Pitcher Hat flies off on every pitch

[Kyle Flanagan]

Using HFHS rules, what can be done (if anything) when pitcher loses his hat on every pitch.  Coach came and said it was distraction to his batters when the pitchers hat flies off on every pitch.  I get it, it was annoying as anything but did not think there was any rule to fix the situation.  

[Senor Azul]

The issue raised about the pitcher not being able to keep his cap on is covered in 2019 case play 10.2.3C—

10.2.3 SITUATION C F1’s cap frequently falls off his head and in the umpire’s judgment, it is either distracting to the batter or delaying the game. RULING: The umpire shall instruct the defensive team’s coach that F1’s cap must be secured. If this situation is not corrected, F1 will be removed as pitcher.

[SeeingEyeDog]

Hats flying off pitchers can also be distracting to umpires...

If there is a distracting situation for an umpire by the pitcher, we can also address that whether it's a distraction for a batter or not.

~Dawg

[LMSANS]

I feel the need to point out that "distracting" is in the eye of the umpire.

 

[boyinr]

I wasn't much of a player back in my youth but, if the pitchers hat falling off is distracting to you, you might be looking at wrong thing.    

[maven]

We don't need to rely on "distracting." The rules require players to wear their uniforms and equipment properly. That pitcher isn't.

There's no penalty, he just can't play until it's addressed.

[beerguy55]

1 hour ago, boyinr said:

I wasn't much of a player back in my youth but, if the pitchers hat falling off is distracting to you, you might be looking at wrong thing.    

Depends...same principle as to what color sleeves the pitcher wears, and in some ball parks, what the center field wall looks like...it's hard enough to hit a baseball (and I was pretty damned good at it) without something fluttering behind it making it harder to see/pick up/stay with it.

[SeeingEyeDog]

I'll also add this...it's bad optics when a coach calls something to the attention of an umpire and they make a ruling in the favor of the asking coach.

I'm not saying you should be sent to the 8th Circle of Hades for doing it. I'm not saying I have never done it. I'm just saying it's bad optics.

~Dawg