Only when my Cubbies are playing. :rolleyes:

At least you get to go to a great ballpark. I can't do that anymore.

In the video the pitcher changed his glove several times and then took the rubber, and batter swapped.

Many times, a pinch hitter is on deck and pitcher is changed, resulting in change in pinch hitter. Defense has always been the one required to commit.

An on deck pinch hitter is not a pinch hitter yet.

Being this was a MiLB game, per PBUC 6.15

"In the rare occassion of an ambidextrous pitcher, the pitcher and the batter may each change position one time per at bat".

This rule was in affect at the time of this play. It's a rare as hell event, obviously not a section we read often. Obviously PU either didn't know it or remember it.

This is directly out of the 04 edition p76 of the PBUC Umpire manual 04 edition.

PU knew it, but when does the "switch" take place. Neither had declared, so neither had switched. Thus, the rule change.

That would be a bad managerial mistake. You always wait until the batter is announced before making the pitching change.

Yes, and both the crew and the PBUC evaluators were cognizant of the rule. However, due, in part, to the issue Bob raised above, it was decided that more definitive wording was needed after the incident.

Venditte knew the rule, evidenced by his request for time and signalling to the PU that the batter can change one time. The crew allegedly knew the rule but it appears that the batter didn't.

Venditte stayed off the rubber until he saw the batter step into the box. It would appear that the batter made his decision and the pitcher responded. That would seem to indicate his switch. The rule in place at the time would have prohibited him from changing sides again during that at bat. No verbal 'declaration' was required back then.

No verbal declaration is required now either.

What makes you think the batter didn't know the rule or that the crew allegedly knew the rule? The old rule was "In the rare occassion of an ambidextrous pitcher, the pitcher and the batter may each change position one time per at bat" But "at bat" was not a defined term; no one knew exactly when an at bat started.

You try to make it sound like you would have known exactly what to do, that you know what the rules meant. But the rules were very unclear, there was no way for you to know. The rules were so unclear that the rules were changed to address this exact situation.

I responded to Bob's statement that 'neither had declared'. In post #7 I provided the current PBUC standard. Both the pitcher and batter must inform the PU of an intent to change. That would be a declaration.

Okay, maybe he knew the rule and was simply trying to get away with breaking it.

Really?

The rule was not changed. It was merely clarified to put the onus on the pitcher for demonstrating intent. Both players involved are still allowed one change per at bat. See post #7.

We have several guidelines to use for batters being 'at bat'. Are you implying that you are unclear what constitutes such?

I believe that I would not have let this matter drag on for several minutes, like they did. At minimum, I would have conferred with my partner and set a course of action that would get the game going quicker. There are numerous TWPs that are not mentioned specifically in the rule book. Sometimes we just have to umpire.

The current standard is something from 2008...something that was written before the Official Baseball Rules were changed to address this situation?

Once again you should refer to the OBR, not something from 2008.

Look in the front of the 2009 OBR. Under rule changes you will see 8.01f.

I'm saying at bat was not, and is still not a defined term. So saying they could switch once per at bat was very unclear. That is why the rules were changed.

I received a couple emails telling me not to be baited by you. I mistakenly posted that the current PBUC standard involves the ability to change. The video I posted was from 2008 and the ruling I provided followed that game by a week or so.

One of the emails I recieved included this (from another forum):

Quote:

This is from the 2011 Baseball Rules Differences for 2011. Pitcher: Ambidextrous: Guidelines for switching arms Federation: When a pitcher wishes to pitch with either hand, if a switch-hitter steps into the box, the umpire will require the hurler to (sic) the hand he will pitch with, after which the batter may choose whichever box he pleases. (6-1-1; 6.1.1f). There is also an important ruling about the FED pitching-limitation rule and how it affects ambidextrous pitchers. In other words, the # of innings any pitcher may pitch no matter if he can pitch with one or both arms. NCAA POE: 1990[balk]: Same as FED (9-2k; 9-2k AR 1) ALSO: The pitcher may not switch hands after delivering a pitch, but if the current batter is replaced by a pinch hitter, the pitcher may switch. (9-2k AR 2) PENALTY: After having d, if the pitcher illegally switches hands it is: (1) a balk with runners on base; (2) an illegal pitch and a ball with the bases empty. (EDITED) (3) A WARNING; (4) an ejection if the offense is repeated (9-2k Pen OBR: Point Not Covered. However, in the 2009 Rulebook without announcing it as a change OBR does cover it in their rulebook under 8.01f. In other words, they snuck it in without telling anyone. OBR 8.01f: 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 incurs 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 remainder 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. So, now all 3 rulebooks are in agreement on this issue.

I stand by my belief that this took far too long to deal with. The umpires failed to confer and should have known better. Venditte's ability to pitch from both arms was not a secret. Now, hopefully, other umpires will know how to handle it. That is, if the above quote is correct. As I only belong to this forum, others can attest to its veracity. ;)