Illegal Ball?

[bmwbykrydr]

In the COVID environment we all find ourselves in, it is much easier for a team to use an illegal ball, since you only get to hold/see/feel the b all you are hitting when you recover your own foul ball. Twice this fall against my daughter's HS team, and twice I've heard from friends at other schools, teams are using a mush ball to prevent deep hits. When the ball is hit, we've all heard it when they were playing 8U, it sounds like you're hitting an empty bucket, not a ball. We were able to get the ball confiscated by the umpire, but we had to convince her that the ball was not normal. Our opponent threw it in right after our first HR.

Are there any repercussions for this? I've looked through the ASA and USSSA book and didn't see much on illegal ball use, but there are clear words on what the ball specs should be. This is a blatant and intentional prevention of a teams' offense, there's got to be more at stake than just loosing the ball.

 

[Westwind]

It’s unsportsmanlike conduct and should result in ejection of head coach.

It’s going to take the regulars here to tell you how to find that by rule set.

 

[justAdad2]

my DD's team ran into this during a showcase game this summer. our coach and the ump didn't really care since we were winning. i did hear the head coach of the other team got tore into by the TD later in the day. its crazy some coaches will do anything to win, forgetting its just a game. the sound of the softie coming off the bat was unmistakable

 

[Greatdaytobeawildcat]

Usssa defines altered balls, and subjects owners / users of altered balls to the same process / penalties as altered bats - which are pretty harsh, 2 to 5 year suspensions for first offence, lifetime ban thereafter.

"ALTERED BALL is one which has had its physical structure changed in any way, including (but not limited to) balls that have been frozen, micro-waved, heated, melted, cooled, recovered, restictched, surface modified to be rougher or softer, etc

Altered Balls and the potential of a ball being altered and those suspected of altering, owning or using an altered ball (or determined to have altered, owned or used an Altered Ball) shall be viewed as falling under the same rules in place for Altered bats."

Agreed that in a COVID world where the umpire doesn't really handle softballs anymore, this is tricky. In a normal world all balls should only be introduced through the umpire (never coach directly to player), and both teams use same balls.

 

[bmwbykrydr]

I saw that wording and didn't think it applied since the ball itself isn't altered, it's exactly the same as it was manufactured. The softie is obviously not up to the ball specs, but there are no specified consequences for using it that I can find.

This is no different than using an illegal bat.

USSSA "The internal composition of the core and the material of the cover must be clearly printed on the ball and the words Official
Fastpitch Softball” must be clearly printed on the ball.

FASTPITCH (12”) OPTIC YELLOW COVER ONLY -BLUE STITCH Ball - must have “USSSA FASTPITCH CLASSIC “, in 1/8” minimum letters and the USSSA logo in at least 1-1/8” diameter. Lettering and logo in blue."

Compression: Maximum of 375#
COR: 46.25 +/- 0.75
Circumference: 12 +/- 1/8”
Weight: 6.6 +/- 0.30 oz.

So far, my response has been to retrieve every foul ball. If it's a mush ball, I cut the surface with a blade or whatever I can do to destroy it, then throw it back in to the ump and point out the damage.

 

[Westwind]

“Bring your own ball” or ”we provide the balls each team uses” scenarios spec exactly what ball/balls can be used. Most tournaments are specifying what happens when a team cheats.

Look at the ball. Is it the correct stamp?

Umpire can also have catcher hold it out so he can see that it is correct make and model of ball. Heck a base coach can do the same, or ask ump to check it.

The reason you have to go the unsportsmanlike conduct route is in all of your answers. That rule was not written to deal with this.

This is a very dangerous way to cheat. There are so many ways to catch this. And the penalty is severe. Nobody likes this.

 

[625ender]

There are guidelines for maximum performance but Im not aware of any for minimum performance