Ok, Here's the deal. Doing a 16 & Under A State game this past week-end. I'm PU and each diamond has an official score keeper. I'm even lucky that I know the score keeper from her daughter playing ball and she has some knowledge of the rules. About the 5th inning she says that a gentleman sitting behind and to the right of the backstop is giving signals to the visitors pitcher. I told my partner to watch, and sure enough he was calling the pitch and location. Now I don't have a problem of someone else calling the pitch, lots of coaches do from the dugout and the rule book only says that the pitcher must simulate taking a signal from the rubber. The gentleman was not being loud by mouth or body language. I believe it was the pitchers, pitching instructor because I have seen him at a local indoor facility. My question: Is this considered a coach and should he be confined to the dugout? He's not "coaching" any other players?

As long as the pitcher LOOKS like she's taking a sign while on the rubber, I don't care where else she looks. I would not consider your "man in the stands" as a team coach.

Had the same thing this weekend in AFA State. Coach
comes out and wants us to observe a gentleman sitting
in stands giving the pitcher signals. However, this
coach was pretty loud when he said it. (BTW pitcher
was at least simulating taking signal from catcher).
Anyway after this conversation from the LOUD coach,
and explaining no rules have been violated - everyone
sitting around the signal giver are now giving signals.:D

glen

Unless the signal giver is a uniformed coach at the plate conference........I don't care..........

As Steve said ....... she can look anywhere she wants between pitches

The pitcher can receive her signals from anyone.........as long as she simulates taking them from the catcher

Joel

As long as the pitcher simulates taking a signal from the catcher according the ASA rule book, she's very legal, and we're continuing on without anything being said/done to the individual in the stands.

Greetings
 

Welcome aboard Candyman from KC.

glen

Welcome
 

Let me add my welcome Candyman.............

And also Candyman.........as long as the signal giver is not a rostered/uniformed coach..........

ASA 5-12 does not allow a coach to be out of the dugout unless approved from the umpire..........grin

We had a situation this year where the batting coach (allegedly) was behind the backstop coaching each batter...........the TD decided that since she was not a rostered coach it was allowed..............

THAT was until she stepped onto the field to question a call..........once she did that.........the TD considered her a coach and would not allow her behind the backstop............grin

Joel

[Edited by Gulf Coast Blue on Jul 18th, 2001 at 05:10 PM]

Just my 2 cents...

Don't go looking for things. If the other manager complains, then you may have to do something. Otherwise, if it isn't broke, Don't fix it.... Some of the best calls in sports are NO CALLS!!!

Thank you all for the warm greeting to your site. It is truly a pleasure to fine well informed and experienced ump's on the net, who I can learn from and help me move up higher in the ranks.

Look forward to more rule interpretations, and game situations in the future.

Welcome Candyman. This is a great place to hash over rules and mechanics with some of the most knowledgeable umpires there are. Dave

I'd welcome him, too, but it'd be almost 10 years after the fact. :)

But just in case he's still lurking after all this time...

Welcome!

I was wondering why we were welcoming a guy who has been here for almost 10 years.

If we all know the pitcher can look anywhere to get the signal, seems kind of silly to have him/her "simulate" taking a signal from the catcher.

The 12U pitcher has only 1 pitch and struggles to get it in the zone somewhere. What signal does she need to take?

If the issue is to prevent the "run & shoot" style of delivery, establish a rule to deal with that.

They did. It's the rule that requires the pitcher to take or simulate taking a signal from the catcher.
;)

They did nothing of the sort. Once a pitcher has the signal from wherever, why simulate taking another from the catcher?

If the goal is to prevent something, address it specifically. Almost as bad as the "one second" touch & go a lot of pitchers employ.