Interesting Dilemma

[BoomerSooner]

There is a rather comical back story to this and a nice resolution to the situation that I will share after I've gotten a few responses to the situation I was involved in last night.

11-12 year old league with minimally modified OBR: The starting pitcher for the visiting team goes to the mound to warm up in the bottom of the first and the opposing coach notices that he is wearing a first baseman's mitt. The pitcher is left-handed and doesn't have a glove and the only other left-handed kid on the team is away at church camp.

As we all know the pitcher can't be removed until he's faced one batter unless he becomes ill or injured. Otherwise there are no exceptions and certainly not one that allows the pitcher to be substituted for because he doesn't have the proper equipment.

How would you guys handle this situation?

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by BoomerSooner

There is a rather comical back story to this and a nice resolution to the situation that I will share after I've gotten a few responses to the situation I was involved in last night.

11-12 year old league with minimally modified OBR: The starting pitcher for the visiting team goes to the mound to warm up in the bottom of the first and the opposing coach notices that he is wearing a first baseman's mitt. The pitcher is left-handed and doesn't have a glove and the only other left-handed kid on the team is away at church camp.

As we all know the pitcher can't be removed until he's faced one batter unless he becomes ill or injured. Otherwise there are no exceptions and certainly not one that allows the pitcher to be substituted for because he doesn't have the proper equipment.

How would you guys handle this situation?

He doesn't have a glove? Really?

Borrow one from the other team.

Let his use the 1B mitt.

Look around. This isn't Yankee Stadium - it's the Podunk Youth Baseball League.

If the other coach objects too much ask him if wants to watch from the bench or his car.

[jicecone]

I agree. Here is a situation were "Let them Play" trumps the rule of a truly recreational GAME.

Using "common sense" is still. NOT ole fashioned.

[CT1]

No dilemma here -- let him use the mitt. What advantage does he gain.

[BoomerSooner]

Ok...I guess by asking how everybody would have handled this I opened the door to the logical solution. The umpire was going to allow us to switch pitchers, although the ultimate solution was that the same coach that complained about it also loaned us a left-handed glove.

Now that we've gotten beyond the c'mon guys lets play just play ball issue (which is a philosophy I agree with), how would we reconcile the problem at hand within the limits of the rulebook?

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by BoomerSooner

Now that we've gotten beyond the c'mon guys lets play just play ball issue (which is a philosophy I agree with), how would we reconcile the problem at hand within the limits of the rulebook?

I'd treat "not having a glove" as being the same as an injury and allow a new pitcher.

[pob14]

Originally Posted by BoomerSooner

Now that we've gotten beyond the c'mon guys lets play just play ball issue (which is a philosophy I agree with), how would we reconcile the problem at hand within the limits of the rulebook?

If we're playing it that way . . . what rule requires the pitcher to wear a glove?

Originally Posted by Rule 3.06 (old rule 1.14)

Each fielder, other than the catcher, may use or wear a leather glove.