Ambidextrous Pitcher Rule Change?
 

So about a week ago, 2 guys in our association were working a game with an ambidextrous pitcher. After the game, everybody was confused about the proper rule/interpretation allowing this. I quickly referenced the old PBUC interpretation allowing a pitcher and hitter to switch one time per at-bat. So a few days later, it comes to my attention there was a change in 2009 to OBR:

8.01(f)
A pitcher must indicate visually to the umpire-in-chief, the batter and any runners the hand with which he intends to pitch, which may be done by wearing his glove on the other hand while touching the pitcher's plate. The pitcher is not permitted to pitch with the other hand until the batter is retired, the batter becomes a runner, the inning ends, the batter is substituted for by a pinch-hitter or the pitcher incures an injury. In the event a pitcher switches pitching hands during an at-bat because he has suffered an injury, the pitcher may not, for the reaminder of the game, pitch with the hand from which he has switched. The pitcher shall not be given the opportunity to throw any preparatory pitches after switching pitching hands. Any change of pitching hands must be indicated clearly to the umpire-in-chief.

Anybody know the reason for this change in OBR? Was there no previous rule in OBR covering ambidextrous pitchers and just the PBUC interp? Im just curious as to how/why this was changed. I know the Staten Island minor league team last year had a big controversy with an ambidextrous pitcher but was curious if there were other reasons to simplify OBR.

There was a minor league pitcher (it might have been the one you mentioned) -- he'd stand off to the side of the mound with the glove off -- the batter would wiat / swithc his grip.

The old PBUC rule didn't make it clear who had to declare first -- so the action above was a stalemate. Now, we know who has to declare first. It's a better rule, and consistent with the others.

Pat Venditte, who got written up in SI when he was at Creighton, and was drafted by the Yankees, is the guy whose emergence spurred the rule change. They even call it the Pat Venditte Rule in the manual.

The PBUC manual? Has it been updated for the 2009 season?

This is all I read:

The Pat Venditte Rule

The Professional Baseball Umpire Corporation (PBUC) released its official rules for dealing with ambidextrous pitchers. These guidelines were reached after PBUC staff consulted with a variety of sources, including the Major League Baseball Rules Committee.
* The pitcher must visually indicate to the umpire, batter, and runner(s) which way he will begin pitching to the batter. Engaging the rubber with the glove on a particular hand is considered a definitive commitment to which arm he will throw with. The batter will then choose which side of the plate he will bat from.
* The pitcher must throw one pitch to the batter before any "switch" by either player is allowed.
* After one pitch is thrown, the pitcher and batter may each change positions one time per at-bat. For example, if the pitcher changes from right-handed to left-handed and the batter then changes batter's boxes, each player must remain that way for the duration of that at-bat (unless the offensive team substitutes a pinch hitter, and then each player may again "switch" one time).
* Any switch (by either the pitcher or the batter) must be clearly indicated to the umpire. There will be no warm-up pitches during the change of arms.
* If an injury occurs, the pitcher may change arms but not use that arm again during the remainder of the game.

I believe that came out last year after Staten Island's Venditte switched pitching arms in a game. The 2009 change in OBR would nullify this PBUC interpretation because the rule has changed - pitchers are no longer able to switch arms once per batter. I dont do NCAA, but based on Bob's post above, the OBR change brings the ambidextrous pitcher rule in-line with NCAA & NFHS.

You're right, that has to be the first modification from when he originally hit the scene. Plus it was from a New Jersey paper, so who knows?

Where do you find the OBR rule? MLB.com has PDF files of the rules as used in MLB, and 8.01(f) doesn't exist there. The files haven't ben updated since Feb. 2008.

I'm aware of the change to MiLB rules, but not of one to MLB.

Do you think 8.01(f) applies to MLB or is it still a year away?

Good call.

It is in the 2009 OBR

Yes, it has been updated -- but perhaps only with a 13 page (or so) separate document "2009 Changes to PBUC Manual" -- I don't know whether those changes are in the books you buy from the various umpire suppliers.

It's in the published book.

It has in a release from PBUS as a pdf update.

It is not for sale. It is sent to umpires straight from the PBUC office.

Or you can get it on ebay, like the MLB manual.

Actually, the MLB manual is now commercially available at Umpire's Resource Center (ABUA)