Special State Rule

[TNCoach]

Rule: "A pitcher may pitch no more than twelve innings in any one calendar week (Sunday through Saturday) and no more than seven innings in any one day. After pitching four or more innings in any one game, the pitcher must have at least two days rest before he or she can pitch again. (For example, if a pitcher pitches four or more innings any time on Monday, that pitcher would not be able to pitch again until Thursday, etc. If a pitcher pitches to any batter, the pitcher is charged with an inning.) If removed as a pitcher, the player may play any other position."

No penalty is stated for not following the rule.

Situation: FED rules. League is not member of state body and not held to the state's rules. The league has certain state rules that they do not follow, but they follow this rule. HC is newbie that was put in position just before the year, and did not receive note of the special rules. VC is a seasoned coach.

Through 7 innings, both starting pitchers pitch the full 7 innings. The HC (having not received the rule) sends out his starting pitcher to pitch the 8th. The VC nor the umpire say anything. The pitcher walks the leadoff on 4 straight balls. The HC pulls the pitcher. The reliever retires the side.

Questions: What would have been the penalty (none is mentioned in the rule. It just states you cannot do that.) had the illegal pitcher been discovered prior to his being removed? Secondly, what would have happened had something been said after he removed? The home team received no benefit from him pitching illegally as he walked the batter. Would anything have changed had the batter struck out?

[Rich Ives]

Rule: "A pitcher may pitch no more than twelve innings in any one calendar week (Sunday through Saturday) and no more than seven innings in any one day. After pitching four or more innings in any one game, the pitcher must have at least two days rest before he or she can pitch again. (For example, if a pitcher pitches four or more innings any time on Monday, that pitcher would not be able to pitch again until Thursday, etc. If a pitcher pitches to any batter, the pitcher is charged with an inning.) If removed as a pitcher, the player may play any other position."

No penalty is stated for not following the rule.

Situation: FED rules. League is not member of state body and not held to the state's rules. The league has certain state rules that they do not follow, but they follow this rule. HC is newbie that was put in position just before the year, and did not receive note of the special rules. VC is a seasoned coach.

Through 7 innings, both starting pitchers pitch the full 7 innings. The HC (having not received the rule) sends out his starting pitcher to pitch the 8th. The VC nor the umpire say anything. The pitcher walks the leadoff on 4 straight balls. The HC pulls the pitcher. The reliever retires the side.

Questions: What would have been the penalty (none is mentioned in the rule. It just states you cannot do that.) had the illegal pitcher been discovered prior to his being removed? Secondly, what would have happened had something been said after he removed? The home team received no benefit from him pitching illegally as he walked the batter. Would anything have changed had the batter struck out?

So they don't have a penalty and you want us to invent one for you? And have it be enforcable?

[semper_fi_72]

Can't invent a penalty for it.

Suggest you go back to the folks who wrote it and ask them what it is or you may never know.

[yawetag]

Questions: What would have been the penalty (none is mentioned in the rule. It just states you cannot do that.) had the illegal pitcher been discovered prior to his being removed? Secondly, what would have happened had something been said after he removed? The home team received no benefit from him pitching illegally as he walked the batter. Would anything have changed had the batter struck out?

In my experience, pitching rules are enforced through protests.

If a coach comes to me and states a pitcher has violated the rule, especially one that encompasses a mandatory rest or max innings per week, I advise him that I would mark the game as a protest, but that there's nothing I could do at the game, simply because I don't have proof the rule was broken.

This situation is a little different -- it's obvious the pitcher was in for more than 7 innings, as it was all in your game. Is this a rule that involves you to step in and force the pitcher to be replaced? Who knows -- the rules don't have a penalty for violation of the rule.

I would stick with my idea to wait on a protest from the other coach.

[TNCoach]

I am not asking to invent. I am just asking what should have happened when there is no rule. A local umpire I asked who is part of the association said that when a player is found in this instance, he was advised to remove the player from the position and go on.

[TNCoach]

I am wondering because there are other rules that have no penalty.

[JaxRolo]

In this situation I agree with what others have said. Protest. Around here we are told to play on. We dont keep track of innings pitched. Even if its obvious. If a coach says something I may try to see if the Director is available. If not the I would tell the coach to protest.

[mstaylor]

I'm with Jax, take the protest, remove him and go on. This is assuming the umpire knows the rule. If you aren't aware of the pitching rule or it is a violation that involves a previous game, just take the protest.

[Rich Ives]

I am not asking to invent. I am just asking what should have happened when there is no rule. A local umpire I asked who is part of the association said that when a player is found in this instance, he was advised to remove the player from the position and go on.

And we've been trying to nicely say "How the he!! should we know?"

There's no penalty specified.

No penalty means no penalty.

Write a local rule without thinking it through and this is what happens. Go the the league and tell them it needs fixing.

Other rules with no penalty mean you tell the offender to stop doing whatever. If they refuse you eject them. No additional punidshment would be legal. Some of them you even ignore.

[mazzamouth]

Umpires have nothing to do with keeping track or enforcing this pitching rule, this is for the schools AD to take up... I know a school in Northern cali lost a semi playoff of game cause there pitchers went 2/3 of a Inning to long.