Illegal Pitch

[Jeff C.]

I was watching a recent varsity high school game and the BU called an illegal pitch.  There was a runner on first base.  Should this have been called a balk or am I missing something?  Runner was left on first base.  Not one peep from anyone.  I'm not even sure they added a ball to the count. 

[maven]

What makes you think that the call was an illegal pitch? Did the umpires confer and perhaps change the call?

 

There's no such animal as an illegal pitch with no penalty. Some "infractions" the pitcher might commit have no penalty, but an illegal pitch is not among them. I'd guess the BU called one of those an "illegal pitch," it was fixed, and there was no penalty beyond telling F1, "don't do that."

 

Either that or they BLEW THE CALL!!

[grayhawk]

If he went to his mouth without wiping off before engaging the rubber, it's an illegal pitch (not a balk) even with runners.

[Mad Mike]

They could have a warning under OBR 8.02 on the first violation. Thereafter, you penalize.

[Jeff C.]

Well Maven, the BU pretty much bellowed "Illegal Pitch"!  They didn't confer but it's possible the count was fixed and I missed it.

[Jeff C.]

@ Grayhawk,  this is what I think happened.  I'll have to revisit that section of the rulebook so I understand it better.

[Jeff C.]

@ Maven, the BU was fairly loud when he called it.  But there was no conference.

[bluejerred]

Could have been softball umpires filling in...