Quote:
Originally Posted by Manny A
I'm not worried about anything. I'm merely bringing up another disparity in the rules, and was simply inquiring why.
|
It may be slightly different, but I don't see a major discrepancy here. The catcher cannot throw to someone other than the pitcher unless there is a runner (in which case there is no excluded place to throw), or after a strike out. Whatever reason the catcher uses with a baserunner is legal, even if we think it has no point; we are not supposed to be judging the quality of their "strategy".
The rule is intended solely as a speed-up rule. In earlier years, especially in the men's fastpitch games, catchers routinely threw the ball to any other infielder, not the pitcher; after EVERY PITCH. That infielder then carried the ball to the pitcher, spoke with him, did everything but the current female-version pattycake, THEN handed him the ball. As umpires, we could not even start a "time between pitches" count until the pitcher got the ball, no matter how long it took, without being that OOO no one wants to be. This rule fixed that; with no runners, the catcher has to return it to the pitcher, and we can start a timing count, if one is needed.
If you feel a team is using tactics designed solely to kill time, reference THAT in addressing it, and not the specifics of this rule. The threat of a forfeit carries a LOT more weight than an awarded ball.