MLB Pitching Regulations

[SAump]

MLB umpires are tossing out perfectly good baseballs.
This was not the case when MLB umpires did not remove these baseballs from the game.

1) What indications should an umpire look for when deciding to remove a baseball from a game?

2) Can the defense, the pitcher, or his coach insist on getting a "good" ball back into the game?

3) Where are these rules or guidelines?

[tip184]

Originally Posted by SAump

MLB umpires are tossing out perfectly good baseballs.
This was not the case when MLB umpires did not remove these baseballs from the game.

1) What indications should an umpire look for when deciding to remove a baseball from a game?

2) Can the defense, the pitcher, or his coach insist on getting a "good" ball back into the game?

3) Where are these rules or guidelines?

1) Slits, scuff marks, "warped" appearance, torn seams, too slippery all qualify as reasons to throw a baseball out.

2) Certainly. The rules allow it.

3) The rulebook.

[Kevin Finnerty]

Years ago, I remember Brett Butler telling me to watch when this rookie catcher named Piazza hits one of his screaming drives. Then watch how often the umpires will throw the ball away after he hits it. "I've never seen the umpires throw out so many baseballs on one guy. He crushes the ball harder than any hitter I have ever seen."

I took this picture of Paul Konerko a few years ago. This drive almost went through the right-center field fence at Angels Stadium. I watched the ball come back in and get handed to Bruce Froemming, who pushed his thumb into it and tossed it away:


They actually get a quarter-sized crater in the ball. Watch how often they throw out a ball that gets killed like that.

[JR12]

Great pic. What I find amazing is that a pitched ball hits the dirt 1 time and the ball is thrown out. I don't remember that happening except the last 5-10 years. You don't see it watching the old classic games.
I guess what is considered unfit for play has changed. Any thoughts?

[Kevin Finnerty]

Originally Posted by JR12

Great pic. ... Any thoughts?

Thanks, JR. I was trying to take a shot of the tasty babe in the dugout seats and the damned auto-focus locked in on Konerko. And what a stroke of luck that the ball happened to be hitting his bat right on the sweet spot over the heart of the plate.

(This is a teaching photo for more than one thing: Head position at contact; staying balanced for an off-speed pitch; letting the ball travel and squaring it right on the sweet spot, instead of getting around it for a pull and having it get out on the end of the bat. Result: a screamer the other way instead of a three-hopper to the shortstop. It also shows that the ball gives and not the wood bat. With a metal bat, the barrel and the ball both give and on some models, the handle flexes.)

[JR12]

If you have any shots of that honey that are in focus please post them!

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by tip184

1) Slits, scuff marks, "warped" appearance, torn seams, too slippery all qualify as reasons to throw a baseball out.

2) Certainly. The rules allow it.

3) The rulebook.

Re # 2.

The pitcher can request a different ball, but he cannot get back one that has been discarded by the umpire.

[Klokard]

JR, The reason a pitched ball in the dirt gets tossed is due to physics. If there is even a small size smudge of mud imbedded in the seams, it throws off the balance of the ball. This is no big deal to the inexperienced pitcher, but to a pitcher who knows how to take advantage of it, it can make for some exciting movement in the ball.

[JR12]

I guess I can see that, or hard dirt might cause a scuff, just saying you didn't see so many balls discarded years ago.

[Kevin Finnerty]

When I teach pitching, I teach pitchers how to hold the ball to take the best advantage of a cut, a scuff or some mud packed in a seam, if the umpire doesn't discard it. If the ball isn't discarded, then a pitcher with savvy should know how to use it. And at the developmental level, we all know that the ball is not discarded often enough.

As an umpire, I'll let a minor scuff stay in, but not a cut or a torn seam. A cut or a fray will make the ball do more tricks than a scuff. I also check any ball that hits anything, except soft dirt. So I guess that's my H.S./J.C. standard.

[Nigel Tufnel]

Originally Posted by JR12

I guess I can see that, or hard dirt might cause a scuff, just saying you didn't see so many balls discarded years ago.

Can't remember when they first brought this in , but it has the composition akin to kitty litter. Cuts the baseball up pretty good. Seems to me Dodger stadium had this first, by the frequency of balls they threw out years ago...