I was asked by a buddy to help him in a Pony tournament a couple weeks ago. They played on a 90' field but everything else was supposed to be Pony rules. I'm on the plate for game 1 and the one team is toying with the other. The pitcher is having a hard time throwing strikes so the coach has the batters switch sides after a few pitches. The first one caught me but the next kid I stopped. The coach said that Pony rules allow it and told me I was wrong. I let it go for the next couple innings until they had a ten run lead and it was over. Can you switch batters boxes during the same at bat in Pony ball? Thanks!

Yes, you can.

As long as you don't do it when the pitcher is about to pitch, it's legal.

You can switch as many times as you want between pitches.

Wait right there
 

I think a little preventive umpiring is in order here; something like a very suggestive word to the coach to consider and practice good sportsmanship. You do not want to become part of the situation either. So be careful that you don't reach too far. The power can become addicting and you might find your actions easily cross a line.

If he says anything in retort, put him in the dugout for the rest of the game. You gave him his warning, and he didn't comply, the PONY rules allow that. Maybe that will clear up his mind. Perhaps he can get a better look at the sitch from the dugout. Perhaps he will find a little more respect for YOU in the future. Be sure to include a report to the commish, after the game to avoid any political fallout.

Just MOHO.

PONY is played under OBR with a few add-ons. I just checked a PONY rule book and there is no mention of this situation. However, if one was to consult the OBR....

If a batter switches boxes after the pitcher is on the mound with the ball and ready to pitch, the batter is out.

Re: Wait right there
 

IMHO, this is one of the worst things an umpire can do - trying to enforce a rule that does not exist for the sake of "sportsmanship". Yes, this tactic is crappy sportsmanship, but we are not Emily Post, and trying to tell the coach that his team cannot do something that is completely legal is opening a can of worms you don't want.

Re: Re: Wait right there
 

I agree. We don't have the right to tell a coach how to run his team, whether we like it or not. You'd really be stepping on people's toes if you did that.

Not true. FED 7-3-3 is substantially similar to the OBR rule -- the batter can switch, except if F1 is in a position ready to pitch.

No it isn't. The LL rule is the same as the OBR (and PONY) rule.

Rich,

LL rule 6.06 - A batter is out for illegal action when -
(b) stepping from one batter's box to the other while the pitcher is in positon ready to pitch;

gxc:

The point Rich was making is the wording of LL 6.06(b) is the same as OBR.


Tim.

"Making a travesty of the game" is a phrase gets trotted out whenever something happens in a game that just doesn't seem quite kosher.

There is only one rule that has any kind of statement about "making a travesty of the game", and it doesn't remotely apply to this situation.

"Making a travesty of the game" is not a blanket rule that we can apply to any situation that seems odd, is out of the norm or that we just plain don't like.

The only rule in PONY about making a travesty of the game is for running the bases in reverse order for that purpose. 7.08(i)
The rule is pretty clear that they can switch as many times as they want when the pitcher is not in contact ready to pitch.
How are you planning on forcing them to stay in their original box by rule if they switch while the pitcher is off the rubber?
Great idea. After all, what's a concussion anyway to a teenager. They are after all easily replaced, or bulletproof.

Tim.

Back to creating rules from thin air I see.

Please find this exact rule in your book and post it here. If you're correct, I'll mail you money.

And he CAN switch just for the sake of switching, as long as he doesn't do it while the pitcher is ready to pitch.

If anyone out there actually knows who PWL is, this statement alone is enough to prove he has no business being responsible for ANYTHING related to either baseball or kids in general. Hell, in some places, this mere suggestion is a misdemeanor, maybe worse.

It's bad enough you're a ridiculous excuse of an umpire... but to propose that a manager should tell his teenager to put another teenager in the hospital... unbelievable.