Quote:
Originally Posted by EsqUmp
I'm sure I'll be accused of not actually being at the table in the 1930s when the book was first written, but common sense says that it was implemented to prevent the pitcher from constantly asking for a new ball for the purpose of delaying the game. It also ensured that teams weren't throwing in "dead" balls while keeping the more juiced ones in the dugout.
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But these kinds of shenanigans can be taken care of through routine game management. The pitcher asks for a new ball once, no problem. She asks for another so shortly afterward, sorry; there's nothing wrong with the one I just gave you, let's play on. We do the same when a batter repeatedly requests Time from the box, or the catcher repeatedly requests Time to talk to the pitcher.
When I do baseball games, I give the pitcher a different ball whenever he requests one. I do the same when the ball is fouled off and stays within the fences, or the ball gets by the catcher to the backstop during between-inning warm-ups and even during the game (with no baserunners, obviously). The reason we do that is that the field is much bigger, and waiting for the catcher to get a ball from the backstop, or an outfielder to retrieve a foul ball in the corner, can disrupt the flow of the game. Teams usually know to have the on-deck batter or someone from the dugout to chase those down.
Oh well, like I said, fascinating.