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Little League Question


Guest Baltimore Coach
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Guest Baltimore Coach

For LL or HS rules when does the pitching change take effect? Is it when a new kid steps on the mound with the ball? Or when he starts warming up? Or something else? Thanks

 

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14 minutes ago, noumpere said:

HS:  When it's announced.  If there's no announcement, when the ball is live and the pitcher is on the rubber.

Follow-on to @noumpere‘s answer:

  • Say we are between innings, and the F2 (catcher) dashes out to the plate, and the F5 (3rd Baseman) is trotting out to his spot, and on the way past the mound, picks up the ball, and at the encouragement of the F2, tries his hand at a pitch... is that F5 the new pitcher?
  • Say we are between innings, and the assistant coach sends #22 out to mound as a new pitcher. Concurrently, the Head Coach is talking with you (as PU) and wants #32 to be the new pitcher. You look up at the pitcher... the numbers don’t match, so you ask the HC what’s up with this error. He tells #22 he doesn’t want him pitching yet. Is #22 the new pitcher, and is he committed to facing a batter?
  • Say the DT is in a mound conference, and the HC takes the ball from SP #41, and hands it to his F6 (Shortstop) #11, who takes all his accessories off, and toes the rubber, and makes a warmup pitch. Then, an assistant coach calls out to the HC that #11 is over his pitch count, and “can’t pitch”. Is #11 now “locked in” and committed to being the new pitcher?

The answer to each of these is No. The changes have not been formally announced, and/or the ball has not been made Live (again) yet. That first one, in particular, is one that trips up a lot of baseball participants – players, coaches and umpires alike. Kids are kids, and kids are (often) morons. Just because an infielder Ian trots to the mound to pick up the ball, stand there and wait for his pitcher friend Jackson to toss or hand it to him, does not mean that Ian is the new pitcher, or should “suffer” a penalty of being considered the new pitcher, replacing Jackson.

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5 hours ago, MadMax said:

Follow-on to @noumpere‘s answer:

  • Say we are between innings, and the F2 (catcher) dashes out to the plate, and the F5 (3rd Baseman) is trotting out to his spot, and on the way past the mound, picks up the ball, and at the encouragement of the F2, tries his hand at a pitch... is that F5 the new pitcher?
  • Say we are between innings, and the assistant coach sends #22 out to mound as a new pitcher. Concurrently, the Head Coach is talking with you (as PU) and wants #32 to be the new pitcher. You look up at the pitcher... the numbers don’t match, so you ask the HC what’s up with this error. He tells #22 he doesn’t want him pitching yet. Is #22 the new pitcher, and is he committed to facing a batter?
  • Say the DT is in a mound conference, and the HC takes the ball from SP #41, and hands it to his F6 (Shortstop) #11, who takes all his accessories off, and toes the rubber, and makes a warmup pitch. Then, an assistant coach calls out to the HC that #11 is over his pitch count, and “can’t pitch”. Is #11 now “locked in” and committed to being the new pitcher?

The answer to each of these is No. The changes have not been formally announced, and/or the ball has not been made Live (again) yet. That first one, in particular, is one that trips up a lot of baseball participants – players, coaches and umpires alike. Kids are kids, and kids are (often) morons. Just because an infielder Ian trots to the mound to pick up the ball, stand there and wait for his pitcher friend Jackson to toss or hand it to him, does not mean that Ian is the new pitcher, or should “suffer” a penalty of being considered the new pitcher, replacing Jackson.

The answers in LL are YES, (3.08a1) NO (if he hasn't thrown a warmup pitch yet), and NO, since arm safety is paramount (3.08a1, RIM comment)

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From the 2018 Little League Make The Right Call:  Rule 3.08(a)(1) Situation:  As the defense takes the field in the top of the fifth inning; the shortstop (#18), picks up the ball, steps on the pitcher’s plate and delivers a pitch to the catcher. The pitcher of record is still in the dugout talking with his manager.

Ruling:  Number 18 is now the pitcher assuming he is eligible to pitch and must pitch to at least one batter. In a baseball game at the Majors level and below, the original pitcher of record may not return to pitch. At the Intermediate 50-70, Junior and Senior League levels as long as the original pitcher stayed in the game he may return as pitcher, but only once per game…Umpires need to remain alert to avoid this situation. NOTE:  The pitch must be delivered to the catcher or a player acting as catcher.

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