Covid baseball management clarity needed

[ousafe]

Due to covid, all leagues (HS & summer) here are saying that the defense uses only their own baseballs. Umpires do not touch baseballs.

Which leads me to - what happens if the defense changes out the ball for a pitcher w/o getting time first, and a runner is on base...maybe taking the opportunity to run?

I have some ideas about what I'd do, but would love some sage advice from you experienced guys.  Coach interference seems only to cover offensive coach scenarios.

 

[Recontra]

Most new balls are coming in on a dead ball (foul, ball out of play, pitcher goes hand to mouth to ball). I think if a pitcher just wants a new ball, I'd see it's pretty obvious what he's doing and why, and if a runner took off while he's mid-stride throwing the ball to the dugout (dead ball territory), I'd call Time! before the runner got very far. Games are slow enough already with Covid protocols. Just my two cents.

[SeeingEyeDog]

This is a fantastic question and has been a bit of a thorn during COVID baseball.

As always, check with your assignors and or association leadership for direction...

Next consider the level of play and the environment. Is this a 13U regular season game? Or is this an 18U tournament or talent showcase?

My crews and I have been telling coaches at plate meetings, especially on wet or muddy fields to please tell their pitchers to step off properly, ask for time and wait for time to be granted...then change out the baseball with their coach. I pre-game with my crew that we will kill the ball preemptively when we see a ball exchange beginning without asking and receiving time but, we don't tell coaches that because we want to foster proper pitcher procedures.

In a tournament or showcase environment, this is a question to be asked and FULLY clarified by the tournament director. However they want it called, tell the coaches that and call that. I can't imagine having to give base awards because a kid threw a live ball into the dugout on a baseball exchange under COVID protocols where umpires are not handling baseballs but, that would be the correct rule interpretation.

Also, we should still be inspecting balls periodically for cuts or imperfections as we were when handling baseball. That can still be done visually.

~Dawg

[LRZ]

Absent clear directives, use CSAFP.