Offense using the step off rule to their advantage

[Richvee]

I had a couple scrimmages this week at a D3 school. They're working on this and it's pretty been fairly effective. 

Situation R3/R1. First or second pitch to next batter, F1 comes set, R1 will will make a start towards second, usually forcing F1 to step off. R1 quickly returns to 1B. (one reset)

Later in the AB, if the count gets to 3 balls, R1 will do it again, prompting F1 to step off again, or hesitate about stepping off because he knows he did once already. Yes, of course F1 could turn and throw and not violate the step off rule, but at least in these two games this week it put enough doubt in F1's head that he hesitated long enough that R1 was able to advance, or F1 would step off and run at R1, in which case R1 simply returned to 1B and ball 4 is awarded for the second step off. 

This team was also taking advantage of the clock not starting after a foul ball until the pitcher is on the rubber, F2 is in the box and the batter is ready. F1 would quickly come set when told "play". Now he's got 16-17 seconds he can stand there set and "freeze" a batter in an obvious attempt to have the batter off balance, or request time and use a conference (if they have any left).  Does anyone think If after this standoff goes on for 12-15 seconds and at that point the batter requested time it would be a legitimate reason? 

[Replacematt]

1 hour ago, Richvee said:

This team was also taking advantage of the clock not starting after a foul ball until the pitcher is on the rubber, F2 is in the box and the batter is ready. F1 would quickly come set when told "play". Now he's got 16-17 seconds he can stand there set and "freeze" a batter in an obvious attempt to have the batter off balance, or request time and use a conference (if they have any left).  Does anyone think If after this standoff goes on for 12-15 seconds and at that point the batter requested time it would be a legitimate reason? 

Nope.

The cool thing about the action clock is that it's self-enforcing. The pitcher gets 20 seconds to use as they see fit within the rules. The batter has 8-20 seconds to do what they want to. Once that clock gets to zero, that's when we do something.

There's also a simple way for the offense to keep this from happening--get in the box, but not ready to hit. This will start the 20-second clock and still prevent the pitcher from coming set until the batter is ready.

[grayhawk]

4 hours ago, Replacematt said:

There's also a simple way for the offense to keep this from happening--get in the box, but not ready to hit. This will start the 20-second clock and still prevent the pitcher from coming set until the batter is ready.

I've seen batters do this when F1 loves to work fast, and especially if he's already been warned for beginning his motion before the batter is ready to hit. This strategy is much easier to pull off with visible clocks, so the batter gets in the box and looks down until 9-10 seconds are left on the clock.

[Richvee]

Thanks guys. There is ways for teams to combat both these situations. What I witnessed was a team who understands the clock rules taking advantage of a team that did not fully understand their options to counteract. 

The base running works on younger teams and younger pitchers. All their lives playing, R1 /R3, R1 starts moving, they’ve been told “step off, step off!!”  
 

[SeeingEyeDog]

So once F1 has been warned, if they begin their delivery again before the batter is ready is that an illegal pitch (no runners) or a balk (w/runners)?

~Dawg

[grayhawk]

13 minutes ago, SeeingEyeDog said:

So once F1 has been warned, if they begin their delivery again before the batter is ready is that an illegal pitch (no runners) or a balk (w/runners)?

~Dawg

Each instance after the warning for THAT pitcher is a ball. Never a balk. Each pitcher can be warned once.