Taking signs off the plate

[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

ASA

NFHS

Thank you

Rita

[AtlUmpSteve]

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

ASA

NFHS

Thank you

Rita

I know nothing about Little League.

What you described is legal in ASA, NFHS, and NCAA. The momentary hesitation after stepping on the pitcher's plate and prior to bringing the hands together meets the requirement to "take or simulate taking a sign" at that point in the prepitch procedures.

[MD Longhorn]

Nothing, nothing, and nothing.

The rules say you must brush your teeth with toothpaste. They do not say you cannot also brush them with baking soda or use mouthwash.

[Skahtboi]

Don't do Little League, but as has already been pointed out, no infraction in ASA or NFHS. I don't care when, or from whom, they receive the actual signal. So long as after stepping on the pitching plate the hesitate (simulate taking a sign) before going into the motion. The verbiage "simulates taking a sign" is there for exactly this reason in all codes of which I am aware.

[tcannizzo]

Originally Posted by Skahtboi

Don't do Little League, but as has already been pointed out, no infraction in ASA or NFHS. I don't care when, or from whom, they receive the actual signal. So long as after stepping on the pitching plate the hesitate (simulate taking a sign) before going into the motion. The verbiage "simulates taking a sign" is there for exactly this reason in all codes of which I am aware.

Isn't it that they must hesitate AFTER bringing the hands together?

[jmkupka]

I have it as, step on, hesitate, bring hands together (book mentions a minimum amount of time of togetherness, but the interp is that the touching alone satisfies the requirement), then begin pitch.

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by tcannizzo

Isn't it that they must hesitate AFTER bringing the hands together?

No. Maybe you're confusing the requirement to "take or simulate taking" the signs (i.e. hesitate) with the requirement to bring the hands together for 1 to 10 seconds. During this "1 to 10 seconds" (which, by interpretation, means touch at least briefly) the hands may be moving, so there is no hesitation requirement.

[SethPDX]

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

Nothing, same as the others.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by tcannizzo

Isn't it that they must hesitate AFTER bringing the hands together?

Still hangin' on to some of the coaching brain cells, huh?

[tcannizzo]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

Still hangin' on to some of the coaching brain cells, huh?

Nah, somehow I learned this as an umpire.
Don't know where I picked this up, although I have been more selective lately.

[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.