Pitching and Pitchers Discussion pitchers yelling before throwing pitch

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we faced a pitcher this weekend that was yelling hey just as she started her motion. it was not a grunt on the release it was at the start of her motion. is this legal. it did not effect are batters as we scored 23 runs. i was just wondering if it was legal or not. we were joking about having are batters and bench yell what.

 

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I am not an umpire, but I would say that this rule would apply:

NSA Definitions:

Sec. 40 OBSTRUCTION: Obstruction is the act of:
A defensive team member who hinders or impedes a batter?s attempt to make contact with a pitched ball, or who impedes the progress of a runner or batter-runner who is legally running the bases, unless the fielder is in possession of the ball or is fielding a batter ball. The act may be intentional or unintentional, physical, or verbal.

Now all you have to do is have the umpire agree with you. ?In your situation, I would have probably chosen another time to fall on my sword. ?I would bet that the umpire saw it the same as you and that it wasn't effecting the batters and let it go.

I wouldn't have your dugout yell back at her during the pitch, because that too is in violation of the agreed upon rules.

 

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We played in a tournament last fall where a pitcher actually yelled right before the batter made contact. I mean right before contact. Not as a release timing method but right before the ball crossed the plate. I questioned the umpire to no avail. He almost threw me out I was so upset. Please give me advice on this one.......






Cincy Chill

 

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unless the fielder is in possession of the ball

As much as I don't think yelling is right, according to the rule quoted above, isn't the fielder in possession of the ball?

 

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Once again, this gets back to respecting the game. If this happened in baseball, the pitcher could expect to pay a price as soon as she took her next at-bat. That's the way the unwritten rules are enforced. I never condone purposely hitting a batter, but I wish there was some way to enforce unwritten rules.

 

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As usual, I agree with Joe. However, throwing inside is NOT the same as throwing at the batter. I see nothing wrong with enforcing the unwritten rules. It is the only way to maintain the integrity and respect of the game. That is why you don't see these antics at baseball games at any level.

 

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Without getting all legal and without getting into sentence structuring, unless the fielder is in possession of the ball or is fielding a batter ball pertains to A defensive team member who impedes the progress of a runner or batter-runner who is legally running the bases, unless the fielder is in possession of the ball or is fielding a batter ball.

Do not confuse the pitching part with the fielding part. CinnChill, Sounded like the umpire you had was not familiar with the rule and no amount of prodding or questioning was going to make him make the right call. Your only recourse is that it is an apparent rule misinterpetation and is subject to a protest.

 

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There is a rule in ASA that states that a player or coach cannot make a travisty of the game, but convincing the umpire that rule should be invoked is another.

 

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To me, this is bush league. It goes along with the same thread about running on strike 2. What are teams doing? Are they that desperate that they have to resort to these childish ways of trying to win games? Play the game the way it is supposed to be played.....with heart and integrity.

 

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And in return I agree with Face The Facts, and also flanagan. The one thing that really disappoints me over and over in our game is when we see bush league tactics that show lack of respect for the game and the teams playing it.

A pitcher screaming like this is one example. Running on purpose on strike two is another. Stealing bases with a huge lead is another. To the people who say "get better", that is an entirely different issue, and a weak excuse for poor sportsmanship.

 

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Regarding stealing with a big lead. What is considerd a big lead. I always fear a comeback, and at times feel as if we are patronizing the other teams when runners stick on the base when they could easily steal. Does anyone have a good rule of thumb for this one.

 

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My rule of the thumb is 8 - 10 runs in the early innings, especially if we are playing a team that would most likely not stage a comeback. However, ?if a team did "comeback" and the lead went under 8 runs, I take the horses back out of the stables.

 

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It's tough when you get a big lead on a good team, lot's of fear of a comeback and we will pull it in much later in a game. Most of the time you get close to or above the mercy count early you can figure that team is unlikely to get back in it. We stop stealing and won't advance on passed balls, but it's a fine line between not running up a score and not embarassing a team either.