Warmup pitches
 

Last night between innings, the first baseman on his way to his defensive position, stopped at the pitchers circle, picked up the ball and took two warm up pitches to the catcher. The pitcher, who was the last one out of the dugout came out and was ready to start the inning when the opposing team protested that the first baseman must deliver at least one pitch since he took the warm up pitches. I have reviewed the rule book and can find no reference to this. Direction please...... Thanks

If a coach goes out to warm up the pitcher while the catcher gets her gear on, does he have to catch a batter, too?

There is no such rule in ASA. Whose rules were you using?

From poking around on the baseball board occassionally, I believe that it's a rule in that sport - not sure about softball - possibly in FED? I don't see anything addressing the issue in the ASA book. And thank goodness for that, since it's common in leagues I work (SP) where a fielder other than the pitcher will grab the ball from near the PP and deliver an unlimited-type arc pitch on the way out to their position.

No, not there, either.

I don't know OBR well enough to say whether this is a BB rule. If it is, it may also be a LL softball rule.

it is a USSSA rule. At least it was on the test. The "new" pitcher must face one batter.

Bugg

IF the position change has not been reported to the PU, it didn't happen.

Are you sure? USSSA requires that a relief pitcher face at least one batter, but the crux of the question is, does a player tossing a couple of pitches to the catcher from the pitcher's plate between innings mean that player is now a relief pitcher?

In ASA SP...

Would these first 2 warmup pitches by F3 count towards the three total alotted the defense by rule 6 (SP) Section 8 - Warm Up Pitches, or do you still give F1 no more than 1 minute to complete no more than 3 additional warm up pitches of his own?

The way I was taught when I did SP many years ago (and it then dealt mostly with F1 coming in and throwng the ball to F6 overhand) was that the ball gets to leave SOMEONE'S hand 3 times; don't care who throws it, whom they throw it to, or how it is thrown. In the case of your question, one left. Without a reported change, I have no change.

Only in USSSA SP, not in FP.

According to the USSSA SP Rules Book, yes. The rule can be found under 5:3:B:4 and 5:3:d. It states:

"A player or a substitute shall be considered in the game...If a pitcher, when he occupies the pitcher's plate and delivers a practice pitch. (5:3:b:4)"

"Each pitcher whose name is entered on the original lineup, or who is announced as a substitute pitcher, or who takes a position on the pitcher's plate and delivers one practice pitch, must then pitch to the first batter facing him until that batter has completed his turn at bat, or the side has been retired. (5:3:d)"

Guys, let's not overanalyze this. ASA FP says nothing about someone other than the pitcher throwing the ball to the catcher from the mound. If a player other than the pitcher tosses a few to the catcher before the pitcher gets there, so what? Once the pitcher gets to the mound, she gets 3 pitches in 1 minute.

If the opposing coach complains, I'm telling him there's no rule that says a non-pitcher can't toss a ball to the catcher anywhere on the field.

Let's use a bit of common sense.

Right, especially "no rule that says a non-pitcher can't toss a ball to the catcher"; except technically the 1 minute starts with the previous third out, so the other fielder might use the whole time.

If it is FP as you indicated, it's five pitches in one minute.

Also, as the plate umpire my only concern is how many times the catcher receives the ball. I'm not the hall monitor making sure the right person is throwing them..

And, if we truly enforced the one minute, it would be rare that any pitcher ever received their alloted amount of pitches.