[AtlUmpSteve]

Here's how this went down.

After the rules committee stated rules language, the Coordinators meeting in Indianapolis in mid-August discussed this at length. We left that meeting with a black-and-white version, pitchers could take NOTHING from coaches or catchers before setting in the pitching position. We referenced baseball, no options, NOTHING legal off the pitching plate, immediate balk there. So why not so black and white for softball?

Well, we started the fall that way; then coaches started looking for the loopholes, and convinced Rules Committee members that some signals are defensive signals, like first-and-third, pitchouts, pickoffs, and that they HAD to be able to give those signals before the pitcher started the pitching routine. So, backed off a bit.

Now, the coach can call signals from the dugout without the pitcher "engaged", but if the pitcher looks at the armband, we KNOW it was a pitching signal, not a defensive scheme, so illegal pitch. Same thing with a signal from the catcher; if C is standing up and out, we can safely accept it is a defensive signal; if she's in a crouch giving signals and the pitcher is off the pitcher's plate, that was a pitching signal, and an illegal pitch.