Illegal Pitch Procedure

[Little Jimmy]

"So a pitcher steps on the plate with both hands together, and the umpire calls an IP, whereupon she steps off the plate. Now we call a dead ball. Why? If there is no infraction as your UIC states, why bother killing play if there's nothing to do at that point since the IP is nullified?"

The USSSA mechanic would be to not call the IP until the hands separate to pitch. If the hands separate, then the IP is called.


" I don't believe USSSA feels that that's the case. I think, like in every other softball organization out there, that the IP violation is still there, and the umpire administers the penalty."

My state UIC was on the national rules committee. They write the rules. If I can't take his word for it, who would have better insight?
__________________

[RKBUmp]

Cut and paste from the 2016 USSSA case book

SITUATION F: F1 is (a) behind the pitcher’s plate, takes a signal from F2 and then steps on the pitcher’s
plate immediately bringing the hands together; (b) on the pitcher’s plate, looks to her coach in the dugout
for a signal and then simulates taking a signal from F2 before bringing the hands together; or (c) behind the
pitcher’s plate, takes a signal from the coach or F2, steps on the pitcher’s plate, simulates taking a signal
from F2 before bringing the hands together.
RULING: Illegal pitch in (a) – pitcher must pause, re-take or simulate taking sign; legal in (b) and (c). (6-
1-C)

And a cut and paste directly from the 2016 USSA rule book

Sec 3 ILLEGAL PITCH
An illegal pitch is a pitching rules violation. An illegal pitch is called
immediately. It is a delayed dead ball and should be signaled by the Umpire
calling the illegal pitch and verbalized so a player could hear the call. Failure
of players to hear the call shall not void the call.

What your UIC and national rules committe member is telling you is in direct conflict to both the rule book and the case book for USSSA.

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by Little Jimmy

"So a pitcher steps on the plate with both hands together, and the umpire calls an IP, whereupon she steps off the plate. Now we call a dead ball. Why? If there is no infraction as your UIC states, why bother killing play if there's nothing to do at that point since the IP is nullified?"

The USSSA mechanic would be to not call the IP until the hands separate to pitch. If the hands separate, then the IP is called.

With all due respect, that doesn't make sense at all. You are supposed to call/signal an IP the moment the violation happens, by rule. In this case, the violation happens when she steps on the plate with her hands together, not when she separates them afterward.

Originally Posted by Little Jimmy

" I don't believe USSSA feels that that's the case. I think, like in every other softball organization out there, that the IP violation is still there, and the umpire administers the penalty."

My state UIC was on the national rules committee. They write the rules. If I can't take his word for it, who would have better insight?
__________________

Again, I'm not trying to belittle your state UIC, but I've run across a few times where umpires at those positions aren't always correct. I've even experienced at national camps and clinics where two instructors would not agree on a particular ruling. They're human, it happens.

But if he IS correct, and that's how USSSA Softball wants to treat this, then he needs to make it happen by changing the IP rule in the rule book and case book. As written, USSSA is the same as virtually every other fast-pitch organization out there, and they would need to change the books to clearly show how they are 180 degrees different.

[CecilOne]

"Called Immediately" does NOT mean dead ball immediately.

IP is a DDB to allow the batter (or maybe the coach) the choice of outcome.

[Little Jimmy]

RKBU ump...I agree wholeheartedly that the information given to me does not match what's stated in the case book. No question.

Manny...Also no question that if this indeed is what's wanted, then the rulebook needs to be changed to clearly reflect this. If there is to be an exception then the word EXCEPTION needs to be written into the rulebook.

I've tried to do what's right for every organization I've ever worked for. That's all that's happening here.

I think I need to get out on the field and get this season started. Today's and tomorrow's games cancelled because of field conditions. I'm shooting for Thursday.

[MD Longhorn]

There seems to be some confusion that one cannot have an illegal pitch without an actual pitch. This is not true. If they IP, and then step off, the ball is dead and we administer the IP. You're making it harder than it is.

[CecilOne]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

1 There seems to be some confusion that one cannot have an illegal pitch without an actual pitch.
2 This is not true.
3 If they IP, and then step off, the ball is dead and we administer the IP.
4 You're making it harder than it is.

Exactly. All 4.