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Let me start by saying that before I began my umpiring career I had played this sport for over 35 years and had also coached for 15 years as well.
In this time and until last year I had never had a problem getting (as a coach) or giving (as an umpire) warm up pitches to a pitcher in relief of an injured pitcher.
Last year at my first Canadian Championship as an umpire I gave that new pitcher as many as she needed because of the "apparent injury". In our debrief I asked the UIC what guidelines we should follow because I felt that the coach and pitcher might have played up the injury, it being a sore finger on the throwing hand.
The UIC did not have a problem with the substitution but did have a problem with the warm up pitches granted. He said this is a baseball thing and asked me to show him where in OUR BOOK it said that a pitcher coming in for an injured pitcher would get as many pitches as she needed. I was told they get 5, that's all and the coach should have a pitcher ready at all times.
This was brought up with everyone at the evening meeting.
As far as I can tell Softball Canada rules are pretty close to ASA rules.
How would this be handled in an ASA Championship?
Paul
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