Pitching eligibility

[Rackster]

In Little League,when is a pitcher officially charged with an inning pitched? Is it when he throws his first warm-up pitch,when he is announced,or when he throws his first pitch to a batter? Under Official Regulations,section VI Pitchers,note 1 states "The withdrawal of an ineligible pitcher,after that pitcher is announced,or after a warm-up pitch is delivered,but before that player has pitched a pitch to a batter,shall not be considered a violation.Little League officials are urged to take precautions to prevent protests.When a protest situation is imminent,the potential offender should be notified immediately." Does this also mean if eligible pitcher B throws a few warm-ups,then then his coach decides not to change pitchers and sticks with pitcher A,pitcher B is charged with an inning pitched or am I just reading into the rule too much? Does anyone have a good way to keep track of pitchers innings worked or is it just an honor system type of thing? Thanks for any help you can give me!!

[DG]

Originally posted by Rackster
In Little League,when is a pitcher officially charged with an inning pitched? Is it when he throws his first warm-up pitch,when he is announced,or when he throws his first pitch to a batter? Under Official Regulations,section VI Pitchers,note 1 states "The withdrawal of an ineligible pitcher,after that pitcher is announced,or after a warm-up pitch is delivered,but before that player has pitched a pitch to a batter,shall not be considered a violation.Little League officials are urged to take precautions to prevent protests.When a protest situation is imminent,the potential offender should be notified immediately." Does this also mean if eligible pitcher B throws a few warm-ups,then then his coach decides not to change pitchers and sticks with pitcher A,pitcher B is charged with an inning pitched or am I just reading into the rule too much? Does anyone have a good way to keep track of pitchers innings worked or is it just an honor system type of thing? Thanks for any help you can give me!!

Rich is the LL guy, but I would say an actual pitch to a batter constitutes an inning pitched. Complications occur, I will throw you a curve ball. What if an existing pitcher takes some warmups and then coach decides to put a different pitcher in. How many warmups does new pitcher get? I had something similar today, the pitcher from last inning comes out, takes two warmups and is then replaced by a new pitcher.

[Rackster]

The actual situation was in our game today the starting pitcher went 3 innings,we brought next picher A in for the fourth inning and our intentions were to pitch pitcher B the last 2 innings.Well when we brought pitcher B in for the start of the fifth,the opposing manager questioned his eligibility and we realized he was only eligible for 1 inning.If we kept him in for the fifth inning we would have needed another pitcher for the sixth,so we decided to let pitcher A throw one more inning,which he did.Opposing coach then,as pitcher A warmed up for the 5th inning, questioned if pitcher B had used up his eligibility by also warming up.It was decided he hadn't and pitcher A pitched the 5th and B the sixth.I'm not so sure he didn't use up his eligibility tho. To take this a step furthur..if after we decided to let pitcher A go another inning and he started warming up,opposing coach says B has used up his eligibility by warming up,A is now an illegal pitcher.(Player removed as a pitcher can't pitch again that game)Could we go back to letting B pitch the 5th and get a different player to pitch the 6th or is B's eligibility done for the week? It seems I remember hearing about a rule years ago that stated something like "any pitcher who warms up from the playing field mound must pitch at least 1 pitch to a batter.",thus,effectively being charged with an inning pitched,but I can't find anything in the rule book confirming this except the above quoted regulation.

[Tim C]

I am an umpire: not a score keeper!

[DG]

Originally posted by Rackster
The actual situation was in our game today the starting pitcher went 3 innings,we brought next picher A in for the fourth inning and our intentions were to pitch pitcher B the last 2 innings.Well when we brought pitcher B in for the start of the fifth,the opposing manager questioned his eligibility and we realized he was only eligible for 1 inning.If we kept him in for the fifth inning we would have needed another pitcher for the sixth,so we decided to let pitcher A throw one more inning,which he did.Opposing coach then,as pitcher A warmed up for the 5th inning, questioned if pitcher B had used up his eligibility by also warming up.It was decided he hadn't and pitcher A pitched the 5th and B the sixth.I'm not so sure he didn't use up his eligibility tho. To take this a step furthur..if after we decided to let pitcher A go another inning and he started warming up,opposing coach says B has used up his eligibility by warming up,A is now an illegal pitcher.(Player removed as a pitcher can't pitch again that game)Could we go back to letting B pitch the 5th and get a different player to pitch the 6th or is B's eligibility done for the week? It seems I remember hearing about a rule years ago that stated something like "any pitcher who warms up from the playing field mound must pitch at least 1 pitch to a batter.",thus,effectively being charged with an inning pitched,but I can't find anything in the rule book confirming this except the above quoted regulation.

Confusing but still, a pitcher has not pitched until he has pitched, to a real batter in a real game.

[Russ]

305(b) in the LL book.

The replacement pitcher by rule, must pitch to the next batter untill the conclusion of his at bat. There is an injury exception. The first pitcher in your case has been removed.

[Rich Ives]

Originally posted by Rackster
In Little League,when is a pitcher officially charged with an inning pitched? Is it when he throws his first warm-up pitch,when he is announced,or when he throws his first pitch to a batter? Under Official Regulations,section VI Pitchers,note 1 states "The withdrawal of an ineligible pitcher,after that pitcher is announced,or after a warm-up pitch is delivered,but before that player has pitched a pitch to a batter,shall not be considered a violation.Little League officials are urged to take precautions to prevent protests.When a protest situation is imminent,the potential offender should be notified immediately." Does this also mean if eligible pitcher B throws a few warm-ups,then then his coach decides not to change pitchers and sticks with pitcher A,pitcher B is charged with an inning pitched or am I just reading into the rule too much? Does anyone have a good way to keep track of pitchers innings worked or is it just an honor system type of thing? Thanks for any help you can give me!!

Part one:


You are only charged with an inning if you throw a pitch to a batter.

Basis:

Regulation VI(b) "Delivery of a single pitch constitutes having pitched in an inning."

2.00 "A PITCH is a ball delivered to the batter by the pitcher."

Part two:

Once the manager announces the pitching change the first pitcher is done for the game, EVEN IF THE REPLACEMENT IS DISCOVERED TO BE INELLIGIBLE.

The part of the reg talking about "not be considered a violation" is only in reference to a protest for using an inelligible pitcher.

BOTTOM LINE for your question.

Pitcher B is NOT charged with an inning.

Pitcher A CANNOT return.

[Russ]

I agree that an ineligible pitcher should not be charged with an inning. Just want to re-enforce the fact that barring injury, an eligible pitcher must face the next batter.

[Rackster]

Ok...lets see...Rich,you're saying although ELIGIBLE pitcher B warmed up (he had one inning of elibility left for the week and the team decided to pitch him in the 6th instead of 5th inning),he doesn't actually have to pitch? Pitcher A cannot go back in so a third pitcher would have to pitch?In the actual game,as he was warming up,the eligibility of B was questioned and it was determined he had only the one inning left for the week.The team then decided to stick with A for one more inning and let B pitch the sixth inning.Of course if opposing team waited till after B had pitched the 5th,or even pitched to one batter,to question his eligibility,everything would have been cut and dry.

Russ,You're saying if Eligible pitcher B warms up he does have to face at least one batter? I think rule 3.05(b)pertains to Big League and not Little League.

It basically comes down to,in LL if a pitcher warms up on the mound,does he have to actually pitch? Russ' stated rule would answer the question if it does apply to LL as well as Big League.Any other opinions?

[Russ]

3.05(b) has nothing to do with "3.03 - Big League".

That rule ("3.03 - Big League") is titled seperate from the other 3.03, that relates to the other divisions.

The rules that follow after ("3.03 - Big League" ends), pertain to all the other divisions' unless noted for specific divisions.

[thumpferee]

NOTES:
1. The withdrawal of an ineligible pitcher after that pitcher is announced, or after a warm-up pitch has been delivered, but before that player has pitched a ball to a batter, shall not be considered a violation. Little League officials are urged to take precautions to prevent protests. When a protest situation is imminent, the potential offender should be notified immediately.

INSTRUCTOR COMMENTS:
"Before a ball is pitched" means to a batter. When warming up, if a pitcher is discovered to be ineligible, he/she must be removed, and the previous pitcher may not return. Once the manager/coach makes his/hers intentions known by removing the original pitcher, the original pitcher may not return. If the ineligible pitcher is discovered "before a ball is pitched" remove the ineligible pitcher and protest may not be filed, however, if the ineligible pitcher is discovered after "a ball is pitched" the ineligible pitcher is removed and the opposing team may protest, if desired.

[cowbyfan1]

I know you said Little league but in some kid ball stuff, it depends on the local league rules. In a league I started in a kid could be charged with only 1/3 of an inning if he/she only got 1 out.

[Edited by cowbyfan1 on May 19th, 2005 at 05:31 AM]

[Rich Ives]

Rich,you're saying although ELIGIBLE pitcher B warmed up (he had one inning of elibility left for the week and the team decided to pitch him in the 6th instead of 5th inning),he doesn't actually have to pitch?


I got confused by your original post because you brought up the note about an INeligible pitcher and read that B was ineligible because if B is eligible the note is not relavent.

If B is eligible he must pitch to the first batter.

A is done in either case.