Replacing and injured pitcher.

[Sparky Guy]

Everyone knows when on defense replacing an injured pitcher the incoming pitcher does not have any restrictions on the number of pitches she may throw to warm up.

I have never seen it happen, but I'm sure it has. Situation. Pitcher is running the bases and gets drilled by a hit ball for the 3rd out of the inning. She is unable to continue in the game. Is the incoming pitcher allowed to take as many warm up pitches as she needs even though the injury happened while her team was on offense?

 

[MTR]

Everyone knows when on defense replacing an injured pitcher the incoming pitcher does not have any restrictions on the number of pitches she may throw to warm up.

I have never seen it happen, but I'm sure it has. Situation. Pitcher is running the bases and gets drilled by a hit ball for the 3rd out of the inning. She is unable to continue in the game. Is the incoming pitcher allowed to take as many warm up pitches as she needs even though the injury happened while her team was on offense?

Actually, such an exemption is relatively vague in the rule book, but it is completely up to the umpire as to whether to allow additional time. I would recommend the coach not just assume, but ask the umpire for some extra time/pitches citing the injury. Most teams have a pitcher throw every other inning or so have her on the field as soon as possible so she can be throwing during the time you are conferencing with the umpire giving him the change. Do not dawdle around especially if the game is on the clock. A lack of hustle may not help.

 

[Sparky Guy]

That's what I thought. If there was such a rule I can can see it being abused by a coach in a tight game that is up against the time limit. Tell his pitcher to run to 1st and "trip" over the base and come up limping. Kinda like the "flop" in soccer. It would be the softball version of laying on the ground with some horrific injury.

 

[JAD]

If the game is on a time limit I would expect the umpires to give the new pitcher adequate time to warm up, but it would not be "unlimited". Otherwise, they would need to stop the game clock during her warm ups. As a rule of thumb a coach should always have two pitchers ready to throw with limited warm ups.

 

[FPump]

That's what I thought. If there was such a rule I can can see it being abused by a coach in a tight game that is up against the time limit. Tell his pitcher to run to 1st and "trip" over the base and come up limping. Kinda like the "flop" in soccer. It would be the softball version of laying on the ground with some horrific injury.

Well that "Real Genius of Coaching" strategy would only work if (on defense) a play developed where pitcher actually had to go over to a base to make a play so she could "trip" or if (on offense) the pitcher was already on base as runner or in the box as a batter.....and then there's no guarantee that the pitcher will become a BR and have the opportunity to "trip" over 1B.

 

[chinamigarden]

A pitcher at any time in any game can call her coach out to the circle and complain about pain without having to create a scenerio