Joe West's Illegal Pitch call in the Cards/Pirates game

[Tim C]

I asked this question (and another like it) to Mike Winters, Gary Darling, Dale Scott at a clinic. I also asked Rick Roder the same question through the WUA website.

All agree, as soon as the umpire comes out with a "don't do that" type call (actually the proper mechanic is, "TIME, don't do that!") the ball is an immedaite dead ball and nothing happens with that pitch.

As an associated question I also asked the same people about what happens when the plate umpire directs the pitcher to pitch (such as when a batter is slow to enter the batter's box) and if it is a "Live Ball" and can the batter jump in and hit the pitch?

After several go arounds where there was a large disagreement amoung the umpires listed Roder stated that MLB policy is that the action is actually a "directed strike" and that the batter may not, under any circumstances, re-enter the box and hit the pitch.

I hope this answers your question with enough authoritative opinions as it is not written in black and white in the rule book.

Tee