FED quick pitch

[kylehutson]

NFHS varsity game tonight. R2.

Don't remember the count, but it wasn't a new batter. Immediately following the previous pitch, the batter steps one foot out and is still taking a sign from his coach when F1 (who has been working fast) begins his pitching motion. I stopped it with a loud "no pitch".

So far so good.

My reading of 6-1-1 is that this is an illegal pitch and R2 should be sent to 3rd. My partner (who has been umpiring for many, many years and is well-respected in this area) tells, me it's just a "no pitch", R2 stays at 2nd, and we just reset. Is this because he wasn't "an attempt to catch a batter off balance", but just working too fast?

[maineump]

I would call a hold on (no pitch), and re-start. Pitcher has to wait for the batter, catcher and umpire. We have a lefty here that we have to slow down once in a while - works very fast. Same deal, not trying to catch anyone, just the way he pitches.

[ALStripes17]

My F2 would be getting a talking-to as well. "Help us both out here, let the batter get in the box before you give your pitch signals"

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

[scrounge]

You called time, so the potential quick pitch and subsequent violation never happened. But it's absolutely proper to warn the pitcher and - for all to hear - say if he does quick pitch, it WILL be a balk.

[ricka56]

Your choices are :
1. let F1 pitch and call a quick-pitch ball/balk...but it is dangerous to allow F1 to pitch without B looking.
2. prevent the dangerous situation by calling TIME before pitch delivery. It alerts F1 not to pitch and warns B to look out. The calling of TIME negates the quick-pitch balk penalty.

[kylehutson]

Got it. Thanks fellas!

[maven]

39 minutes ago, scrounge said:

You called time, so the potential quick pitch and subsequent violation never happened. But it's absolutely proper to warn the pitcher and - for all to hear - say if he does quick pitch, it WILL be a balk.

From what he reports, I don't think he did call time, I think he said, "no pitch!" But we should call time and step out to the side opposite the batter. Then say no pitch. Then warn: but I'd say something like, "Make sure you wait till he's ready," and not include a threatened sanction (I like to keep my game management options open). As others have mentioned, I will also definitely talk to F2 about this, as he typically controls the pace of the battery.

For future reference, if he does quick-pitch after this kind of warning, that happens as soon as he starts his motion to pitch. We can still kill it quickly: no need to wait until the ball is on its way with the batter not looking. If we kill it big, we can usually prevent the pitch. An illegal pitch is a balk with runners on; otherwise, add a ball to the batter's count (even if F1 does not deliver the pitch).

[ElkOil]

I agree with what everyone is saying if this were a JV or freshman game. But for varsity? Call a balk. I did this same exact thing this past Sunday at a Select ball game (14U) and didn't hear a peep about it from anyone.

[ricka56]

6 hours ago, ElkOil said:

I agree with what everyone is saying if this were a JV or freshman game. But for varsity? Call a balk. I did this same exact thing this past Sunday at a Select ball game (14U) and didn't hear a peep about it from anyone.

Did you let a select ball F1 deliver a pitch with the batter looking away ? IMO that would be irresponsible. Or did you balk him when he began his pitch motion (prior to pitch delivery) ? The rule prohibits the quick-pitch (delivery is the OBR wording ... Fed doesn't say delivery). I don't think you have a quick-pitch until it is delivered. 

[noumpere]

7 hours ago, ElkOil said:

I agree with what everyone is saying if this were a JV or freshman game. But for varsity? Call a balk. I did this same exact thing this past Sunday at a Select ball game (14U) and didn't hear a peep about it from anyone.

I stop this in varsity, college, summer semi-pro, etc.

 

Only once in my xx years have I had to call a quick pitch -- and that was when some dumb f*** didn't listen.

[maven]

2 minutes ago, noumpere said:

I stop this in varsity, college, summer semi-pro, etc.

Only once in my xx years have I had to call a quick pitch -- and that was when some dumb f*** didn't listen.

Me too. I've never called a quick pitch in your xx years.

[ElkOil]

3 hours ago, ricka56 said:

Did you let a select ball F1 deliver a pitch with the batter looking away ? IMO that would be irresponsible. Or did you balk him when he began his pitch motion (prior to pitch delivery) ? The rule prohibits the quick-pitch (delivery is the OBR wording ... Fed doesn't say delivery). I don't think you have a quick-pitch until it is delivered. 

As the batter was stepping in, the pitcher started his delivery. I called time but F1 threw. Then I called the balk.

[maven]

13 minutes ago, ElkOil said:

As the batter was stepping in, the pitcher started his delivery. I called time but F1 threw. Then I called the balk.

Maybe kill it sooner and harder next time?

Ultimately, this is on F1.

[ElkOil]

2 hours ago, noumpere said:

I stop this in varsity, college, summer semi-pro, etc.

 

Only once in my xx years have I had to call a quick pitch -- and that was when some dumb f*** didn't listen.

How do you pronounce your user name?

[maven]

8 minutes ago, ElkOil said:

How do you pronounce your user name?

It's Middle English: pronounce it however you want!

[ElkOil]

1 minute ago, maven said:

It's Middle English: pronounce it however you want!

What, is he a hobbit or something?

[maven]

Just now, ElkOil said:

What, is he a hobbit or something?

By the dog, man: Middle English, not Middle Earth!

[noumpere]

16 minutes ago, maven said:

It's Middle English: pronounce it however you want!

While we were no longer called by that name when I started, I worked with some who remembered when we were. 

[noumpere]

16 minutes ago, ElkOil said:

What, is he a hobbit or something?

Given the two choices, I'll take "something,"

[ricka56]

54 minutes ago, ElkOil said:

As the batter was stepping in, the pitcher started his delivery. I called time but F1 threw. Then I called the balk.

So you called a balk when the ball was dead ??? I don't think you can do that. 

[ElkOil]

6 minutes ago, ricka56 said:

So you called a balk when the ball was dead ??? I don't think you can do that. 

So "Time! That's a balk!" isn't something you do?

[ricka56]

5 minutes ago, ElkOil said:

So "Time! That's a balk!" isn't something you do?

no, no, no...you said that F1 threw, so you called balk. Would you have balked him if he didn't throw ? 

[ElkOil]

2 minutes ago, ricka56 said:

no, no, no...you said he threw, so you called balk. Would you have balked him if he didn't throw ? 

Of course! He can't stop his delivery without balking.

[ricka56]

7 minutes ago, ElkOil said:

Of course! He can't stop his delivery without balking.

But you called TIME ... everything that happens after you say TIME is nothing. So there can't any delivery or any failure to deliver...anything that happens is nothing. By rule it can't be a balk.  

[ElkOil]

Just now, ricka56 said:

But you called TIME ... everything that happens after you say TIME is nothing. So there isn't any delivery or any failure to deliver. By rule it can't be a balk.  

My narrative broke down the action to its fundamental components.  When the pitcher started his motion before the batter was ready, I had determined this to be a balk. So it may be more accurate to say that as I was saying "Time! That's a balk!" he delivered.