"Well, I Played Baseball For 30 Years" is NOT a USA Softball rule

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Feb 3, 2011
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I had the pleasure to umpire a 12u rec game recently. About midway through the timed game, one of the pitchers dropped the ball during her delivery and the ball landed behind her. As I signaled "ball" to the batter, the runner from 3B raced for home. The pitcher retrieved the ball, threw home, and the runner was tagged out. I was right on top of the play, and the runner's foot never reached the plate, nor had the catcher committed obstruction. This was the 3rd out of the inning.

The 3B coach was very upset by the call. For starters, he thought the runner had reached home safely. But he was most adamant in his assertion that it should have been a dead ball, and that it was "illegal" for the pitcher to be the first player to touch the ball after a pitch.

I'd never heard that rule before, but I'm always willing to learn, so I asked him whether that was a USA Softball rule. His response was to drop the "Well, I played baseball for 30 years!" card, adding "well, those coaches over there say you're wrong". I informed him that the ball was live as soon as the pitcher began her delivery and that the runners were permitted to proceed at their own risk, which is exactly what happened.

I encouraged the coach to become a bit more familiar with the rulebook and cited the actual rule for the managers of each team, so they'd never have that issue again.
 
Oct 3, 2011
3,478
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Right Here For Now
Actually, the call should have been IP and all baserunners advance one base if the pitcher started her motion and dropped it during delivery as well as a ball awarded to the batter.

ETA: Monica Abott did this in a game against the Akron Racers 2 years ago and that was both the call and the result. Maybe it's different in your neck of the woods. She laughed it off thankfully.
 
Last edited:
Oct 3, 2011
3,478
113
Right Here For Now
Who ever calls IP in 12u rec?

That is a serious question, not a rhetorical question. I've seen IP called in 14u rec.

I agree! But in order to disseminate the correct rules and the correct calling of those rules, whether rec, TB or at the college level and the understanding of them, would you also not agree that the rules should be enforced at all levels and not selectively?
 
Last edited:
Jul 19, 2014
2,390
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Madison, WI
I agree! But in order to disseminate the correct rules and the correct calling of those rules, whether rec, TB or at the college level and the understanding of them, would you also not agree that the rules should be enforced at all levels and not selectively?

Perhaps.

It really depends.

For example, most of the 10u games my DD 3 played in prohibited base stealing. (She played in ONE 10u game where base stealing was permitted, and she stole a base).
It is common for 10u rec league rules to not permit base stealing, or dropped 3rd strike, or more than one base on an overthrow, etc. Also, the local 12u rec league had some non-standard rules, such as 4 OF.

Many of the 12u girls are not certain what an IP is.
Also, a lot of the 12u rec league umpires are not capable of calling IP. For example, the local LL uses high school kids as umps for 12u rec, so not really that up on the rules.

I would suppose that if a 12U rec umpire actually knows the difference between a legal and illegal pitch, then the local rules should call for the ump warning the pitcher, at least the first time.
Just my take.
I can see how calling the IP helps the girl develop. The time I mentioned where I saw the ump call a 14U IP in a fall ball game the HC for the pitcher's team came out and thanked the umpire for helping her learn what an IP was.
 

MTR

Jun 22, 2008
3,438
48
Actually, the call should have been IP and all baserunners advance one base if the pitcher started her motion and dropped it during delivery as well as a ball awarded to the batter.

ETA: Monica Abott did this in a game against the Akron Racers 2 years ago and that was both the call and the result. Maybe it's different in your neck of the woods. She laughed it off thankfully.


Then the umpires kicked it because NPF rule reflects NCAA and other than a minor clarification on a possible obstruction call, the rule is the same as USA/ASA. The only way it is an IP is if the pitcher intentionally rolls the ball toward the plate
 

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