When does a Player assume pitching duties

[AtlUmpSteve]

Originally posted by Rattlehead
Defensive team is entering the field, Third Baseman picks up game ball and starts goofing off with the ball in the circle. She even acts like she is going to pitch the ball but does not ever throw the ball to the catcher. She then hands the ball the pitcher and then starts to third.

PU then says that she must deliver one pitch because the player is now the pitcher.

I looked (Skimmed)for it but I couldn't find the rule.

Doesn't the player have to throw a warmup pitch to be considered a pitcher sub?

The rulebook doesn't even state anywhere that throwing a warmup pitch makes you a pitcher.

Here's my $.02 opinion. If a sub is reported as pitcher, they become the pitcher of record when reported, accepted, and recorded. Otherwise, the defensive team has 60 seconds to deliver no more than 5 warmup pitches (speaking fast pitch, now), and I don't care who throws them, or to whom they are thrown. When the ball is ready to be put into play, whomever is in the circle with the ball ready to pitch is the pitcher. If that person didn't get to warm up, that is the team's problem, not mine.

If no sub was reported, then the pitcher isn't reentering in that position, either, so no new warmups will be permitted.