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What are the rules on the intentional walking of a batter in high school softball?
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1. Pitcher must pitch - you cant just put them on.
2. Catcher must remain in the catcher's box until after the pitch has been released.
2. Catcher must remain in the catcher's box until after the pitch has been released.
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ok...thanks!! This just means that both of these rules were broken this weekend during the same game this weekend. Both of those things happened to the same batter and I guess the umpire was not aware of these rules!
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You might be lucky, I have seen some pitchers just Drill the batter with a fastball if they want her on base.
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the pitcher got drilled with a line drive. This is why they would not pitch to the batter. This is the first time in my life i have seen this with fastpitch softball. Interesting!!!! a big
compliment to the batter!!! They tried to walk her with throwing junk to her with the bases loaded and she cleared the bases!!!
compliment to the batter!!! They tried to walk her with throwing junk to her with the bases loaded and she cleared the bases!!!
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Still are required to pitch to her, even it's so far outside that it can't be hit (maybe a little further out than the previous time).travelsec said:
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the first time they decided to walk her, no pitches, the coach walked her down, the second time is when she cleared the bases, the third time, the catcher stood way outside the box and took 4 pitches. When the other team decided to do this, they advised the umpire and the umpire went over to the batters coaches to advise that the next time she was up, this is what they were going to do. He agreed to it.
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If I'm on offense, I'm saying sorry about your luck, rule says you have to pitch and the catcher must remain in the catcher's box until the pitch. Doesn't preclude the pitch-out/walk, but let's do it according to the rule book.
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I'd be curious to know if this game was played in a district that trains their high school baseball and softball umpire in the same class.
I know that many of the smaller districts in the state do this. In the Central district (Columbus metro area) the OHSAA baseball and softball umpire classes are completely separate. They have different classes, meetings, testing, evaluators, scheduling, etc.
The reason I wonder about this is that intentional walks, without throwing a pitch, are allowed in high school baseball.
One other note on the catcher's box. Though it may have looked like the catcher was standing out of the box, the softball catcher's box is pretty darn wide. In fact, it is as wide as the two outer-most lines of the left and right batter's boxes (8 feet 5 inches).
A catcher can be well off the plate, standing behind and to the far edge of the opposite (empty) batter's box and still be within the catcher's box.
I know that many of the smaller districts in the state do this. In the Central district (Columbus metro area) the OHSAA baseball and softball umpire classes are completely separate. They have different classes, meetings, testing, evaluators, scheduling, etc.
The reason I wonder about this is that intentional walks, without throwing a pitch, are allowed in high school baseball.
One other note on the catcher's box. Though it may have looked like the catcher was standing out of the box, the softball catcher's box is pretty darn wide. In fact, it is as wide as the two outer-most lines of the left and right batter's boxes (8 feet 5 inches).
A catcher can be well off the plate, standing behind and to the far edge of the opposite (empty) batter's box and still be within the catcher's box.
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the game was played in the columbus area.
i had commented that i had never seen an intentional walk in all of my years of fastpitch until this past weekend. i saw it again last night on a different batter against a different team.
maybe this is something that we will see much more often now.
i had commented that i had never seen an intentional walk in all of my years of fastpitch until this past weekend. i saw it again last night on a different batter against a different team.
maybe this is something that we will see much more often now.
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If the bases are loaded and you really wanted to intentionally walk someone, why not roll the ball wide of the outside batter's box to the catcher? If the batter stepped over to hit it (why in anyone's right mind would you do this?), she would be out of the batters box and an easy out. The runners cannot advance, unless the catcher is out to lunch and lets the ball roll right on by. And your pitcher doesn't get drilled. End result, one run scored, bases are still loaded.
Or, just do 4 illegal pitch moves in a row-just don't release the ball. Bretman will have to help me but I do not beleive that there are balks in fastpitch.
Or, just do 4 illegal pitch moves in a row-just don't release the ball. Bretman will have to help me but I do not beleive that there are balks in fastpitch.
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After further review, at least in NSA,
But what is the penalty?
You could use this:
So after the pitcher gets into position, just have the 1st or 3rd baseman walk into foul territory.
Or just have the pitcher hold on to the ball until the ump calls a ball for exceeding the time limit.
But what is the penalty?
You could use this:
So after the pitcher gets into position, just have the 1st or 3rd baseman walk into foul territory.
Or just have the pitcher hold on to the ball until the ump calls a ball for exceeding the time limit.
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Something is fishy in the Columbus area...
That you are seeing intentional walks issued without pitches being thrown amazes me. These are HIGH SCHOOL games? Played under NFHS/OHSAA rules?
If the offensive coach were to argue against this, he would have rock-solid case. If the rules say four pitches must be thrown, an umpire not requiring these four pitches is depriving the offense of opportunities to hit the ball, steal bases and advance on WP's or PB's.
But, hey, you where there. We'll have to take your word for it!
Wvanalmsick, the NSA rule is the same as ASA and NFHS for a pitcher intentionally rolling a ball to avoid the batter hitting it.
The penalty is an illegal pitch.
As for committing four illegal pitches in a row, depending on the circumstances sourrounding the play, and the umpire behind the plate, that might not be a good idea.
If the pitcher is willfully violating a pitching requirement, repeatedly and in an effort to walk a batter, and has been warned not to do this, she just might be ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct before she ever reaches "ball four".
Best to just stick your catcher in the far corner of the catcher's box and have your pitcher throw well outside.
PS: Just like "there is no crying in baseball", there are no "balks" in softball. The word "balk" does not appear in the softball rule books. The near-equivalent is the "illegal pitch".
That you are seeing intentional walks issued without pitches being thrown amazes me. These are HIGH SCHOOL games? Played under NFHS/OHSAA rules?
If the offensive coach were to argue against this, he would have rock-solid case. If the rules say four pitches must be thrown, an umpire not requiring these four pitches is depriving the offense of opportunities to hit the ball, steal bases and advance on WP's or PB's.
But, hey, you where there. We'll have to take your word for it!
Wvanalmsick, the NSA rule is the same as ASA and NFHS for a pitcher intentionally rolling a ball to avoid the batter hitting it.
The penalty is an illegal pitch.
As for committing four illegal pitches in a row, depending on the circumstances sourrounding the play, and the umpire behind the plate, that might not be a good idea.
If the pitcher is willfully violating a pitching requirement, repeatedly and in an effort to walk a batter, and has been warned not to do this, she just might be ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct before she ever reaches "ball four".
Best to just stick your catcher in the far corner of the catcher's box and have your pitcher throw well outside.
PS: Just like "there is no crying in baseball", there are no "balks" in softball. The word "balk" does not appear in the softball rule books. The near-equivalent is the "illegal pitch".
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Why not just play the game. ? ? ?? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
She deserves to have an at bat - I love how players are punished for being good??? ?
Plain and simple, if you are cheating or "bending the rules" to win, you are not a winner, you are a cheater.
Not being mean, just truthful.
She deserves to have an at bat - I love how players are punished for being good??? ?
Plain and simple, if you are cheating or "bending the rules" to win, you are not a winner, you are a cheater.
Not being mean, just truthful.
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crazyforsball:
You are kidding, aren't you? If you were coaching on defense and there was a runner on second with first base open and a batter who you know to have 10 or more home runs and 15 or more RBI's, would you really pitch in the zone to her?
You are kidding, aren't you? If you were coaching on defense and there was a runner on second with first base open and a batter who you know to have 10 or more home runs and 15 or more RBI's, would you really pitch in the zone to her?
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If you're playing a game where intentional walks are allowed, then the intentional walk becomes part of a viable coaching strategy.
If you feel that giving up that walk will increase your team's chances of winning, then by all means you ARE "just playing the game"- and playing to win!
An intentional walk is not cheating! It is allowed in the rules, so how can it be bending the rules?
(I am talking about a legitimate four-pitch intentional walk, not the "automatic"/no pitch walk being addressed earlier. But if the "automatic" walk is allowed under your rule set, it too is a viable strategy.)
If you feel that giving up that walk will increase your team's chances of winning, then by all means you ARE "just playing the game"- and playing to win!
An intentional walk is not cheating! It is allowed in the rules, so how can it be bending the rules?
(I am talking about a legitimate four-pitch intentional walk, not the "automatic"/no pitch walk being addressed earlier. But if the "automatic" walk is allowed under your rule set, it too is a viable strategy.)
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what would be the difference?
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Forcing the pitcher to throw four balls does a few things:
#1 There is the possibility of a WP or PB which can be huge with runners on base.
#2 There is the possibility of a "mistake" pitch which could potentially be a big hit.
#3 It's four more pitches of wear and tear on the pitcher which could be a factor later in the game - this is remote, but is a factor in a tight game that could go to extra innings.
#1 There is the possibility of a WP or PB which can be huge with runners on base.
#2 There is the possibility of a "mistake" pitch which could potentially be a big hit.
#3 It's four more pitches of wear and tear on the pitcher which could be a factor later in the game - this is remote, but is a factor in a tight game that could go to extra innings.
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I have seen the pitcher just throw and hit the batter. And that is part of the game also.
It's probably just best to accept the intentional walk.
It's probably just best to accept the intentional walk.
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one of the batters is also a pitcher. i will say no more.
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