Putting the ball in play

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by Gulf Coast Blue

Maybe because I started in baseball......it is just a habit with me......as I noted earlier.....I have never been dinged for it though......

I don't think anyone would ding you since there's nothing technically wrong about it. I've just been told it's not really necessary to do it in softball for the reasons Steve mentioned.

It's kinda like signalling and verbalizing Foul on obvious foul balls that go over the backstop or the fences down the lines.

This discussion does raise a question, though. For those of you who don't put the ball in Play consistently, when is Play assumed? In baseball, we wait until the pitcher gets on the plate, the catcher gets ready to receive the pitch, and the batter gets ready in the box before we signal and say Play. In softball, the only criterion is that the pitcher has the ball on the plate.

Here's why I ask. Suppose after Play was killed for whatever reason, the pitcher gets on the pitcher's plate with her hands together, and then separates them as she gets settled to take her sign. Do you call the IP? Or do you cut her slack since you probably would not have signaled Play Ball at that point?