Skinny on FED Going to Mouth Change

[scarolinablue]

Originally Posted by DG

It has not been explained that way here. If a pitcher is on the rubber and goes to his mouth it's a BALL, regardless of whether we have runners, or if he wipes afterward.

If he is in contact with the rubber with runner on, has his hands together and separates to go to his mouth, it's a balk, not becuase he went to his mouth but because he separated his hands after coming set.

It is clear FED wants to be more lenient with pitchers who go to their mouth, but why I don't know.

This is the way we had it "FED" to us in our rules interpretation meeting with the SCHSL. We all agreed it was poorly written, but any going to the mouth that doesn't also involve another illegal act shall result in a ball being added to the count. The addition of another illegal act (such as the separation of hands after coming set without delivering the pitch) would constitute a balk.

And, if somebody starts whipping off on MY field, they can stay in the dugout and take care of that!

[BretMan]

Here's the story I got...

Our local association's rule interpretor followed-up with the state and national NFHS representatives to help clarify this point. Much of the confusion stems from the fact that the Case Book play covering this is in error. The same incorrect Case Book play was distributed in the NFHS "Preseason" baseball packets widely distributed to its members.

- Case Book play 6.2.1 situation A, part (b) is incorrect.

This example play states that a pitcher going to the mouth while engaged on the rubber is illegal.

That was the ruling for previous years. That Case Book play was inadvertantly left in the book and is in direct conflict with the 2007 rule change. The error was not discovered until the Case Books had been printed and distributed.

- The 2007 interpretations on the NFHS website are correct and reflect how this rule should be called.

The two examples where an engaged pitcher goes to his mouth and a balk is subsequently called involve the pitcher doing something else that is a balkable offense.

For example, after coming set with his hands together, the pitcher separates the hands to lick his fingers. It is a balk because of the hand separation, not for going to the mouth while in contact with the rubber.

- The correct ruling for 2007 is that a pitcher engaged on the rubber may go to the mouth.

If he wipes off there is no penalty. If he fails to wipe, the ball is dead and the penalty is a ball added to the batter's count. This is no longer enforced as a balk.