I'd like the Rules Committee to discuss what is determined to be purposeful stalling in a game. I've seen this occur several times in tournament play. Every time I've seen this it occurred starting in the bottom of the first where a team scored 5 runs in the top of the inning to start the game. A specific example occurred during our game where 5 runs were scored and then the team's pitcher took way longer than what would be reasonable to be ready to pitch (I wish I had started a timer, but it was easily 5 minutes or longer). Please note that the pitcher was last in their lineup and was not in a position to bat in the top of the first. I immediately objected to the umpire. The umpire did award a 'ball' to my leadoff hitter in the bottom of the second inning, but nothing changed for the remainder of the game. As expected, the timer went off in the top of the fifth inning resulting in the 6th inning being declared the open inning.

Anthony,

I think to some extent we all see some stalling at every tourney throughout the year. 5 minutes is very excessive for a pitcher to get ready for sure. I will tell you this since it's your first post, posting on here will accomplish nothing. The power to be have said countless times the rules committee will never vote on something they read on here, if you want it to be considered then you either have to show up at the annual rules committee meeting which are posted on this site or write a formal letter to them for it to be considered. Posting on here might help you gain some traction and get more people thinking like you are but it won't get presented to the rules committee without it being done in one of the two ways I mentioned.

If the team stalling is batting the manager will get a warning. If it continues the ump can start calling strikes on the batter.
If it’s the defense stalling the umpire can add more time to the time limit.
Stalling is strictly in the judgement of the umpire.
One thing that i do that works quite often is hollering “batter up” between innings. More often than not it gets players moving.

Stick8,

Seems reasonable, I have honestly never once seen an umpire add more time to a timer in all the years i've been playing. Most seem not to care about it even when I hear them say hurry in and hurry out it doesn't seem like there's much intent behind it. Not all Umps mind you but most seem detached from caring about it.

John they did in our game in Vegas, the pitcher was taking his time stalling cuz we were close to the time buzzer going off - it did before he threw a pitch so the 6th would have been open, the ump called both managers and said pitcher took too long we will play 7 innings. Good that we played 7 innings bad for my team as we were leading after 6 but lost after 7 LOL

Another stalling technique that I hate is waiting for a team to send in the courtesy running even though they have been running for that batter every time. At Worlds during the Vegas timing rules, we never got to 7 innings because of stalling one way or another. Umpires need to be instructed to be more diligent on getting players moving.

BH44, the beginning of the inning has nothing to do with when the pitcher throws the first pitch. According to the rule book on page 8 for the definition of an inning - 'A new inning begins immediately after the final out of the previous inning'

k man ... You are correct for all except the World Championships ... Because of the severe local league restrictions imposed by Henderson, Clark County and Big League Dreams on certain days, we have occasionally employed the "Las Vegas Rule", and 2025 was one of those occasions ...

That rule defines the start of an inning as the moment of the first pitch n the top of the inning rather than the historical (and much easier to control) moment when the last out of the previous inning is made ... The problems arise when participants stall to gain an unfair advantage by getting to the expiration of time before that first pitch ...

It wasn't me this time, but I do exactly as the director BH44 mentions does: "Fellas, we're here to play softball. Let's just play 7 today and then nobody gets to manipulate the system." ... It works every time! ...

Right on Dave - we were happy he let us play 7 even though we would have won after 6 lost in 7 but got revenge and sent that team home later in the tournament - we were very pleased with the umpires we had that weekend they did a great job.

Anthony, if you want the rules committee to discuss something, you need to make a formal request. This forum is not part of that process.

Stick8, I have never touched the clock, but I have awarded balls to the offense on defensive stalls. My favorite one was in a tournament that started with a 1-1 count. For some reason after I said Play, the pitcher turned around and was looking at his left center fielder. When he didn’t turn around I said Ball 2 (you and Dave know that I tend to be loud). So then the pitcher is talking to the shortstop while still looking at his left center. Ball 3. Still doesn’t turn around. Ball 4, take your base. When he finally does turn around after about a minute total, he looks at the new batter and then at the runner on first. What happened? Perhaps you should ask your left center. They turned a double play on that next batter, so worked out for the defense, but I am sure that they had some lively discussion over adult beverages that night.

Nancy, I ump for One Nation. We usually don’t encounter teams who stall because the way we do it (at least where I’m at) is once time limit expires they then play one more inning. Usually it’s 60 minutes then one more inning. Those young bucks normally run in and out during changes. Seniors tend to walk slowly, take their time, some stop and bs with each other before the inning starts. Perhaps if they could hustle just a little bit they could perhaps get themselves another inning.
I’ve never added time, know any umpire or have heard of any umpire adding time to a game. But it’s listed in the SSUSA rules as an option if a team is stalling.

stick8, yes, it does say that time may be added to the game. It doesn't say will be though. I have a personal taboo about touching or adjusting the clock at all. While it has rarely happened in my games (a little math says .07% and probably less than that), if the delay is offense, a couple of times have called a strike. Usually it is defense in my many games but still very rare. Putting the batter in the box and calling a ball usually gets their attention and takes care of the problem. I only ever had one so bad that the batter got advanced to first which described earlier. I think that the clock really only bothers me because of clock cheats. One year the park that I worked at had this guy that we called The Closer. If a diamond got behind, suddenly he was there to do your next game. Magically it was caught up before the next game. So the umpires lost a game pay and came back to an on time diamond. That really bothered me. I only ever had it happen to me once, but we all were aware of what he must be doing. Yes, Dave, it is that park. I have never done One Nation and at this point probably never will. I have had a long and great umpiring "career" and am very grateful for it.

Interesting comments......I thought all the falderal years ago about going to the short shrift 3-2 count was the magical panacea.....

It was ... The incident rate on this cheat has gone almost to zero ... But the occasional appearance of the matter remains every bit as annoying!

Nancy, this happened just the other night:
Men’s league playoff game
Bottom of the 6th inning, home team down by 4. There were 5 minutes left for game time. (Their scorekeeper watches that like a hawk)
They decide to take 3 strikeouts, 6 pitches, 6 swing and misses. Took about a minute— to get themselves another inning.
Top of 7, visiting team scores 6 runs.
Bottom 7 home team goes out 1-2-3.
They got their last inning in but outsmarted themselves!!

using 6 pitches is the long way to do it. could have been done in 3 :-)

7.3 • BATTING POSITION
C. The batter shall not step directly in front of the catcher to the other batter's
box while the pitcher is in position to pitch. EFFECT: The ball is dead, the
batter is out and the runners may not advance

maybe even 0 pitches, if the pitcher comes set and you cross the plate before he even delivers the ball. but i digress...

I suppose that’s correct. Ive been told that a team can forfeit their at bats if they choose to.

Stick8-I fail to understand why that team just went to the seventh by striking out 3 guys in the 6th. If you have that little faith in catching them in the 6th, why give them another chance to score and you are as far or farther away in the seventh. Sounds like someone overthought that by a lot.

Although I would never do that I sort of understand it Webbie. They had their bottom of the order up and figured they’d run out of game time without scoring and not have their top come up. But in the top of the 7th the other team had 2-3-4 coming up. The strategy blew up in their face!
I know one thing. If I was one of the 3 players told to intentionally strike out I’d never play for that team again.

I still don't get it. Have a couple guys bat and if they don't get hits, then make the third out. If they get hits and start the rally, then go for it right then.5 minutes is plenty of time to get something going or make the decision to take it to the 7th.

Webbie you make way too much sense!! I was umpiring my last tournament Saturday and saw the coach of that team. I asked him what he was thinking on that strategy. He just shrugged and said “win some, lose some”
That about sums it up

So I have a question for you on when the inning officially ends without an out -- we were home team and runners on 2nd and 3rd. The fifth run was on 2nd (no outs) and the pitcher said we intentionally walk 2 batters to give them their 5 -- but walking 2 would've only put 5 on 3rd. Anyway, does everyone who intentionally got walked need to touch the bases? or do they just all walk off and start the next inning before the clock runs out. Or does the inning end only when the 5th run crosses the scoring line? The runners just walked off the field and the visiting team got their extra inning -- and the official scorekeeper had the wrong batter up for us the next at bat. She only walked 2 of our batters instead of 3, but they wouldn't correct it because she was the official scorekeeper.

I wasn't there to see it, but it sounds a lot like you were the victim of some SHE-nanigans ...

lisab522 Walked batter(s) MUST touch first base.