Yellow logo on pitchers glove

[MTR]

I'm suprised that Worth even put it on the glove. There's no point even being close with something like that. I just bought Jenny Finch's batting gloves (PINK!) and I rang an umpire before I bought them to see if I could wear them under my glove when pitching.

Some people will use any advantage. I've seen girls walk up to the plate with those knee guards folded over with the balls on them and expect to pitch. I played a girl when I was younger (when we were still using white balls) who expected to be able to pitch with white sweat guards on. People will do anything to get an advantage and they need to be strict.

Rule has no bearing on batting gloves.

 

[Lozza]

Rule has no bearing on batting gloves.

I wasn't 100% sure. I wanted to double check before laying out $50 on batting gloves if I couldn't use them.

 

[Presidente_Rock]

I know this has nothing to do with the glove issue, but it relevant to the conversation. I was umpiring a game and the pitcher on one of the teams was wearing a Rip-It mask. The issue that I had was that the cloth/elastic band that is used to hold it on her head was fluorescent green. It was exactly the same color as the ball. I explained to the coach that she would have to remove it because it gave her an advantage over the batter. As the umpire, it was difficult for me to sometimes pick-up the ball because once she went into her arm circle all I saw was a big 2 inch green stripe going down the middle of her head. He stated that they had already played several fall ball tournaments and she had pitched in most of the games and none of the umpires complained about it. I am not an official umpire and this was just a scrimmage so I don't know all the rules. I was just trying to help out. Does anyone know the rule on this situation and would you have lobbied to her it removed if you were the coach of the other team.

 

[Goobie]

Prior to the 2010 season, the NCAA modified their rules regarding Manufacturer Logo's on pitchers glove.

"3.7.1 Gloves/Mitts. (third paragraph) The pitcher’s glove may and its lacing shall be tan, brown, grey, white, or black, or any combination of those colors. The manufacturer’s logo is not considered a glove color."

Perhaps the ASA will make a similar clarification to the rules.

 

[BretMan]

I know this has nothing to do with the glove issue, but it relevant to the conversation. I was umpiring a game and the pitcher on one of the teams was wearing a Rip-It mask. The issue that I had was that the cloth/elastic band that is used to hold it on her head was fluorescent green. It was exactly the same color as the ball...

A strict reading of the rules prohibit pitchers from wearing distracting items on the hand, wrist, forearm, etc. There's no mention of items worn on the head.

An umpire does have the right to ask a pitcher to remove any item that he personally feels is distracting, but now you're venturing outside the written guidelines of the written rules and basing your decision on individual judgment. That should really be reserved for unusual or extreme cases. Personally, I'm having a hard time imagining that I would have a problem with a two inch green stripe on the pitcher's forehead creating a problem with watching a ball come from the pitcher's hand. But another umpire's individual judgment maight vary.

Might a coach complain about this? Sure! Coaches complain about stuff that has no bearing in the actual rules all the time. The funny thing is, when it comes to complaints about an item on the pitcher, most often they don't complain until several innings into the game and after being shut down by that pitcher! In that case, I don't have any problem telling the coach that his complaint is groundless and I will allow the item. You don't have to make the pitcher remove an item just because a coach complains and you have to appease him. It still has to be something that you as the umpire judge to be distracting. My reasoning is that if we're well into the game and I haven't addressed it up to that point, I obviously didn't find it to be very distracting.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

The strap would be on the back of her head, and sometimes over the top.

 

[MTR]

I know this has nothing to do with the glove issue, but it relevant to the conversation. I was umpiring a game and the pitcher on one of the teams was wearing a Rip-It mask. The issue that I had was that the cloth/elastic band that is used to hold it on her head was fluorescent green. It was exactly the same color as the ball. I explained to the coach that she would have to remove it because it gave her an advantage over the batter. As the umpire, it was difficult for me to sometimes pick-up the ball because once she went into her arm circle all I saw was a big 2 inch green stripe going down the middle of her head. He stated that they had already played several fall ball tournaments and she had pitched in most of the games and none of the umpires complained about it. I am not an official umpire and this was just a scrimmage so I don't know all the rules. I was just trying to help out. Does anyone know the rule on this situation and would you have lobbied to her it removed if you were the coach of the other team.

Coach: Blue, that green strap is distracting my batters.
Umpire: Coach, if your batters are looking for the ball coming from the area of the pitcher's head, they either need to change games or coaches.

 

[Presidente_Rock]

A strict reading of the rules prohibit pitchers from wearing distracting items on the hand, wrist, forearm, etc. There's no mention of items worn on the head.

A strict reading of the rules prohibit pitchers from wearing distracting items on the hand, wrist, forearm, etc. There's no mention of items worn on the head.

I am reading this correctly. You can't wear distracting items on the hand, wrist, forearm, ETC.... Wouldn't the etc.. also include the head. The strap is a T shape strap that starts basically at the forehead and runs directly down the middle of her head and from ear to ear. It is very visible. If you are the batter and you are trying to follow the ball from load to release, when the pitcher's arm starts moving forward and gets to the 12 o'clock position it is very possible that a 10 year old would lose focus on the ball by the distracting green band. If the band was any color other then the color of the ball, I wouldn't have an issue with it. Personally, if I was an official umpire, I would have the strap removed. I would think this would fall into the same category as baseball pitchers not being allowed to long sleeve white shirts under their uniforms. It distracts the batter and makes it difficult for the batter to pick up the ball.

 

[Comp]

Brett was summarizing the rule. Word for word it says: A pitcher shall not wear any item on the pitching hand, wrist, forearm, elbow or thighs, wich may, in the umpire's judgment, be distracting to the batter. Batting gloves may not be worn on the pitching hand.

No where in the rule does it state what the pitcher can wear on her head.

 

[BretMan]

I didn't copy the rule verbatim, but desite the "etcetera" thought that stating, "There's no mention of items worn on the head", would clarify that the rule doesn't mention items worn on the head. Here is the rule I paraphrased: "A pitcher shall not wear any item on the pitching hand, wrist, forearm, elbow or thighs which may, in the umpire's judgment, be distracting to the batter".

While it's within the umpire's right to address items other than those specifically mentioned in the rule, now you are venturing into the area of personal opinion, rather than any printed guidelines. I would say that personally- and sight unseen- I'm probably not going to have a problem with this strap. And I wouldn't want to have a player remove an otherwise legal piece of safety equipment (I doubt that they would have a spare strap on hand) then have her take a ball off the face.

These kinds of decisions are always situational and there's no "one size fits all answer". That's why they call it "judgment"!