Make the call baseball refs
 

UMPS that is. Watched baseball replay either HS or college. Batter in box, pitcher throws one pitch, batter takes a strike call he didn't like so steps out of batters box where he adjusts his batting glove etc. WhIle doing so ref gives jester like he just calked a strike. After kicking dirt off his kleats batter starts to get back in batters box when ref again motions like a strike call and then tells the batter he just struck out.

Only one pitch was made the entire time. Batter obviously objects gets in heated argument with plate ump who tosses him from game. Manager then gets in heated debate but ump stands his ground saying batter didn't ask for time out so he called the strikes.

Announcers who said that rule technically is in the rule books is hardly ever called. Manager argued that even if that was the case the pitcher has to throw ball to catcher.

Only one pitch was thrown to catchet but 3 strikes were called.

Before every softball game I umpire I tell the coaches to tell the players to keep one foot in the box as we want the game to move along at a nice pace. Some players like to step out after every pitch and if every player did that it would take 3 hours to play a 7 inning game when it should take about half that time. I haven't done it yet but I worked a game where the home plate ump was fed up with the delays and motioned the pitcher to pitch, she didn't throw the pitch because she must have been confused and he called a ball. He told the pitcher that when he signals to pitch that she is to pitch. If she had thrown a pitch, anywhere, it would have been called a strike.

I don't have a direct reference to a Rule, but there is a Delay of Game rule that says the batter can't just step out of the batter's box without permission and fiddle around with this batter's glove, cup or jock strap. I think you get something like 20 seconds but maybe less if you didn't ask permission to step out of the box.

I'm guessing the ump and this batter have a history or something happened earlier in the game that didn't sit well with the ump.

FWIW, at the HS level the coaches are told -and players know - to always have at least 1 foot inside the batter's box at all times UNLESS you have been granted 'time'. I've never had a problem with players stepping out, but I have indicated to a pitcher that they can throw a pitch even though the player has one foot in and one foot out. After all, I never granted 'time', they stepped out on their own.

I know there is "delay of game" rule where if the batter leaves the box without a timeout granted then the ump can call a Strike without a pitch thrown. Didn't know he could call 2 Strikes, but I guess the ump ruled that the batter committed 2 different acts of delay of game? Pretty harsh but hopefully the batter was warned and was really delaying the game and not quickly adjusting himself

I agree with Rollo's "one foot in the box", that's how I was taught

One of the arguments was that the ump made silent motions and didn't orally say strike. The batter would have gotten the message if he heard the ump. His manager also said that if he heard the ump make the call verbally he would have told his player get back in the box. Even the pitcher looked confused.

Totally legal. And totally bush league. There's an example of a guy who read the rule book and knew he COULD call a strike (twice). Just because you can't doesn't mean you should.

Tell the player "son, the ball is in play, that pitcher can throw the ball any time he wants, and if he doesn't I'm still going to call a strike in about 5 seconds." The batter will come running. Then tell BOTH coaches between innings that we're getting this game moving, and moving right now.

Or you do what the Royal ump does...point at the pitcher and just say 'play ball'.

Rollo that is an outstanding example of great umpiring.

Major League Baseball's problem
 

Recently quite a bit of concern has been expressed re declining attendance at games. Quite a few rules changes have been proposed or adopted to speed up the game.....which will have a trivial effect.

The average game takes over 3 hours. The seven game 1946 world series between the Sox and Cards had no game over two hours and one game at 1 hr and 46 minutes.

Baseball was 9 inning game then as it is now. What happened? Unless BB adopts a pitch clock interest and attendance will continue to decline.

I lost interest in baseball after 2nd strike. Just look at results at end of day. Have no interest in watching grown men paid huge salaries to play a kids game.

Same is true for NFL and NBA although never got interested in NBA. Make way too much and are poorer role models than those 30 plus years ago.

I too often remember the joke about the Bengles....or was it.
If six Bengles are in a car who is driving it

Answer.. the sherif