Quote:
Originally Posted by Multiple Sports
Gentlemen,
My interpreter and I have are having a friendly debate over this one. I have over the years have disallowed parents catching their daughter who is pitching upon arrival on the field. Whether they are catching them prior to the start of the game, between innings on the side or even taking a few pitches behind the plate to help "speed the game up" as the catcher gets her gear on. I feel as those it is a liability if the parent throws the ball back and were to hit another girl in the face. ( I know that is extreme but trying to show the liability side ).
Lacrosse referees don't let fathers warm up the goalies and this doesn't happen in baseball. Just trying to get the brotherhood thoughts. My rules interpreter doesn't think there is a rule set to validate my thought process.
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Your rules interpreter is right
Pitching warm-ups before game time is not our concern, with the exception of when a player doesn't wear the appropriate helmet/mask while she's catching within the confines of the field. There is no basis in the rules to prohibit Mom or Dad from catching Susie's warm-up pitches before the game.
What happens in the bullpen or other designated warm-up areas outside of the fences, again, that's not covered by the rules with the previous exception as I mentioned. So letting Mom or Dad warm up Susie then is perfectly acceptable from an umpiring standpoint.
Even on the field itself, there isn't a specific rule that says a parent cannot come out of the stands to warm up a pitcher. If the coach is okay with it, what rule are we to use to say, "Nope, can't happen"? Unfortunately, the NFHS rules book or case book does not state that parents cannot come onto the field between innings.
Now, if the coach claims the parent is a team coach, then the parent needs to abide by the rules regarding where coaches may sit (must be in the dugout or designated warm-up area at all times unless actively participating in the game as a base coach), what they may wear, etc. So if Dad comes onto the field with blue jeans, then we can say something.