[QUOTE]TEE will you do some preventative umpiring on ths issue?

In other words you see F1 do this

Are you going to

1. Simply call the infraction
2. Dust off the plate and tell F2 to talk to F1 and NEXT time it is a balk or
3. if you are BU tell any infielder to talk to F1.

I am interested in how "other" associations instruct their umpires on these "ticky/taky? type rules. Similar to the "old days" when in FED F1 could not check a runner. How many associations enforced that rule.

Thanks TEE

Pete Booth

Twp
 

R1, F1, off the mound, goes to his mouth, without wiping off he grips the ball. He now can _____________.

Garth,

Request Time and ask for a new ball.

JM

More TWP:

And, if he wipes off after gripping the ball and then takes the rubber?

Same answer as above, i'm going to ask for the ball and replace it.

Thansk
David

David,

In Garth's second sitch, you would, no doubt, add a ball to the batter's count as well, yes?

JM

Yes dear. And you have no idea how often I have this conversation with my brothers in blue every year. You would be another one. So many have it wrong. This is as good as any thread to have this discussion.

Even if he is on the mound, even if he is in contact with the rubber, it's not ever a balk or an illegal pitch in OBR. It's a ball to the batter, period.

It's one of the differences I wish people would get.

Rita

Well, hon, the discussions that I've had with my brothers and sisters in blue have concerned not the type of violation but whether F1 can go to his mouth AT ALL.

That I why I emphasized that it is legal provided that he's off the mound. In my post I did not specify what kind of violation it was, so please don't correct me for an error I did not make.

[QUOTE=PeteBooth]You know, if the coaches are dumb enough to lobby for this rule, it should be called. Everytime. Maybe then we can get rule 6 rewritten sensibly.

I have a modest proposal for a language change.

"FED Rule 6, see OBR Rule 7.00"

I wrote:

<b>Remember all, in OBR, it is not a balk or illegal pitch for a pitcher to bring his hand to his mouth.</b>

You then wrote:

<b>As long as he's off the mound.</b>

That makes it sound to me like you were saying it could be either of the two if he were on the mound. Even if he is on the mound or on the rubber, it is neither a balk nor an illegal pitch in OBR if he brings his hand to his mouth. It is always a ball to the batter.

Do we agree on that?

Rita

F1 finishes his stretch, comes to a complete stop. He then goes to his mouth. Ball? (Well, you did say "it's not ever a balk.")

In this case it's not a balk for going to his mouth. With runners on it's a balk for breaking his hands without disengaging.


Tim.

Exactly.

Rita

Yes I agree, but it's just another example of FED re-inventing the square wheel. They emphasize that the penalty for going to the mouth while on the rubber is a ball rather than a balk, but, with men on base, going to the mouth while on the rubber will ALWAYS result in a balk (from either pitching position), because it is an arm movement not associated with the pitch.

It's like having Professor Irwin Corey as the rules interpreter, assisted by Norm Crosby.

By Jove ole mate, I've think you've hit upon something. A pitcher cannot balk unless there are runners in place to lap the bases. Pip, pip ole chum.


Cheerio,
ST