Licked Fingers & Others...

[blueump]

Question 1 - When a pitcher licks her fingers and goes directly to the ball, 6-1-1 and 6-2-2 (and the dead ball table) tells us to immediately call an illegal pitch (before the pitch is thrown) but use the delayed dead ball signal??? Am I reading this correctly?

Question 2 - There is an umpire in our league that insists on warning the pitchers that lick their fingers for "defacing the ball" and threatens ejections if they continue. Besides calling an illegal pitch as found in 6-2-2, I can't find anything that supports this in the case or rule book.

Question 3 - With the recent implementation of the "number system" of signs in our area, it's obvious that many pitchers are not taking or simulate the taking of signs while on the rubber. They stand behind the rubber, the coach calls the number, they check their armband then step forward to engage the pitching plate. Is this picking buggers or is it something that needs to be called?