illegal pitch

[CecilOne]

Originally Posted by parrot

That was part of my confusion that I didn't understand why he called IP in the first place. I heard him call illegal pitch but didn't hear him say dead ball immediately. When we were discussing it he did say it was a dead ball on the illegal pitch. I asked "Well what if we had hit a home run, would it have been a dead ball?" He said "No, because then you have a play and would have the option to take the result." I was seriously at that point.

An illegal pitch is not an immediate dead ball and a pitch is not a play.
Without knowing why he called it dead ball and when, there is no way to tell why.
IMO, the steal of 3rd would stand, based what little we know.

[teebob21]

Originally Posted by parrot

Does the ball have to be batted for an option to be given?

Game last night, opposing pitcher hits her leg with the pitch which goes squirting off towards the third base line. My runner on second comes to third. Umpire calls illegal pitch (not sure why) and also returns my runner to second base. I ask "Don't I get my choice of the illegal pitch penalty, or the result of the play?" He said no, since the ball wasn't batted, there was no other option. This seemed wrong to me.

A misdelivered pitch (dropped, squirted off a hip, accidentally airmailed to center field, you name it....) is a live ball + ball on the batter. Even if it was delivered illegally, it's still alive until the conclusion of play.

Unless BR reaches 1B and all runners advance, you have the option of either result or penalty.

Your umpire had the rule backwards: ONLY if BR reaches 1B on a batted ball or otherwise, can the option not be available. Additionally, an IP is never an immediate dead ball.

In a game that matters, feel free to protest this one.