Taking signs off the plate

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by Rita C

Pitcher takes signs behind the plate. She then steps on the plate, hesitates just a moment, puts her hands together and starts her pitch.

What is your call in...?

LL

Originally Posted by SethPDX

Nothing, same as the others.

Ummm, not true. From the LL Rules Instruction Manual under the pitching rule for softball.

8.01(e): While on the pitching plate, the pitcher shall take the signal or appear to be taking a signal with the hands separated. The ball must remain in either the glove or pitching hand.

INSTRUCTOR COMMENTS:
=> The pitcher can take signs from the manager or coach as long as she is standing on the pitcher’s plate. If not done, after warning, she can be removed from the game.

So in LL, if the pitcher takes her signs off the plate, the plate umpire is required to inform the pitcher she can't do that. Failure of the pitcher to comply with the warning can lead to her being removed not only from the pitching position, but from the game entirely.

That said, I don't know of too many umpires who would do that. More than likely they would repeat the warnings a couple of times until it sinks in.

[Rita C]

Thanks all. I just wanted to verify I was explaining it correctly to others.

Rita

[youngump]

Originally Posted by Manny A

Ummm, not true. From the LL Rules Instruction Manual under the pitching rule for softball.



So in LL, if the pitcher takes her signs off the plate, the plate umpire is required to inform the pitcher she can't do that. Failure of the pitcher to comply with the warning can lead to her being removed not only from the pitching position, but from the game entirely.

That said, I don't know of too many umpires who would do that. More than likely they would repeat the warnings a couple of times until it sinks in.

The rule you quoted doesn't say that they can't take a signal off the plate. Just that they have to take or simulate taking a signal while on the plate.

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by youngump

The rule you quoted doesn't say that they can't take a signal off the plate.

No, but the Instructor Comment does imply it. Otherwise, what would the umpire be warning the pitcher for and then removing her from the game?

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by Manny A

No, but the Instructor Comment does imply it. Otherwise, what would the umpire be warning the pitcher for and then removing her from the game?

For not taking signs from on the pitchers plate... not for taking them elsewhere.

[HugoTafurst]

From Manny's post:

INSTRUCTOR COMMENTS:
=> The pitcher can take signs from the manager or coach as long as she is standing on the pitcher’s plate. If not done, after warning, she can be removed from the game.

As much as I don't want to get into this, and as much as it goes contrary to everything I am used to, it looks like for Little League, INC - it not allowed for F1 to take a sign when not on the plate.
Repeating the instructor comment:
can take signs from the manager or coach as long as she is standing on the pitcher’s plate.
That sure reads to me that if she is not on the plate, she can not take signs....

Please don't get the impression that I endorse this comment.... just reacting to what I see.

[MD Longhorn]

I do LL EXTREMELY part time, but it was explained to me that was this was written to allow the pitcher to be on the plate, but head and shoulders turned sideways to take the signal - and that taking of the signal still counted as the pause required to not be a quick pitch.

If they took the manager's signals from OFF the plate, they DID still have to pause facing the catcher before pitching.

Without this, a pitcher who turned toward her manager to take the signal would then also have to appear to take one from he catcher, which is silly.

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

I do LL EXTREMELY part time, but it was explained to me that was this was written to allow the pitcher to be on the plate, but head and shoulders turned sideways to take the signal - and that taking of the signal still counted as the pause required to not be a quick pitch.

If they took the manager's signals from OFF the plate, they DID still have to pause facing the catcher before pitching.

Without this, a pitcher who turned toward her manager to take the signal would then also have to appear to take one from he catcher, which is silly.

Well, I have attended a number of LL schools and clinics through the years. And the instruction we received was that pitchers must be on the plate to receive signals from catchers, coaches, whomever. When they do so while off the plate, we are to instruct them to get on the plate.

Why LL is different, I have no idea. And whether or not this gets enforced at the various levels of regular season and tournament play is really up to the umpires working those games, and the UICs and tournament directors overseeing them. But it was made clear to us during formal instruction what LL HQ wanted.