Pitching Rule Question

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Aug 20, 2017
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Why did NCAA change the rules to not allow pitchers to take pitch calls behind the rubber? Quick pitching? Now they take the call behind the rubber, get on the rubber, and then look at wrist band. . I’m not sure why I don’t like it but I don’t lol
 
Oct 24, 2010
308
28
It's a YUGE problem in all codes and levels that the pitcher takes a signal from behind the pitcher's plate, steps forward and immediately pitches. Pitchers in most (all?) codes are required to take or simulate taking a sign while touching the plate. It's rarely enforced. Guessing NCAA put in a bright line requirement to force pitchers to pause after contacting the plate to take a signal. Adding "pause" or "pause for a noticeable stop of at least two seconds" to the rule apparently didn't work.
 
Last edited:
Mar 28, 2020
285
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I think this question is aligned with a question I've been researching. Our girls played a team were the pitcher would pitch as soon as the girls got their second hand on the bat. It was bad the second our girls but their hands on the bat the ball was on the way.

We started having our girls hold their hands up long enough to force the pitcher to reset. Man did it slow the game down.

So reading this....does the pitcher have to give the batter a chance to get set in the box?
 

marriard

Not lost - just no idea where I am
Oct 2, 2011
4,312
113
Florida
I think this question is aligned with a question I've been researching. Our girls played a team were the pitcher would pitch as soon as the girls got their second hand on the bat. It was bad the second our girls but their hands on the bat the ball was on the way.

We started having our girls hold their hands up long enough to force the pitcher to reset. Man did it slow the game down.

So reading this....does the pitcher have to give the batter a chance to get set in the box?

To answer this; there are some technicalities, but yes the pitcher, the catcher, the batter and the umpire have to be ready - and it is the umpire who should be the one making sure that is the case. As an umpire, I like to drop into position last; i.e. I drop into position to call the pitch only once all the players are ready. There is 'no pitch' if I am not ready for it - no matter what else is going on.

In your example -this makes it easy - I am not dropping down to call the pitch until your batter is ready - and if the pitcher pitches before I am ready, it is a 'no pitch' call, and I am having a word with the pitcher that makes it clear she is not to pitch until it is clear I am ready.

The idea of making the pitcher 'take a signal' or 'pausing' is not really about stopping a pitcher from pitching before the batter is ready, but rather to stop them using the step onto the rubber as momentum - basically getting additional pitch speed by effectively walking into a pitch.

Pitching rules around this are a mess. I wish they would simplify it - it would be much easier if the rules just said "The pitcher must come to a complete stop once they toe the rubber, and the pitch cannot be thrown before the batter, catcher and umpire are ready.
 
Last edited:
Jul 19, 2021
630
93
Philosophical question from a pitcher's Dad. If the batter has both feet in the batters box, why do you make everyone continue to wait for the batter to be "ready"? Get "ready" outside the box. Once you have both feet in, you should be ready. These girls have been watching too much MLB. Way too much pre-pitch preparation going on that is slowing the game down IMO.
 
Oct 14, 2019
897
93
Philosophical question from a pitcher's Dad. If the batter has both feet in the batters box, why do you make everyone continue to wait for the batter to be "ready"? Get "ready" outside the box. Once you have both feet in, you should be ready. These girls have been watching too much MLB. Way too much pre-pitch preparation going on that is slowing the game down IMO.
Agreed. Why should the pitcher have to make a determination of whether a batter is ready? The pitcher should rely on the umpire taking their stance or otherwise signalling an all clear.
 
Jan 28, 2017
1,663
83
To answer this; there are some technicalities, but yes the pitcher, the catcher, the batter and the umpire have to be ready - and it is the umpire who should be the one making sure that is the case. As an umpire, I like to drop into position last; i.e. I drop into position to call the pitch only once all the players are ready. There is 'no pitch' if I am not ready for it - no matter what else is going on.

In your example -this makes it easy - I am not dropping down to call the pitch until your batter is ready - and if the pitcher pitches before I am ready, it is a 'no pitch' call, and I am having a word with the pitcher that makes it clear she is not to pitch until it is clear I am ready.

The idea of making the pitcher 'take a signal' or 'pausing' is not really about stopping a pitcher from pitching before the batter is ready, but rather to stop them using the step onto the rubber as momentum - basically getting additional pitch speed by effectively walking into a pitch.

Pitching rules around this are a mess. I wish they would simplify it - it would be much easier if the rules just said "The pitcher must come to a complete stop once they toe the rubber, and the pitch cannot be thrown before the batter, catcher and umpire are ready.
My DD works very fast and we use wristbands, she is on the rubber and gets the signal and goes. She was warned for not pausing looking at the catcher long enough. Is this correct since she is on the rubber and obviously looks at the catcher before pitching. She does work fast. Drives me crazy sometimes how fast she works but not sure it's illegal since she is on the rubber and looks.
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
My DD works very fast and we use wristbands, she is on the rubber and gets the signal and goes. She was warned for not pausing looking at the catcher long enough. Is this correct since she is on the rubber and obviously looks at the catcher before pitching. She does work fast. Drives me crazy sometimes how fast she works but not sure it's illegal since she is on the rubber and looks.
I prefer a good pace to the game.
Not rushed tho.
However when I see pitchers that like to work fast,
I make sure to utilize the Umpire to control the tempo of getting in the box to set up.
Look at blue hand up, make sure they have hand up.
Step in.

Batters can control the tempo of the game also.
 
Aug 20, 2017
1,475
113
Watched some college games this past weekend and saw a few pitchers looking at their wrist band on the rubber and losing balance. May just be a pitcher issue but I can’t imagine the rule helps the pitcher at all. And what about stepping on the rubber with the hands separated? Doesn’t that help prevent quick pitching?
 

marriard

Not lost - just no idea where I am
Oct 2, 2011
4,312
113
Florida
Philosophical question from a pitcher's Dad. If the batter has both feet in the batters box, why do you make everyone continue to wait for the batter to be "ready"? Get "ready" outside the box. Once you have both feet in, you should be ready. These girls have been watching too much MLB. Way too much pre-pitch preparation going on that is slowing the game down IMO.
Because the batter has just as much right as the pitcher to take the time to get their feet set, and their bat in position and their eyes ready as the pitcher has to set themselves up and take their allowed time to deliver a pitch once clear as well. Just because a pitcher wants to work fast doesn't mean that she gets to do it before the batter is ready. The pitcher isn't any more special than the batter.

It is pretty obvious to the plate umpire when everyone is set. Watch the good umpires as they work their pre-pitch routines and when they drop into position to call a pitch.

(and my DD is a college pitcher so I am pitchers dad as well)
 

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