Change the pitcher...or not?

[LMSANS]

LL-JR game.

Bottom 6th, I'm U1 in a 3-man crew.

F1 completes his warmups. Coach asks for time, comes out and changes pitchers. PU says original pitcher has to stay for one pitch. After one pitch, coach asks for time and changes pitchers. PU allows it because he believes the rule is one pitch, I tell him it is one batter. He's in charge and we move on.

On the sideline is our UIC and another umpire. They have the same discussion and after the game we traipse to the rule book. It is one batter. Error recognized, but then the what-ifs start.

What if:

• the pitcher was at his pitch limit with the last batter of the last inning?
• The coach visited twice in one batter?

Whcih rule takes priority if you have any combination of these factors. I'm most interested in LL-JR level, but will be happy to hearany rule set interp.

[Rich Ives]

LL-JR game.

Bottom 6th, I'm U1 in a 3-man crew.

F1 completes his warmups. Coach asks for time, comes out and changes pitchers. PU says original pitcher has to stay for one pitch. After one pitch, coach asks for time and changes pitchers. PU allows it because he believes the rule is one pitch, I tell him it is one batter. He's in charge and we move on.

On the sideline is our UIC and another umpire. They have the same discussion and after the game we traipse to the rule book. It is one batter. Error recognized, but then the what-ifs start.

What if:

• the pitcher was at his pitch limit with the last batter of the last inning?
• The coach visited twice in one batter?

Whcih rule takes priority if you have any combination of these factors. I'm most interested in LL-JR level, but will be happy to hearany rule set interp.

There is nothing to ponder or priorities to sort out. Coach was OK - you and your PU and your UIC are all "misunderstanding" the LL rules.

The pitcher only has to pitch to the first batter he faces IN THE GAME, not each inning. (Same in OBR).

"The Right Call" Casebook -- Starting pitchers and relief (substitute) pitchers must pitch to at least one batter or retire the side.

Note that it says "one batter", not "one batter per inning"

For LL. if he was at his limit he's obviously been in the game AND he MUST be removed for being at the limit.

In LL rules you have to remove the pitcher on the third visit in an inning or fourth in the game. There is NO limit per batter other than the overall total.

[mstaylor]

Rich beat me to it.

[yawetag]

• The coach visited twice in one batter?

In this situation, the PU has to not allow the second visit. If the coach refuses to obey, he's ejected.

[Guest]

• The coach visited twice in one batter?

In this situation, the PU has to not allow the second visit. If the coach refuses to obey, he's ejected.

(OBR)

And the pitcher would have to finish pitching to the batter anyway. Only once that batter is retired, reaches base (or the side is retired) could the manager-designate make the switch (which would be mandatory).

A side note on this issue: the manager would not be ejected for the second trip if, through oversight or inability, an umpire (normally PU) did not indicate he could not make the 2nd trip.

IE the Mattingly situation last year, where Don made his first trip to the mound, went to leave, stepped off the mound and onto the infield, then turned around and re-entered the dirt circle. McClelland's crew correctly did not eject DM, but they incorrectly made him remove the pitcher immediately.

Situation 2 (saw this happen once, I was playing) - PU goes to HT for more baseballs, pitching coach takes the oppourtunity to go to the mound. PU, distracted, does not see this occurring. BU does not realize what is going on (don't know how). When PU is alerted to the situation (by the HT's yells of "that's his second trip"), the pitching coach is standing on the mound with his pitcher. Ruling was no ejection and remove F1 after batter.

[Rich Ives]

• The coach visited twice in one batter?

In this situation, the PU has to not allow the second visit. If the coach refuses to obey, he's ejected.

This was a LL question. In LL rules there is no such prohibition.

In FED you get 3 free visits, no other restriction.

In OBR you cannot visit the pitcher a second time with the same batter at bat.