Warm up pitches

[Umpire in Chief]

Somebody asked me this question

F1 & F2 rush out b/t innings. Catcher stands up behind the plate and the pitcher is on the mound but not engaged and they quickly toss 5-6 throws with each other, then the catcher puts his helmet on and squats and the pitcher engages and throws his 5 warm up pitches. The first time my friend by surprise, the second time he timed it and it was all less than a minute. So he asks me if those first throws should be counted for his warm up pitches.

My reply was no. If the pitcher was not engaged then we can't call them warm up pitches. And as long as they didn't delay the game all was good. I told him I did not see the difference between that and the pitcher tossing with the 3rd baseman waiting for the catcher to come out. As long as we don't exceed the minute we're all good.

Did I mislead my friend?

[scrounge]

They wouldn't be pitches during live ball action, I don't see why you'd count them as such during warmups, provided they met the time limits.

[johnnyg08]

I feel like you mislead. Those are warm up throws IMO.

I'd be happy to stand corrected though.

I had a warm up F1 come in out of the pen, proceed to throw 7 throws to F2 from the side of the mound, I told him he had one left and he stated that those didn't count b/c he wasn't on the rubber. In as many words, but not a quote, I said BS and he threw throw #8 to F2 who threw it down and we started.

If that was the case, why wouldn't everybody do it?

The game is over 100 years old, certainly this can't be a newly discovered loop hole.

[Rich Ives]

It IS 5 (FED) or 8 (OBR) not to exceed one minute. It is NOT as many as you can in one minute.

Tell F2 "nice try - throw it down".

[Jimurray]

FED, This year, in Texas, emphasized that any throw by the pitcher counted against the five ( or eight). Sometimes we will say: Hey, those count, get on the rubber."

[carolinablue]

I will let them know the first time that it counts as a warm-up pitch. After that it's up to them if they want to keep doing it.

[BT_Blue]

If this happens in my games I ask F2 if he understands those count against his 8 or 5? Usually they will yell at F1 to get on the rubber and warm up normal or tell me "yes, he just likes to warm up that way".

[love2ump]

Yes those count i give no breathing room when it comes to that and getting the game moving.

[scrounge]

After further reflection, I agree that these should count against the limit. :)

[Minnz]

By FED rule any type of throw counts. If he tosses 5 to F5 or F2 or F3 all count towards his limit.

[zm1283]

These are warmup pitches without a doubt. Let him throw his five and get the game moving.