Glove position while in set

[fbara]

I haven't called this one yet, but I'm wondering if any of you have. FED 6-1 art 3 states "He shall go to the set position without interruption and in one continuous motion. He shall come to a complete and discernible stop....with the ball in both hands in front of the body and his glove at or below his chin."

I do mostly 9u-14u travel ball and I'm seeing pitchers holding their glove at nose level or higher (the bottom of the glove, that is). Obviously the pitcher has been using this mechanic during practice and other games so I'm hesitant to call an illegal pitch and force the pitcher to change his entire delivery during a game. Especially since it appears this is not being called by other umps.

So far I've just talked to the HC about it and advised him that, by rule, if the pitch is delivered from this stance it's an illegal pitch and the pitcher should work on a new mechanic if he's going to progress into HS ball. Every single coach has told me they didn't know about this rule.

Are you guys enforcing this? I can see not calling an illegal pitch on 9u-10u, but that's most likely where this mechanic starts and it seems like a good place to stop it. If you are enforcing it, what kind of response are you getting from the HC?

frank

[Mr Umpire]

I am not enforcing it but I don't do FED ball. I have the same kind of leagues you are talking about where they want to play under HS rules. Many umpires, who don't do FED ball, don't know those kind of rules and aren't enforcing it. So, I don't to prevent being the odd one and spending 10 minutes explaining that it is a rule regardless of the fact that he has done it for years.

[DirtyDawg]

I can't see calling this, mainly because I did it when I pitched many moons ago. I wanted to be like my favorite pitcher at the time......Randy Johnson!

[LMSANS]

:clap:

I'm confused.You're choosing to ignore this rule because they're 9 & 10? Are they playing under Fed rules? Then apply Fed rules.

...or maybe you can list for us the other rules you are going to ignore.

[fbara]

I'm confused.You're choosing to ignore this rule because they're 9 & 10? Are they playing under Fed rules? Then apply Fed rules.

...or maybe you can list for us the other rules you are going to ignore.

I'm choosing not to be an OOO in this instance, that's all. I'm not ignoring the rule, I'm using common sense to let the kids play the game but I'm also advising the coach so he can make a correction. I should've stated that there are no lead-offs for our league in 9-11, so the runner is not being deceived by the pitcher doing this.

[LMSANS]

I'm choosing not to be an OOO in this instance, that's all. I'm not ignoring the rule, I'm using common sense to let the kids play the game but I'm also advising the coach so he can make a correction. I should've stated that there are no lead-offs for our league in 9-11, so the runner is not being deceived by the pitcher doing this.

That makes a big difference. :clap:

[Mr Umpire]

I'm confused.

...or maybe you can list for us the other rules you are going to ignore.

Only the major ones. They include BOO, INT, OBS, balls, strikes. You know, nothing real important.

[DirtyDawg]

Hell, just do what I do and tell the coaches before the game that you're going to be making the rules up as you go along, so good luck!!

[JaxRolo]

I'm choosing not to be an OOO in this instance, that's all. I'm not ignoring the rule, I'm using common sense to let the kids play the game but I'm also advising the coach so he can make a correction. I should've stated that there are no lead-offs for our league in 9-11, so the runner is not being deceived by the pitcher doing this.

No lead off but you have balks? :agasp_:

[DirtyDawg]

Not a balk....illegal pitch.

[fbara]

No lead off but you have balks?

No balks called in 9-10, according to league rules. But this is just an illegal pitch if there's no runners and a balk if runners on.

Ok, I understand I left off some important details, sorry about that .

But I'd like to get back to the original question (before we were distracted). Anyone calling this?

[Umpire in Chief]

Not touching this one... If the opposing coach complains we'll have a don't do that type situation.

[Mr Umpire]

Not touching this one... If the opposing coach complains we'll have a don't do that type situation.

Most, if not all, outside of HS are not going to complain b/c they don't even know about it. They claim to play HS rules just to say "We do". When I do call a HS rule which is different from OBR, I usually get the "Deer in a headlights" look and spend too much time explaining something they should have known about.

But, don't we do that all the time anyway. :agasp_:

[DirtyDawg]

Most, if not all, outside of HS are not going to complain b/c they don't even know about it. They claim to play HS rules just to say "We do". When I do call a HS rule which is different from OBR, I usually get the "Deer in a headlights" look and spend too much time explaining something they should have known about.

But, don't we do that all the time anyway.

I think this is mostly because people do not understand that High School rules have some difference that those of OBR. They do not know about the FED.