It's automatic assuming the pitcher hasn't presented the ball yet but I will be counting. If I get to ten it's a strike without a pitch being thrown. If you do it after every pitch my count is going to get quicker.
Yep, it's still in their book.Really? U-trip has a rule requiring the pitcher to "present" the ball?
Ball is in the infield and the runner has stopped advancing. Time should be called at that point. Especially if it's one man and you're out where you should be. It lets you turn around and hustle back behind the plate for the next pitch.I was taught that anyone can request timeout for any reason. However the umpire is the only person that can grant it. In the case of a batter stepping out of the box I find most batters do for one reason or another. Unless the pitcher has started his pitching motion I pretty much grant them time. It's usually only for a few seconds.
However a more common scenario where I do not grant automatic time is the near end of a play. Example - batter gets a base hit. Runner on 1st gets to second and heads to third and rounds 3rd base and stops and watches what is going on. He/she might be 1-4 steps of the base and has not committed one way or the other. Infielder receives the ball and immediately calls time. That runner on third is still out there, off the base, maybe or maybe not trying to make another play. If I see that happening then time is not granted until I see what the play brings. Maybe the runner ends up racing for home. Maybe the throw comes back to third and the runner gets tagged out, etc etc etc.