Quote:
Originally posted by Carl Childress
Quote:
Originally posted by Rich Fronheiser
Quote:
Originally posted by Carl Childress
Quote:
Originally posted by Rich Ives
I think you have made a rare mistake Rich
MLBUM 3.4:
"A substitution is completed and the player is considered as having entered the game when the manager or his designee notifies the plate umpire of the substitution. If no such notification is given to the umpire or after notification no announcement is made, the player shall be considered as having entered the game when:
"(1) If a pitcher, he takes his place on the pitcher's plate prior to delivering a pitch (preparatory or
otherwise);"
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Memoirs of several former professional umpires mention firestorms that occurred when they properly enforced the rule.
But note that Mr. Fronheiser made no claim that what he did was right. All he said was: "I would never interpret 'taking the rubber' as anything other than what is intended -- pitching to a batter."
Considering the points you make in your upcoming article, that shouldn't be hard for you to understand, if not approve of.
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Oh, I have a copy of the MLBUM and know this citation. Sometimes it's nice to know that a citation is so obscure that even a protest committee wouldn't find it 
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Well, gosh: The protest committee may not have the MLBUM, but I'll bet a dollar to a penny they have the OBR:
3.08(a): "If no announcement of a substitution is made, the substitute shall be considerfed as having entered the game when - (1) If a pitcher, he take his place on the pitcher's plate."
FED is different - and better:
(3-1-1): "Should there be no announcement of substitutions, a substitute has entered the game when the ball is alive and: ... (b) a pitcher takes his place on the pitcher's plate."
Surely this statute doesn't come as a surprise to you.
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It's easy for me to take the FED citation and apply it in an OBR game. I can always say that "taking his place on the pitcher's plate" can't possibly happen until I make the ball live.
Why would an umpire want to stick it up a team's backside in this manner? Furthermore, if the guy who took a warmup pitch isn't a pitcher, why would I want to have him throw pitches at me?