catcher "throws down" at the beginning of each inning and any time a the plate has been obscured by dirt after a play. However, resist the urge to jump out there and dust it every time a nervous batter kicks a little dirt onto the slab. Use the "dead ball" time while a foul ball is retrieved, or during a coincident "time out" to get that plate clean. Calling time in the middle of an "at bat" just to whisk off a few grains of sand holds up the game and actually interrupts the natural flow of the game.
• If courtesy runners are permitted in your league, insist that the courtesy runner has a helmet on and is ready to get out there as soon as the runner he will replace gets on base. If a coach is too slow choosing and preparing a courtesy runner, refuse to let the "C.R." go out. Next time the coach will be sure to have the CR ready. Courtesy runners were invented to provide a speed-up process. The way the are most often used, however, slows things down.



• Become stingy when granting "time." It is acceptable to grant time out for catchers to occasionally chat with pitchers. However, non-injured runners don’t need "time" to dust themselves off if a fielder isn’t holding a ball nearby. NEVER grant it for a catcher who wants to "force" a dancing runner back to third after a pitch/play. NEVER grant time to a defensive player who just wants to throw the ball back to the pitcher. NEVER grant time to a coach until all runners have reached their bases and show no signs of continuing to run. Get into the habit when a player asks for a frivolous time out, respond with, "Why?" or better yet, "No."
• As umpires, stay out on the field between innings. Avoid useless between inning chatter with fans, league officials, players, coaches, and other umpires. Keep your attention on the players warming up. Don’t leave the field unless it is an emergency.
• "Let’s go, batter!" Should often be heard from the umpire. These words should not be spoken in soft and sweet tones.
• With a 3-0 count on the batter, you really want the next pitch to be a strike. Appropriate to the level of play, try to avoid "walk-a-thons." If both of the pitchers are bad, only widen the strike zone for both teams. Do not give any more north and south.
• As the defensive team takes the field at the beginning of an inning, don’t let the manager call them into a huddle. Suggest that he do that as the team comes off the field, or while they’re at bat.
• Most "injuries" you will see are minor. If a kid’s really hurt, you can generally tell right away. Don’t let a fifteen-minute ER clinic take place on the field over a skinned knee. After a brief assessment, if the injury is minor, ask the coach to move the injured player off the field, put in an eligible substitute and get the game going. If there is any possibility that the injury is serious, especially one that may involve a back, head or neck injury. Kill the game and order the manager to get EMT help at once.