NCAA Pitching Rule Change Guidance - Released today

[jmkupka]

Just bad information.

If F1 is in the back of the circle looking at her arm band and I call IP, DC will protest that ruling, and DC will prevail.

F1 can take all the signals she wants, from wherever she wants (in the allotted time), as long as, when she steps on the PP, she takes a signal.

There's more to that memo, that's not included in this thread, that is just as nonsensical as this:

"If pitcher is outside the circle and she takes a signal (looks at her arm band for a pitch signal) - runners may advance - keep the play live until action has ended - then enforce penalties."

What penalties?!?! Nobody's done anything wrong!!

[Big Slick]

Originally Posted by jmkupka

Just bad information.

If F1 is in the back of the circle looking at her arm band and I call IP, DC will protest that ruling, and DC will prevail.

nope, not in NCAA starting . . . now (actually last week)

F1 can take all the signals she wants, from wherever she wants (in the allotted time), as long as, when she steps on the PP, she takes a signal.

nope, not in NCAA starting . . . now (actually last week)

There's more to that memo, that's not included in this thread, that is just as nonsensical as this:

"If pitcher is outside the circle and she takes a signal (looks at her arm band for a pitch signal) - runners may advance - keep the play live until action has ended - then enforce penalties."

What penalties?!?! Nobody's done anything wrong!!

The memo is the memo. If F1 looks at the armband while not in the position to pitch, it is an IP. No protest needed, it is now the interpretation of the rule. Pretty cut and dry, and only applies to "looking at the armband while not in the position to pitch."

The fall season has just started, so we will see the fall out (no pun intended). Maybe this gets changed prior to the start of the season, who knows, but it is the "rule" as of right now.

[IRISHMAFIA]

And what happens when some smart-ass coach sends his pitcher out with a simple sweat band to look at? For that matter, who is to say the pitcher couldn't still look at the wrist band from the PP after looking at it prior to that?

Stupid rule change, but it isn't like it would be a first for the NCAA

[jmkupka]

Insanity. Who's to say she's not looking at her favorite freckle? There's no rule against it. Just no quick pitch once they step on the PP.

[Big Slick]

Originally Posted by jmkupka

Insanity. Who's to say she's not looking at her favorite freckle? There's no rule against it. Just no quick pitch once they step on the PP.

Did you see the rule change?

While in the pitching position and taking the signal, the pitcher must take or appear to take a signal. The signal need not come from the catcher.
Note: The rule does not preclude the pitcher from taking an earlier signal from someone who indicates the desired pitch and/or location nor the pitcher from referring to an arm band prior to complying with Rule 10.2.2.
Rationale: To require the pitcher to take a signal while on the pitcher’s plate. Requiring the pitcher to take the signal from the pitcher’s plate has two advantages: 1) It will ensure pitchers pause on the plate while receiving the signal, and 2) It will prevent pitchers from “walking through” the pitch. Quick pitching has become an issue because signals are being taken from behind the pitcher’s plate and the pitcher is stepping on the pitcher’s plate and pitching without pausing

The note is red is now "struck out" and removed (I left it here to show you it was removed and how the interpretation now follows the written rule), with the INTERPRETATION that F1 is PRECLUDED from looking at her wrist band while not in the pitching position. So yeah, there is a "rule against it." And don't be so daft to think "Im looking at my favorite freckle." That something an idiot coach would say, and I would hope your game management is up to par to deal with it.

I'm actually OK with this interpretation. Hopefully, the unintended consequence is that the number wrist bands go away. And hopefully the game picks up a little pace.

[jmkupka]

my comment was obviously intended to be tongue-in-cheek, but also to equate the looking at the armband with looking in the dugout, looking at the catcher, looking at whatever (all within the allowed time), and then stepping on the PP and taking the signal.

[Manny A]

I'm not a fan of this rule change either. Seems to me that if more umpires enforced the old 2-second-pause rule, none of this would've been necessary. Who cares what the pitcher does beforehand? As long as she then gets on the pitcher's plate and then keeps her hands separated for at least two seconds before bringing them together, there should be no problem.

But I guess there was enough of a problem to create this change. So now she can't take any signal until she's in contact with the plate. I think it's going to be pretty straightforward to enforce the "no looking at the armband from behind the plate" prohibition.

What I really think is strange is that they will allow her to take a signal from the catcher while behind the plate. Why is that? If she can do that, and then be required to take the signal again while on the plate (or simulate taking it), that's the same as it was before. And there's still the possibility of the pitcher walking into her pitch, which is what this new change was supposed to prevent.

So if she refers to the armband to get the signal, she can't do it until she's on the plate. But she can take a signal from behind the plate if it comes from the catcher the old-fashioned way. Is that how I'm reading this?