2013 NFHS Interpretations
 

SITUATION 1: The pitcher, while standing on the pitcher's plate taking her signal from the catcher, tosses the ball back and forth between her glove and pitching hand several times. Once she receives the signal, she then brings her hands together and pitches the ball. RULING: The ball must remain in one hand or the other while the pitcher takes or simulates taking the signal. If she is tossing the ball back and forth from one hand to the other while taking the signal, it would be considered an illegal pitch (for not taking the signal with the ball being held in one or the other). The illegal pitch would be called the first time the pitcher’s hands come together and then separate while tossing the ball back and forth. COMMENT: If the pitcher flipped the ball back and forth between the hand and glove without actually bringing the hands together, then held the ball in the hand or glove while taking the signal and started the pitch, her actions would be legal. (6-1-1a,b)



SITUATION 2: With R1 on third base and R2 on first base, B3 hits the ball to F3, who throws home. The throw carries F2 into the plate umpire. F2’s arm strikes the umpire while attempting to throw to third, causing a wild throw into left field. RULING: This is not considered interference. Play would continue. (5-1-1f1; 8-5-6) COMMENT: Since this has happened during playing action, the umpire is considered part of the playing field. Umpires should do everything possible to avoid contact with the offense or defense, but there are times when contact simply cannot be avoided.



SITUATION 3: A pitcher uses a drying agent but fails to wipe it off before touching the ball. RULING: The pitcher does not need to wipe the drying agent off her hands. The only restriction is not to apply it directly to the ball. (6-2-2)



SITUATION 4: With R1 on third base, F2 attempts to return the ball to F1 but her arm strikes the umpire in the mask and the throw goes into the dugout or into center field allowing R1 to score. RULING: The umpire should call “time” and return R1 to third base. In this situation there was no apparent play; F2 was simply returning the ball back to F1. The umpire should have both the offense and the defense reset and continue play. (10-2-3m)



SITUATION 5: A pitcher places her hands in the dirt; however, she does not wipe the dirt from her hands before touching the ball. RULING: The pitcher does not need to wipe the dirt from her hands before going to the ball. Dirt is NOT a foreign substance; it is part of the field. The pitcher cannot, however, rub the ball into the dirt and deface it. (6-2-2)



SITUATION 6: If the batter reaches first base safely and each other runner advances at least one base, the illegal pitch is ignored. RULING: All action stands and the illegal pitch is cancelled. (6-1-1 Exception)



SITUATION 7: Is the stinger attachment legal for the knob? RULING: Yes, provided it is covering the knob and the umpire has inspected the bat to ensure it is safely attached. (1-5-2a)



SITUATION 8: The coach gives the runner, who has been walked, a "high five" on her way to first base. RULING: Legal, as long as the coach has not assisted the batter-runner by pulling or pushing her. (2-32-1; 8-6-5)



SITUATION 9: The umpire discovers a bat that has a knob flush with the handle. RULING: Legal. (1-5-1; 1-5-2a)



SITUATION 10: The coach, standing in the coach’s box, is in possession of an iPad that she uses as a scorebook. RULING: Legal. (2-13; 3-6-10)



SITUATION 11: The runner positions herself behind and not in contact with a base to get a running start on any fly ball. RULING: The base umpire should signal the out when the violation occurs and the ball remains live. (8-6-20)

So, explain to me what they're really saying in Situation 1.

Are they saying a pitcher in contact with the rubber but not receiving the signal (or pretending to receive the signal) can toss the ball back and forth, but then she must stop tossing it back and forth when she looks in to receive the signal?

I always thought that once the pitcher contacted the rubber, she could not switch the ball from her hand to her glove at all. Situation 1 seemed to agree with my belief until I read the Comment.

I think what they are doing is clarifying that the act of not holding the ball in either the bare hand or the glove while taking the sign, or simulating (take it of fake it) is what makes these actions illegal. The comment goes on to say that tossing the ball back and forth is NOT what makes it illegal, she can do that as long as she does not bring the hands together and holds it in one or the other while taking the sign, or simulating taking it.

I think the difference is the pitcher can not go get the ball out of the glove(bringing the hands together) once they have stepped onto the pitching plate. But she can throw the ball into the glove, and drop the ball from the glove and catch it in the bare hand. WHY they would want to do this is beyond me but it's legal as long as they don't bring the hands together doing it, and hold the ball in glove or hand while taking or simulating taking the sign.

I have seen on many occasions where a pitcher who normally engages the plate with the ball already in her bare hand will step on the plate with the ball in her glove, and then roll it out onto her hand without bringing the two together, before settling and looking up at her catcher for the sign. Just wanted to make sure that was acceptable.

I've also seen it where the pitcher will reach into her glove and pull the ball out while getting settled, and then look up for the sign. That, I assume, is a technical violation of the rule.

I would agree.

I was wondering about these and how they are ruled in ASA:

SITUATION 3: A pitcher uses a drying agent but fails to wipe it off before touching the ball. RULING: The pitcher does not need to wipe the drying agent off her hands. The only restriction is not to apply it directly to the ball. (6-2-2)


SITUATION 5: A pitcher places her hands in the dirt; however, she does not wipe the dirt from her hands before touching the ball. RULING: The pitcher does not need to wipe the dirt from her hands before going to the ball. Dirt is NOT a foreign substance; it is part of the field. The pitcher cannot, however, rub the ball into the dirt and deface it. (6-2-2)

ASA has the same ruling, as the ASA was first to come out with the statement on dirt.

As I instructed this weekend, think of the dirt as one big brown rosin bag. The same rules that apply to the rosin bag apply to the dirt.

So NCAA is the only outlier?

Maybe not an "outlier" (I say this as I do teach a statistic class), but NCAA does have a different interpretation and requirements as to how drying agents are used.

And not to hijack the thread, I wonder why Gorilla Gold has not caught on as a drying agent in NCAA or NFHS play. It is wildly popular in men's fast pitch.

Because girls don't want to touch it.

Because it's all sticky!!!!!!!!!

What about the "chalk" lines? Can the pitcher now "rub" her hand into the "chalk" that same way she can the "big brown rosin bag"?

Yes for the same reason it is part of the field.

Because it's men's fast pitch. Need I say more?

Frankly, I'm a little surprised by this interp. First off, the listed rule only refers to umpire decisions that may put a team in jeopardy. There was no decision made here.

I fully realize that they're trying to expand the umpire interference rule (8-5-6) when it comes to throws by the catcher. The rule itself limits throws from the catcher to make plays on runners, and they want to include throws from the catcher back to the pitcher.

But by using 10-2-3m as a rule reference, it opens the door to coaches wanting other forms of umpire "hindrances" covered by the same rule. A base umpire trips a runner, and the offensive coach could argue that 10-2-3m should be used, just like it's used in this interp scenario.

Agreed. This is an extremely liberal interpretation and application of 10-2-3m.

"Now"???

Of course she can.

Kind of wondering why anyone would want it to be any different.

This message brought to you by the Society for the Prevention of Unnecessary Quotation Marks.

I agree 100%. The ruling is consistent with other teachings... but I'd prefer they codify the idea that if there is NO play, and something that might otherwise have been interference happens - and that CREATES a play, we should kill it. Pulling out rule 10-2-3 is bad precedent.

"My" "association" "was" 'Split" "on" "this" "issue" .... some still arguing that no player could ever touch the ball with impure hands.....;)

We have had this discussion on this board before. While the NCAA codifies a requirement for the pitcher to wipe after touching literally anything before handling the ball (yep, wipe that now dry hand on the wet uniform because you touched the rosin bag to dry your hand), neither NFHS nor ASA have ever had a rule in place, nor an approved ruling, nor a case play ruling that required wiping after anything but after going to the mouth.

Apply no foreign substance (directly) to the ball doesn't mean wipe your hand if you touch the field. If the ball has a substance foreign to the field, and you saw the pitcher (or any other defensive player) put it on, you have a violation. If the ball has dirt or chalk on it, they are substances part of the field, not a foreign substance. If the pitcher applies something directly to the ball, that is defacing the ball, and that violation applies.

These approved rulings finally state more specifically what has been said before, although the nonbelievers continue to want it how they did it before. The fact that NFHS had to make these approved rulings without changing anything in the rule only points out that so many people ignored the correct application before.

It is clear what the NCAA rule is; it should be equally clear that the NFHS and ASA rules are NOT the same, and should not have ever been treated the same.

I'm looking at 5-1-2-c to DDB Chart, #6 which directs you to 8-5-6. The ruling seems to be correct, the reference is wrong.