Ambidextrous Pitcher Question
 

I read a report of a pitcher for a college (Creighton maybe) who is ambidextrous. I had heard that he must choose which hand he is going to throw with either a)at the beginning of the inning or b)before the first pitch to a batter.

However, I can't find the rule that states that. I looked in OBR but do not have access to FED/NCAA.

Did I miss it in OBR?

Sorry I don't have my book for rule reference, but Fed he has to declare for each batter.
I'm betting OBR and NCAA is the same.

I would doubt that because the batter is free to switch from which side they want to bat from in between each pitch. I know the rules aren't meant to be fair but it would seem strange that the batter is free to choose which way they want to hit the ball for every pitch but the pitcher has to declare for each batter??? Doesn't make sense. (Which doesn't mean it isn't true!!)

FED 6-1-1

ART. 1... The pitcher shall pitch while facing the batter from either a windup position (Art. 2) or a set position (Art 3). The position of his feet determine whether he will pitch from the windup or the set position. He shall take his sign from the catcher with his pivot foot in contact with the pitcher's plate. The pitching regulations begin when he intentionally contacts the pitcher's plate. Turning the shoulders to check runners while in contact with the pitcher's plate in the set position is legal. Turning the shoulders after bringing the hands together during or after the stretch is a balk. He shall not make a quick-return pitch in an attempt to catch a batter off balance. The catcher shall have both feet in the catcher's box at the time of the pitch. If a pitcher is ambidextrous, the umpire shall require the pitcher to face a batter as either a left-handed pitcher or right-handed pitcher, but not both.

That's just why they have it. Otherwise the batter would switch, the pitcher would switch, the batter would switch, the pitcher would switch, .... and the game would be a stalemate.

OBR: Each can switch once. It's in NAPBL, if not elsewhere.

NCAA and FED: Pitcher must declare. No restrictions on the batter.

The reason it makes sense is that if one or the other does not have to declare, then you have the batter getting in one of the boxes, the pitcher putting the ball in the glove and getting ready to pitch with the handedness that gives him an advantage over that handedness of a hitter... thus the hitter steps out and gets in the OTHER box ... then the pitcher switches back... ad infinitum. We'd never ever get a pitch in.

Basically, to avoid this stymie, the rulesmakers require the pitcher to declare, THEN the batter gets in the box that is most advantageous to him.

Not to doubt anyone here but where can I find this in OBR???

It talks about the batter not being able to leave the batter's box once the pitcher is in the set position or starts his windup but where is the rule about the pitcher?? Or is this another "omission" from the rulebook?

For the first time in my career, I had this last year in a CICL game. I noticed the pitcher using a different hand when a lefty came up to bat following a righty. At first I thought I was imagining things--not an impossibility--then the next batter was a righty again and lo and behold, the pitcher goes back to the other hand to throw.

It's in the PBUC Manual.

Question for you - where did the keep their other glove when pitching - behind the mound or did they just put the same glove on the other hand? Just curious.

He used the same glove, which was a rather unique one. From what the catcher told me, it's made for such an ambidextrous pitcher.

The guy from Creighton has a special glove as well. It has a thumb on each end and a centrally located trap.

As far as the switching arms goes, it is the same principle used as when, say, a RH batter pinch hits to face a LH pitcher. The defense makes a pitching change for a RH pitcher to go against the Righty. The offense then gets the last move, and can burn another LH bench player to get the match-up they want. That pitcher is then required to pitch to the offense's final choice.

If there were no such rule in place to stop the switching, it would also result in a stalemate, or teams running out of players.

Never heard of it - what will they think of next!:D

I had him on the plate at Winthrop against Gardner Webb and he has to declare before each batter.
Clint Lawson

My Grandson is a 10 year old Switch pitcher. He pitches 50 MPH with both arms and has great control with both arms. He plays on a select team and has an ERA of .166. See him pitch at www.bohannan.us