Who goes first?
 

Don't know if this question has come up before, but I thought it was interesting. This Clip is from a baseball game, but how would we handle this is a (most likely) FP softball game?

Switch Hitter VS Switch Pitcher Pat Venditte ? ShoonSports

The batter goes first. Once they step in and the pitcher is ready to pitch or taking a signal, they may only step out after being granted time by the umpire.

Is that a BB rule?

The only smart thing that either TH said was, "I don't know".

Personally, I'm shocked the guy just doesn't take his position on the PP with the glove tucked into his pants and practice placing one hand in the glove as part of his pitching motion. That way, once the pitcher is prepared to pitch, the batter must make a decision.

I seem to remember reading someplace shortly after this they ruled the pitcher must declare which hand they will use prior to the batter stepping into the box and then cannot switch hands during that batter.

No, when I call for a batter, that batter had better step in the box within 10 seconds, or I start calling strikes. Once the batter's in the box and the pitcher starts taking her signal, they'd better stay in the box.

I'll call time for the batter once, but if it's clear they're going to start this whole back and forth crap, I'm getting the batter in the box and telling them that I'm not calling time for them anymore. I'm not required to call time just because the batter wants to play cat-and-mouse games with the pitcher. Play ball.

As for softball I guess we will have to wait for a switch pitcher to come around to see if a new rule comes about.

It's doubtful that her glove would be legal.

It isn't that difficult to wear the glove on the other hand.

Is she required to wear a glove?;)

That glove has 6 fingers and 2 webs. Switch glove! :D

Absolutely not.:D

But would it even be legal? I can't say it would be.

What would be illegal about it? Glove is to be worn on the hand, doesn't say which hand.

Oh come on!!

It is taking this long for someone to post: "Who is on first, might not go first."

But "I dont know." was pretty good.

:D

Oops, sorry... Brain fart. Wasn't thinking before typing.

Would a glove with the extra thumb even be legal? That's what I meant to ask.

I would say not.

I wouldn't think so as long at the glove met all the specs. However, I'm not even talking about a special glove. I'm talking about any old ball glove.

This used to be something everyone had to do when playing one of our three daily games of baseball as a kid because no everyone had their own glove and not everyone threw with the same arm.

Softball doesn't have a rule for this - as they have specific timing requirement for both batter and pitcher - and like most here, I would call time once for the batter, but once it was clear what was going on, I'd make her get in the box and let the pitcher pitch.

However, in baseball this is specifically addressed - and it HAS happened (there have been 2 minor league switch pitchers in the past). The PITCHER must declare which hand they are pitching with, at which point the batter gets in their box.

And why does the batter get the advantage? Because they are not as good as they claim to be. IMO, if your ability to hit relies upon the hand with which the ball is released, you are not good enough to be a pro ballplayer.

Probably because in baseball, a batter who fails only 70% of the time is still considered a "great hitter." The balance is already tipped heavily in the defense's favor, so why not tip it back a notch?

This is pretty much what I would base my ruling on.

I would think that this would be a much bigger issue in baseball than in FP softball.

Fine, then drop the mound 4 inches, but a true professional baseball hitter can hit the ball no matter where it is froming from.

ASA 7.3.E. I got out #42.


;)

Even the very best "true professional baseball hitter" has a significantly lower chance hitting off a same-handed pitcher. For some hitters the difference approaches 1/3 - for some pitchers 1/2! The difference in just the pitch itself is vastly different between the two games.

JMO, rubbish

Which part? The statistics bear out both things I said.