Switch-Hitter vs Switch-Pitcher
 

This one came up in a minor league game last night between the Staten Island Yankees and the Brooklyn Cyclones. Ninth inning-- with a switch-hitter up. Pitching is a player who throws from either side also, depending on the batter's location. The problem was that neither player would commit to a side for the first pitch. They both kept fandangoing back and forth. Apparently, and I sureashell don't know, the rules say that both the pitcher and hitter can switch one time after committing to a side. The problem seemed to be that the rules don't state who has to commit first- the pitcher or batter. Soooooo, both players kept switching as soon as the other one moved. The decision finally made by the umpires(before global warming put the ballpark underwater) was that the batter had to commit first.

Thoughts?

http://www.nypost.com/seven/06202008...ion_116313.htm

The batter committing first makes more sense to this non-baseball guy.

FED and NCAA require the pitcher to face the batter as a righty or lefty, but not both, so the pitcher has to commit. Don't know about OBR.

:D - this story made headlines on TSN - one of Canada's ESPN-like channels.

Can I ask what the rationale is for this method?

I imagine the rationale was "pick one."

In OBR each can switch once.


In reality it will always be the pitcher who switches first because the batter will pick a side as he steps up. The pitcher will then switch. The batter will then switch.

If the batter has to be in the box before the pitcher takes the rubber, then the batter will switch first.

There is no rule that states that the pitcher must wear a glove. What is stopping the pitcher from standing facing the batter with both feet on the rubber and the ball in front of him in both bare hands. (wind-up position) Once the batter gets in the box, the pitcher can then decide which foot to use as his pivot foot, and go from there with the corresponding hand.

If the pitcher was pitching RH to the last batter then changing to LH is a switch is it not?

That's one way to look at it. Another way is the pitcher starts over with each batter. In the Cyclone's game, RH pitcher ultimately faced RH batter, so the pitcher got the last switch.

But then from the video it didn't look like anyone knew how to handle it.

Do you think they got it wrong?

Ejecting the pitcher would solve EVERYTHING.

COOL!! :cool:

It's short-season Penn League. These PBUC-baby umpires were so fresh you could smell the baby powder on their butts. [Not for long, I'm sure.] ;)

I was looking at the rulebook and can't find the above. Can you point me in the right direction?

PBUC Manual (2004) Section 6.15

MLB.com has a longer clip
 

OBR's Ambi-pambi Ruling
 

This ambidextrous sitch no longer falls in the category of TWP discussion.
Was this 1 of about 234 original OBR rulebook errors that may be corrected anytime soon?

Check out the pitcher after the batter switches for the 1st time. He turns behind him and sticks up a finger towards somebody, almost indicating "he can only switch once right?"

Seems like he knew what was up and the umpires didn't, but eventually got it right.

According to a local AA umpire, the umpires knew that rule. The debate was over what constituted the beginning of the "at-bat"...who had to be in position first, from which point the counting of switches would begin. Since pitchers are often don't take the until the batter enters the box, they went with the batter committing first, the opposite of the FED requirement.

According to the national press, PBUC and MLB are working on a unified clarification.

Who has to commit first?

Rich is correct, the PBUC manual covers the ambidextrous pitcher. Each may change once. Remember this is for an amdidextrous pitcher only. A batter facing a right or left hand pitcher (non-ambidedtrous) can take a pitch from one side of the plate, switch, and switch again for the last strike before he's K'd. As long as he doesn't disconcert the pitcher.

One Phone Call Away
 

The pitcher. Teams declare all pitchers on a team roster as either a RHP or LHP before the season starts.
The pitcher. Manager declares their choice of pitcher on a line-up card from team roster before the game starts.
The pitcher. Ambi-pitcher declares himself as either a RHP or LHP during warm-up pitches before the inning starts.
Now I see this question has already been answered by Mr. Ives {post#7}

Ambidextrous pitcher vs hitter has been a topic on this website. Perhaps our elder spokesmen will answer that question, or perhaps share some ideas as to why it may have never "appeared" in OBR after so much FED/NCAA discussion on the topic.
Why did the MiLB umpires contradict previous FED/NCAA rulings? Very few of us have worked a game w/ an ambidextrous pitcher. Admitting a mistake was made by understanding "who must switch first" controls the pace of the game. I look forward to PBUC and MLB working on a unified clarification.

If I were rewriting the interp, it would go like this:

1. The batter must step into the box first (consistent with existing rule).
2. The pitcher must then take the mound as either LH or RH.
3. The batter may then request time and switch to the other batter's box.
4. Neither may switch again during the at bat.

I think this procedure (a) moves the game along (b) allows the pitcher to choose how he will face a switch hitter (c) gives the offense the last choice, consistent a switch hitter's usual advantage.

Make the Pitcher choose first...
 

he already has the advantage

The pitcher is throwing a $5 baseball, the batter is swinging a $350 bat. Who has the advantage?

The Ash and Maple logging company.................

Tim.

That's a balk
 

The first 2 minutes of this occurred during a live ball.

At 2:11 of this full length version http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkPbJV2dffI the pitcher steps off the rubber foward towards the plate. A few seconds later the PU finally calls time.

Remember, there was a runner at first.

Where's the balk call?

Looks like catcher and pitcher were coming to talk... batter was outside of the box.

I don't have a balk there.

We're looking at different videos....around 2:08 catcher is down, batter in LH batter's box, although not paying attention, ball is live, pitcher steps off the rubber foward, takes a few steps THEN the catcher comes up an out and THEN the umpire calls time.

With two rings of that circus already occupied, I just feel a balk call would have completed the entertainment offering perfectly.

Pitcher always has the advantage
 

The pitcher, if the batter ever had an advantage he wouldn't fail 7 or 8 out of ten times. $$$ has nothing to do with it.

It's really the defense's advantage more than the pitcher's: hitting a round ball with a round bat is really difficult.

Semantics... :p

What are you, anti-semantic? :p

I believe the quote is: Hitting a round-ball with a round-bat squarely is really difficult:rolleyes:

-Josh

Yes, they are a little to brisful for me.... :eek:

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?...=.jsp&c_id=mlb

I think I got it basically right. Or maybe PBUC did. :)