Them Tricky FEDLANIA Guys
 

2010 NFHS Baseball Rules interpretations

Situatuion 8:

F1, while on the pitcher's plate in either the windup or set position, (a) adjusts his cap, or (b) shakes of the signal with his glove, or (c) shakes off the signal with his head.

Ruling: In (a0, (b) and (c) these are legal actions, provided these movements of the arms and legs were not associated with the pitch. (6-1-1, 6.1.2D case book).

While many of you will think "duh" for the last 30 years each of these "adjustments" were consider a balk as "start of the pitching motion."

Again FED frustrates me when the hide MAJOR rule interpretations without comment. The NFHS Rules Chair has defended for the last 10 years that these movement were a "balk" and now it changes with a whimper.

Frustrating.

T

Tim,

To me, this isn't nearly as frustrating as Situation 13 - which completely reverses what it means to "legally occupy" a base and is contrary to the text of 8-2-8 & 8-2-9.

JM

These changes were put into the case book last year (iirc).

And, now I have to wonder what the rationale is for "going to the mouth on the rubber is a balk" -- before, the rational was that it was the start of a pitch. ;)

Well, now I feel better because I never called a balk on any of these things.