Taking the sign

[DrRiello]

The rational From NCAA.


Since many pitchers receive the information on which pitch to throw by looking at a signal armband, the NCAA Softball Rules Committee felt pitchers were stepping onto the pitcher’s plate and starting their pitching motion without pausing, creating a distinct advantage over the batter.


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[Tango]

DD usually takes the sign behind the rubber and then steps up and starts her delivery. It seems easy enough to have her stand on the rubber and get the call, and check her wristband before bringing the hands together and starting her motion.

Is there a downside to this? It's not like baseball where the runners could take off while the pitcher is looking at their wrist. Is there a danger of an illegal pitch if the pitcher, while on the rubber, looks at her wristband, brings the hands together, and then separates to take another look before delivering the pitch (I could see DD doing this)?

DD would take the signal behind the rubber. Step on the rubber and bring hands together. Look at the catcher and pitch.

Now she stands on the rubber with the ball in her glove (pitches out of her glove). Looks funny and she isn't comfortable but still pitching good.

 

[DrRiello]

DD would take the signal behind the rubber. Step on the rubber and bring hands together. Look at the catcher and pitch.

Now she stands on the rubber with the ball in her glove (pitches out of her glove). Looks funny and she isn't comfortable but still pitching good.

Lol. I’m sure she doesn’t look funny. Good luck this season Tango


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[GunnerShotgun]

But if that coach calls out a pitch and she looks at a wrist band not on the mound it will be called.

What will be called? You can't just make rules up.

Again there is no rule saying that you CANNOT receive a sign from anyone at any time during the game. They are saying that there are certain steps a pitcher must take in order to deliver a legal pitch.

One of them is "must take or appear" to take a sign.

As others have pointed out the reason for this is pitchers tend to "walk though" once they get the sign from the coach.

There is no rule that prevents a coach from calling out signs or defensive assignments and having players check their wristbands during a game.

 

[The Man In Blue]

I’m not somewhere that I can access all my rule books, so I will double check and update this a little later ...

My understanding is that the NCAA rule does forbid taking the sign off of the pitcher’s plate. An NCAA ump that I work with said they were instructed at a clinic to call an illegal pitch if the pitcher looks at her wristband when not on the plate.

He’s a damn good ump, but not infallible. Like I said, I’l l update this in a bit.

 

[flogzilla]

This is from the NCAA site. judging by what they chose to cross out from earlier rule. It appears that at least at that level you cannot take an earlier sign. If somebody would have quizzed me on that I would have been wrong based on what I had been hearing.

 

[GunnerShotgun]

View attachment 16436

This is from the NCAA site. judging by what they chose to cross out from earlier rule. It appears that at least at that level you cannot take an earlier sign. If somebody would have quizzed me on that I would have been wrong based on what I had been hearing.

But what if you do take a signal prior and ALSO comply with 10.2.2. It seems to me that you can do both and be within the rules.

 

[flogzilla]

But what if you do take a signal prior and ALSO comply with 10.2.2. It seems to me that you can do both and be within the rules.

From the NCAA rule interpretations... Clear as mud now. So you can't look at your armband, but you can get a signal and then look at armband once you are on rubber???? bring in the Umps.

 

[bmakj]

I agree with what several have stated her, simply taking out all language about taking or appearing to take signs or appearing to receive the telepathetically is unneeded. just state they must pause for one second before starting their pitching motion.

 

[The Man In Blue]

Yes to all of the above.

@GunnerShotgun , if we just read the rule, I agree with you that it still leaves it open. IMO, the verbiage of the rule itself does not appear to prohibit taking a sign elsewhere. However, ALL of the NCAA literature (even the "Major Rules Changes" portion in the front of the rule book) are very specific that the pitcher is NOT to take a signal before stepping onto the pitcher's plate.

The intent is good, the wording is atrocious. In general it is unclear, but by leaving "or appear to take a signal" was a baffling mistake. I understand they wanted to leave room for a pitcher who doesn't take signals (so you don't want to say "MUST TAKE A SIGNAL"), but that was a bad decision to leave that wording.

And those clarifications ... UGGHHH!!! The first one was fine, but the second one? So a coach can yell or flash a signal before the pitcher steps up, but the catcher cannot. What difference does it make who it comes from, as long as she doesn't look at the armband while off the plate?

IMO, A much better worded rule to solve all of the perceived issues would read: "Once the pitcher initiates the pitching position, the pitcher may not make any pitching motion for 3 seconds, and must start the pitch within 10 seconds after that. During this time the pitcher may take or simulate taking a signal." (IMO, one second is not enough. I have argued with fellow umpires who believe a tap-touch is one second because it "started the clock".)