Illegal pitch or no pitch.

[chapmaja]

One thing to consider on this issue. This was my first game back umpiring in about 8 years, after only working a few games before.

I was just wondering how it should be handled. Now, I would have called the IP and would not be as timid as to let the BU dictate what happened. I have worked several sports with that person, and I can't say it has been much fun in any sport.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by chapmaja

One thing to consider on this issue. This was my first game back umpiring in about 8 years, after only working a few games before.

I was just wondering how it should be handled. Now, I would have called the IP and would not be as timid as to let the BU dictate what happened. I have worked several sports with that person, and I can't say it has been much fun in any sport.

Cool. And we ALL love working with "that guy". I think you got your answer --- probably IP and ignore the LE; although if the LE was obviously first you'd go with that. Just not neither next time.

[CecilOne]

I (a stubborn person) am still not convinced that we can say the IP caused the runner to leave early, when the runner left during the pitching motion.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by CecilOne

I (a stubborn person) am still not convinced that we can say the IP caused the runner to leave early, when the runner left during the pitching motion.

When the IP is not releasing the ball when it appears you are going to (as in the OP) ... then the IP DEFINITELY caused the runner to leave early ... had the pitcher not IP'd, the runner would not have LE'd.

(IF the IP was something else... say, a 24" violation, and the runner left before the pitch - you would have LE, dead ball, no IP (as the ball was dead before the violation)).

[chapmaja]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

When the IP is not releasing the ball when it appears you are going to (as in the OP) ... then the IP DEFINITELY caused the runner to leave early ... had the pitcher not IP'd, the runner would not have LE'd.

(IF the IP was something else... say, a 24" violation, and the runner left before the pitch - you would have LE, dead ball, no IP (as the ball was dead before the violation)).

In this case, I felt it was very close to the time the pitcher would have released the pitch.

I actually had this situation in a MS game last year, as a single umpire. In that case, the pitcher stumbled and failed to release the ball. No IP was called however because as the pitcher stumbled I saw that the runner on second was about 5 strides off second base. That one was obvious that the runner left early, and that was penalized, so the IP never happened. When I made the call, the head coach just smiled at me because he knew it was the right call. Unfortunately those MS are not much better than slow pitch games on a rough poor maintained MS field.

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by chapmaja

I actually had this situation in a MS game last year, as a single umpire. In that case, the pitcher stumbled and failed to release the ball. No IP was called however because as the pitcher stumbled I saw that the runner on second was about 5 strides off second base. That one was obvious that the runner left early...

In that case where the runner clearly left early, you should have called No Pitch well before the pitcher stumbled.

[chapmaja]

Originally Posted by Manny A

In that case where the runner clearly left early, you should have called No Pitch well before the pitcher stumbled.

One thing I have learned to do it wait until the pitcher finishes their delivery before I come up and call anything. Last season I was the base umpire in a situation where the plate umpire called a no pitch (ball from another field came onto our field). The pitcher was in the middle of her motion and tried stopping. Unfortunately she tried stopping her motion midway through and did something to her arm. She ended up missing a few weeks of the season with an arm injury.