Is there a rule on this at any code?

[SavoyBG]

Today I had a situation in a high school game that I don't think is covered anywhere in the rule book. I know I did the right thing because this has been covered before at meetings here, but I don't think there's anything in the rule book to back it up.

Defensive head coach calls time to go to the mound. As he is walking to the mound his backup catcher brings out a plate and a ball and and throws the ball to the first baseman, and sets up the plate on the ground in live ball territory in foul ground between first base and the dugout. They were gonna have the first baseman throw a few warmup pitches to this catcher while the coach was having his conference, but I stopped them before any throws were taken. The coach argued that there was no rule against it. I told him that this has been discussed before by our interpreters and it is not allowed.

An inning later he told me that if his players were not stupid that they would have thrown a few pitches while he and I were arguing about whether they could do this.

Is this covered anywhere in any rule book or case book, or is it just 10.3.g in Federation?

 

 

 

 

[Senor Azul]

2014 NFHS Baseball Rules Interpretations SITUATION 11: As the head coach moves to the pitching mound for a defensive conference, he tosses a baseball to his third baseman and has him take warm-up throws with another player to get ready to pitch. RULING: A team cannot have a fielder, in the game, throw a baseball for the purpose of warming up as a pitcher, during a defensive conference or a pitching change. If a team desires to warm up a player in the game to prepare him to pitch, it would need to take him out of the game to warm up and then later re-enter him under the substitution rule. (3-4-1)

[Senor Azul]

2006 NFHS Baseball Rules Interpretations SITUATION 10: Coach of Team A requests and is granted time for a defensive charged conference. As he goes to the mound to talk with his pitcher, he tosses a ball to his third baseman and tells him to begin warming up with his shortstop in case he is needed to pitch. The coach leaves the mound without removing the pitcher. RULING: This is not allowed. A charged conference permits a coach or his non-playing representative to confer with a defensive player or players but does not permit any warm-up pitches by a player who is not the pitcher. (3-4-1)

[SavoyBG]

Thank you senor!

[Kevin_K]

Note to self.... make sure that if I am assigned to any games with @SavoyBG I am prepared for third world situations. 

[SavoyBG]

2 hours ago, Kevin_K said:

Note to self.... make sure that if I am assigned to any games with @SavoyBG I am prepared for third world situations. 

LOL

[blue23ll]

He actually brought out a plate? Wow

[maven]

12 hours ago, SavoyBG said:

Is this covered anywhere in any rule book or case book, or is it just 10.3.g in Federation?

The answer to this question is, no, it's not in the books.

Both cited rules interpretations reference 3-4-1, which is the charged conference rule. The rule specifies who may request a conference, how many each team gets, and extra inning provisions.

The only thing that could plausibly ground the rules interpretations from 2006 and 2014 is the statement that the purpose of a charged conference is "to permit coaches or their non-playing representatives to confer with a defensive player or players." I guess FED interprets this clause exclusively: anything other than "conferring" is prohibited.

Of course, we know that's not entirely true: two fielders may play catch during a charged conference, as when a sub comes in and needs to warm up.

[SavoyBG]

40 minutes ago, maven said:

Of course, we know that's not entirely true: two fielders may play catch during a charged conference, as when a sub comes in and needs to warm up.

That's usually just during a pitching change. If it's just a conference without any changes you don't see it.

[johnnyg08]

Maybe not that play specifically but it is addressed in at least two places to cover other situations:

3.3.1 SITUATION KK:

During a charged conference, the coach or other bench personnel (a) hits or (b) throws fly balls to a substitute outfielder, F8.

RULING: Illegal in (a) and (b).

3-3-1i

ART. 1 . . . A coach, player, substitute, attendant or other bench personnel shall not:

i. be outside the designated dugout (bench) or bullpen area if not a batter, runner, on-deck batter, in the coach's box or one of the nine players on defense;

 

[Rich Ives]

1 hour ago, johnnyg08 said:

Maybe not that play specifically but it is addressed in at least two places to cover other situations:

3.3.1 SITUATION KK:

During a charged conference, the coach or other bench personnel (a) hits or (b) throws fly balls to a substitute outfielder, F8.

RULING: Illegal in (a) and (b).

3-3-1i

ART. 1 . . . A coach, player, substitute, attendant or other bench personnel shall not:

i. be outside the designated dugout (bench) or bullpen area if not a batter, runner, on-deck batter, in the coach's box or one of the nine players on defense;

 

•  

So he can throw the fly balls from the bullpen and it's OK?  Right? 

[johnnyg08]

19 minutes ago, Rich Ives said:

So he can throw the fly balls from the bullpen and it's OK?  Right? 

Good test case to litigate.