Quote:
Originally Posted by parrot
Does the ball have to be batted for an option to be given?
Game last night, opposing pitcher hits her leg with the pitch which goes squirting off towards the third base line. My runner on second comes to third. Umpire calls illegal pitch (not sure why) and also returns my runner to second base. I ask "Don't I get my choice of the illegal pitch penalty, or the result of the play?" He said no, since the ball wasn't batted, there was no other option. This seemed wrong to me.
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A misdelivered pitch (dropped, squirted off a hip, accidentally airmailed to center field, you name it....) is a live ball + ball on the batter. Even if it was delivered illegally, it's still alive until the conclusion of play.
Unless BR reaches 1B and all runners advance, you have the option of either result or penalty.
Your umpire had the rule backwards: ONLY if BR reaches 1B on a batted ball or otherwise, can the option not be available. Additionally, an IP is never an immediate dead ball.
In a game that matters, feel free to protest this one.