How long does the pitcher have to release the ball?

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Nov 3, 2012
480
16
Was watching a high school playoff game. Pitcher was taking 12 to 15 seconds to pitch after receiving the ball. I think it bothered the hitters from other team. I thought pitchet had 10 seconds. They used a number system and voach was slow to get call in. So when does the cloct tecvnically start for the pitcher. Do umps care about this rule.
 

JAD

Feb 20, 2012
8,231
38
Georgia
Actually saw an umpire call a ball on the batter a couple of times this weekend when the pitcher did not deliver a pitch within the allotted 20 seconds.
 
Feb 17, 2014
7,152
113
Orlando, FL
That said if the rules are properly enforced. Time out should not be granted to a batter once the umpire has given the instruction to pitch.
 
May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
One of our pitchers got called for a 20 second violation during a tournament recently (12U TB). First time I've seen that.
 
Jun 23, 2016
47
8
Yep, 20 seconds. I won't be a clock-watcher about it, though. I've only made that call twice, once in an 18U State Championship game. It was so obvious that when I called it, no one complained - they all knew she was taking too long out there. Probably not the first time it had been called on her.

Didn't have to call it a second time, though.
 
May 30, 2013
1,442
83
Binghamton, NY
after hands come together, for 1-10seconds, the pitcher must immediately deliver the pitch.
maybe that was why you thought 10 seconds?

I've been thinking about this lately...

My DD tends to like to work quickly,
and often times shes taken the plate only to wait for the batter to set.
Sometimes, her hands are already together, while waiting, and thus hands have been together for more than 10 seconds.
So, I told her to not bring hands together until Umpire signals for the pitch.

My initial thought was to have her hang behind the plate, until batter is set in the box,
and then step on the plate and deliver the pitch.

But as I watched a bunch of NCAA games this week and last,
i see this is a bit of a cat-and-mouse game.

Take FLA ST. pitcher Meghan King.
She likes to work FAST. Always on the plate waiting for the batter.
And batters tend to take their sweet 'ol time getting ready - probably to try and throw off her preference for a quick rhythm.

Other pitchers wont take the plate, until the batter is entirely in the box.

So, I suppose either approach is fine.
Whichever your pitcher is most comfortable with.

But I tend to lean toward staying off the plate until Batter is set.
A pitcher can't IP until they take the plate, and can't reasonably be subject to the 20sec rule,
if the umpire is allowing batters to exit the box between pitches, and take their sweet' ol time re-setting...
 

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