stupid question (im pretty sure) about pitching regulations

[th3]

a coach who i have now and again is a good guy and a real rules junkie. He umped before he started coaching and reads the rules book and is pretty knowledgable and likes to talk rules (before the game, for example). Yesteday he tells me that in OBR, the pitcher who is in the windup position cannot switch the the set, even after leagally disengaging. He cited this rule Rule 8.01(a)

 

From the Windup Position, the pitcher may:
(1) deliver the ball to the batter, or
(2) step and throw to a base in an attempt to pick-off a runner, or
(3) disengage the rubber (if he does he must drop his hand to his sides).
In disengaging the rubber the pitcher must step off with his pivot foot and not his free foot first.
He may not go into a set or stretch positionif he does it is a balk.

 

He also pointed out the FED specifically contains wording that allows it (After the pitcher has placed his pivot foot clearly behind the plate, he has the right to change to the set position or throw or feint to a base the same as that of any infielder) and is convined that the OBR wording means that he can not go to the set after engaging in the windup. I explained that the working was just differentiating netween the things he COULD do and the things he could not, but he was far from convinced...It certainly wouldn't be the 1st time that i was wrong about something that i thought i was sure about, so i wanted to ask the experts...

 

 

 

 

[UmpJM]

Once the pitcher legally disengages, he is free to switch from windup to set, or vice versa.

 

Same all codes.

 

JM

[maven]

The OBR sentence to which he refers does not modify the previous sentence (and that's stylistically odd, since it appears immediately after it). Rather, the point is to state something he cannot do from the windup position, namely change into the set. Think of it this way: once he disengages, he is no longer in the windup position, and so any restrictions that apply to the windup no longer apply. maven

[dumbdumb]

So, he is basically trying to tell you that once you select the style (windup or set) you are going to use, you are locked into that style no matter what???

Wrong.

He wants to read it that way so he gets that stolen base no matter what if he has a runner on the base and the pitcher messes up by going to the windup position. He does not want him to be able to correct that initial mistake. This would make that steal very easy for his runner if the pitcher was now forced to use the windup.

 

Think of it like this. If the 3rd baseman switches to play first and momentarily (as soon as he gets there) forgets to yell for the dugout to bring his 1st baseman's glove, he is allowed to call time and have someone bring the new glove out. He is not forced to use the 3rd base glove for one play before he can ask for time to get the new glove.

[johnnyg08]

a coach who i have now and again is a good guy and a real rules junkie. He umped before he started coaching and reads the rules book and is pretty knowledgable and likes to talk rules (before the game, for example). Yesteday he tells me that in OBR, the pitcher who is in the windup position cannot switch the the set, even after leagally disengaging. He cited this rule Rule 8.01(a)

 

From the Windup Position, the pitcher may:

(1) deliver the ball to the batter, or

(2) step and throw to a base in an attempt to pick-off a runner, or

(3) disengage the rubber (if he does he must drop his hand to his sides).

In disengaging the rubber the pitcher must step off with his pivot foot and not his free foot first.

He may not go into a set or stretch positionif he does it is a balk.

 

He also pointed out the FED specifically contains wording that allows it (After the pitcher has placed his pivot foot clearly behind the plate, he has the right to change to the set position or throw or feint to a base the same as that of any infielder) and is convined that the OBR wording means that he can not go to the set after engaging in the windup. I explained that the working was just differentiating netween the things he COULD do and the things he could not, but he was far from convinced...It certainly wouldn't be the 1st time that i was wrong about something that i thought i was sure about, so i wanted to ask the experts...

 

 

When you get a chance, ask him how often he's gotten away with that game.

[noumpere]

a coach who i have now and again is a good guy and a real rules junkie. He umped before he started coaching and reads the rules book and is pretty knowledgable and likes to talk rules (before the game, for example). Yesteday he tells me that in OBR, the pitcher who is in the windup position cannot switch the the set, even after leagally disengaging. He cited this rule Rule 8.01(a)

 

From the Windup Position, the pitcher may:

(1) deliver the ball to the batter, or

(2) step and throw to a base in an attempt to pick-off a runner, or

(3) disengage the rubber (if he does he must drop his hand to his sides).

In disengaging the rubber the pitcher must step off with his pivot foot and not his free foot first.

He may not go into a set or stretch positionif he does it is a balk.

 

 

All of that applies "from the windup position."  Once the pitcher does one of the three things allowed hes no longer "in the windup position"  So the prohibition on going to the set does not apply any longer.

[th3]

of course...i just wanted to be 10000% sure...and this guy (as hard as it may be for some of you to believe) had no rat intentions...just a rules-hound