"quick pitch"

[RBIbaseball]

So 6-1-1 mentions "the pitcher shall not make a quick-return pitch in attempt to catch the batter off balance." 

The penalty after 6-1-1 through 6-1-3 says "the ball is dead immediately when an illegal pitch occurs... [ball or balk]"

So that means every statement in art. 1-3 = parameters for an illegal pitch? Because 6-2-1 that defines illegal acts doesn't list many of these.

 

Anyways, If a pitcher "quick pitches" I'm well within my rights to call an illegal pitch and award a ball, correct?

 

 

I had an instance where I was working with the most veteran/respected umpire in my region, who said I made up that penalty. And that all I should have done is call time and tell him to slow down.

 

For context, my preventive measures have avoided this call for 4 years now and this was the first time I ever called an illegal pitch with no runners on. New pitcher in the 6th inning, and I had signaled to the pitcher the batter before to slow down and let the batter get set because he was moving unfairly fast, imo, but nothing egregious. The next batter had 1 foot in 1 foot out and was taking a sign and the instant his foot hit the box the pitcher was half way through his windup. I called it and awarded a ball. A fan in the crowd said he'd never seen the call in 30 years, lol 

 

Was I correct in assessing a penalty here? Or had I misinterpreted 6-1-1 penalty all along?

 

When I pressed my colleague about it on the way to the car and mentioned I'm gonna have to look it up cause I swore it was a thing. He said, "well even if it is a rule, you should never call that". Kinda seemed like he was backpedaling his criticism, but maybe there is wisdom to that being a tricky tack call that should never be made, idk, thoughts?

 

 

[JonnyCat]

With no runners on, a quick pitch is a ball to the batter. With runners on, it's a balk.

See case play 6.1.3 Situation J in the case book (2023 version). It clarifies what to call.

[jimurrayalterego]

8 minutes ago, JonnyCat said:

With no runners on, a quick pitch is a ball to the batter. With runners on, it's a balk.

See case play 6.1.3 Situation J in the case book (2023 version). It clarifies what to call.

The question is was there a delivery or did he stop the pitcher. Most of us will warn if there is no pitch. If we don't get him stopped for whatever reason I'll enforce the penalty.

[Velho]

1 hour ago, RBIbaseball said:

A fan in the crowd said he'd never seen the call in 30 years, lol 

Nice. They should watch more baseball. Vitello had another conniption over this just the other day. It's also been a significant thing recently with the advent of the pitch clocks.

 

If F1 threw, I have it as a good call.

I'm not a big fan of the "well even if it is a rule, you should never call that" concept - especially a safety rule.

[JonnyCat]

27 minutes ago, jimurrayalterego said:

The question is was there a delivery or did he stop the pitcher. Most of us will warn if there is no pitch. If we don't get him stopped for whatever reason I'll enforce the penalty.

Agreed.

I was answering the question based on what is the penalty for a quick pitch. Yes, I will also stop the pitcher if I can, and have done so many times.

Thanks for the additional clarification.

[noumpere]

2 hours ago, RBIbaseball said:

New pitcher in the 6th inning, and I had signaled to the pitcher the batter before to slow down and let the batter get set because he was moving unfairly fast, imo, but nothing egregious.

 

Use the catcher.  Tell him that you like the pitcher working fast, but F2 needs to not give the signals until the batter is in the box.  Then, when you see it happening, you can just quietly tell F2 to wait.

[RBIbaseball]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm relived to hear I wasn't misinterpreting the rule itself. I totally forgot to look for the case play. I'm sure I have read that before.

 

However I may not be out of the woods yet.

 

When I called it the pitcher did not throw the ball. I'll do my best to explain the sequence:

 

1. Batter 1 foot out of box taking sign. As batter picks up that foot to come back to the box, pitcher starts delivery with rocker step.

2. Batter lands in the box, looking at the plate presumably to ensure his foot positioning. Pitcher now adjusting his pivot foot.

3. Batter looks up (he was very quick to "be ready" in all fairness) as pitcher is lifting lead leg to step home and throw.

4. I simultaneously call time as batter gives the pitcher a wtf look. Pitcher maintains ball in hand as he stepped to the plate, preventing himself from releasing the ball.

5. I award a ball.

[RBIbaseball]

6 minutes ago, noumpere said:

Use the catcher.  Tell him that you like the pitcher working fast, but F2 needs to not give the signals until the batter is in the box.  Then, when you see it happening, you can just quietly tell F2 to wait.

I have used this technique in the past. However I didn't this time 

 

After three very quick deliveries to the previous batter (no complaints from batter), I signaled to the pitcher visually (both palms down, and mimed "slow down", then pointing to the box and mimed a batter getting set). He clearly understood what I told him, because the next two pitchers he waited an extra 3 or 4 seconds.

 

Next batter, first chance he gets on the 2nd pitch, he does it again, except this time it is egregiously early.

[The Man in Blue]

2 hours ago, jimurrayalterego said:

The question is was there a delivery or did he stop the pitcher. Most of us will warn if there is no pitch. If we don't get him stopped for whatever reason I'll enforce the penalty.

 

This has been my M.O.  I only see this in middle school season, and occasionally at a summer tournament (I don't often work lower levels, so not often).

Guess I need to award more balls with the egregious repeat offenders, it will get the point across quicker.

I would say under NFHS, we should be stopping and awarding the ball (since balks are dead).