[Matthew F]

Originally posted by David Emerling

No, OBR 3.03 does not answer my question.

It only makes it clear that a pitcher cannot play any position, other than pitcher, more than once in the same inning.

But that's not what I'm asking.

Scenario:
1. Manager visits the pitcher on the mound and keeps the pitcher in the game.
2. In the same inning, the manager requests time and, from the dugout, instructs the left fielder and pitcher to swap positions. He's making a pitching change.

Can the original pitcher ever return to the mound? So long as the coach doesn't have a conversation with any of the players, I don't believe it would be an issue and the switch would be permitted (at least we are allowed to do this in NFHS, but FED doesn't always equal OBR).

I'm starting think that the request for time to make a pitching change constitutes a visit because, otherwise, a team could use one pitcher to pitch to the all the right-handers in the lineup and another pitcher to pitch to all the left-handers. Imagine the 2nd baseman and pitcher continually switching positions depending on whether the batter was left or right-handed. They could do this without the manager coming to the mound. Not according to 3.03 and your acknowledgement that "a pitcher cannot play any position, other than pitcher, more than once in the same inning". Meaning the pitcher can become a fielder then a pitcher again in the same inning, but may not become a fielder again in that same inning. Therefore, the flip-flop between pitcher and 2B cannot legally occur as you described it.

Yet, what if the team never requests time to make this change and, further, forgoes the warm-up tosses? It would be kind of tough to charge them for a visit. No manager ... no request for time ... and no warm-ups.

David Emerling
Memphis, TN