Oh those rules!

[Scorekeeper]

Our team is involved in a curious clash with the rules, and when folks found out about our little “issue”, several parents contacted me and asked me to explain what the heck was going on. I decided to use the team’s newsletter to attempt to explain something that confuses a lot of people. When I got done I realized just how complicated and overwhelming the rules can be, so I thought since I'd already spent the time writing it for the team, it might benefit someone else out there.

http://www.infosports.com/scorekeeper/images/CH12232014.pdf

 

[eshall]

If the play is over and the pitcher has the ball in the circle but is not on the rubber, can the runners steal?

 

[riseball]

If the play is over and the pitcher has the ball in the circle but is not on the rubber, can the runners steal?

Short answer is no, they cannot steal given the conditions above. However, the pitcher must have control of the ball.

Saw a college game where the pitcher put ball in glove then put glove on ground to tie shoe. Never requested time out. Runner on 2nd played it extremely cool and jogged toward 3rd base. Defense assumed that time had been called and she was headed to 3rd base dugout. She then stopped at 3rd with a huge grin on her face.

 

[quincy]

What he said.

Forget the pitching plate, rubber, exists. It is all about the circle.

 

[SBmom8992]

Short answer is no, they cannot steal given the conditions above. However, the pitcher must have control of the ball.

Saw a college game where the pitcher put ball in glove then put glove on ground to tie shoe. Never requested time out. Runner on 2nd played it extremely cool and jogged toward 3rd base. Defense assumed that time had been called and she was headed to 3rd base dugout. She then stopped at 3rd with a huge grin on her face.

I stole home in this exact way in college. Although it was great to get a run for my team, the pitcher was my teammate for several years on a TB team before college and I felt bad that she got an earful from her coach after the inning was over. We're still friends.

 

[SoCal_Dad]

Short answer is no, they cannot steal given the conditions above. However, the pitcher must have control of the ball.

Control and/or possession varies by rule set. ASA requires control of the ball in a hand, with or without the glove. NCAA says possession and control, but considers a ball held under an arm/chin or between the legs to be control. NFHS only requires possession, so effectively same as NCAA.

Runners can't leave a base once LBR goes into effect, however a runner not in contact with a base can attempt a delayed steal after LBR is in effect.