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Reply to "Timeout"

Bobs,
In this Ask the Umpire link, there is a topic called "time between pitches". In it, a Pitcher for a visiting team is being extremely deliberate. Taking upwards of 30 seconds between pitches. He is waiting for the batter to drop the hands and lose concentration. Now the reason for the question was about the rule that requires a pitcher to deliver a ball within 20 seconds to keep that exact thing from happening.

This is the reverse of your strategy and there is a rule to combat it. There is no way an Umpire is going continue to grant you time outs so you can play your strategy out. I will grant all reasonable timeouts. I will not grant multiple time outs when its clear the batter and/or the pitcher are playing mind games.

I do not call time out every time it is asked. Many times young players are trained to ask for time at every opportunity, getting into the batters box, after a steal, after a walk, you name it. If there is no impending play I dont grant time.

Your strategy is a risky one, it may or may not work depending on the Umpire. It may backfire on you on your next at bat. If you get a fastball aimed at your earhole and it lays you on your butt, you might want to remember your strategy, because HS and higher pitchers have long memories.

If you want to throw off a pitcher, try getting a hit. Nothing throws a pitcher off more than getting rocked. There is a place for strategy in baseball, but it comes behind hitting, fielding and throwing.
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