Warming up the pitcher

[drvestal]

The other day I was calling a middle school game and in between innings the catcher wasn't ready to warm the pitcher up. The coach got up from the dugout and proceeded onto the field to warm the pitcher up. I told him it had to be a player with a mask and not a coach or scorekeeper (he also volunteered). Well, the coach got upset saying they have been doing this all year and it wasn't against any rule. I told him it was against the federation rules and I was not going to allow a non-player without a mask to warm up a pitcher in between innings. He complied, but wasn't happy.

After the game I went to the rule book just to double check. I know I have read it somewhere, but couldn't locate it. So, was I correct?

Thanks in advance.

[Marty Rogers]

Sounds like a Little League rule to me (which is often broken, as well). I have never heard of this restriction in HS, but we do not use FED rules (yet). If this guy was an adult, I think I would have "not noticed" him. If a student, the mask MUST go on.

[bob jenkins]

A coach can warm up the pitcher in FED -- and there are no equipment restrictions / requirements.

If a non-adult player warms up the pitcher, the equipment restrictions / requirements apply.

[Mike M]

Here is another area where time can get eaten up by participants. If catcher is slow getting the gear on, then we all wait, regardless of who warms up the pitcher. The one that really bother me is when the catcher makes the first or second out and still has not been able to get the gear on before the inning ends.

[phillycheese]

Its for sure in the Little League rules(section XIV-Field Decorum(f)). Its always been a lax thing in our league, but I'm changing that this year, no reason why one of the three kids on the bench can't grab the helmet and go out and warm up the pitcher.