What is the rule as you know it?

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What is the definative rule for pitchers taking signs from the catcher. We had two different umpires peg us for the exact opposite thing. One game we had an umpire tell our pitcher that she can't take signs while on the pitching rubber. We then had another umpire tell our pitcher that she needs to be on the pitching rubber before she can take a sign. What is it? On - Off - Doesn't matter - Whatever the ump wants? :-/

 

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ASA Rule 6 Section 1 states: While on the pitching plate, the pitcher shall take the signal or appear to be taking the signal with the hands seperated. The ball must remain in either the glove or the pitching hand.

NSA Rule 6 Section 1 states: The pitcher shall take a position with both feet on the ground and in contact with the pitching plate. The hands shall be seperated with ball in either in the glove or pitching hand. While in this position , the pitcher shall take, or simulate taking a signal from the catcher.

The rule is clear-cut with no room for "interpretations".

 

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Without looking up the rule, my memory says that when the pitcher steps onto the rubber, she must pause "as if to take a sign" (my quotes) and then can proceed to pitch. However, she can't camp there for endless seconds either.

The intent of the rule is to keep the pitcher from getting a running start, and to prevent them from delaying play, and thus throwing off the batter.

As long as the pitcher pauses briefly - say less than 10 seconds, there should be no reason for the umpire to interfere.

 

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The posters telling you that the pitcher must be on the pitching plate when getting her signs are correct. The umpire that told you she has to be off is wrong. And, as noted, the intent of this rule is to avoid a "quick pitch" to the batter, where the pitcher steps on the plate and rolls right into her motion before the batter is ready.

The timing aspect of the pitch is that the pitcher has 20 seconds to deliver the pitch once she receives the ball (during a live ball) or once the umpire calls "play" (following a dead ball). There is no limit as to how much of this 20 seconds can or cannot be spent standing on the rubber.

 

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While the pitcher is required to either take a sign or simulate taking a sign while on the rubber it does not eliminate the possiblility of taking the sign while off the rubber and then stepping on and simulating taking a sign again.

Of what value that is I have no idea but I have seen it done that way which is not a violation.

 

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As it says you must simulate with the hands apart. The best advice I can give is always have the appropriate rule book with you for the tourney. But that doesn't mean you and the umpire will always agree but at least you can start from a common place. :'( :'(

 

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Spirit1,

The distinction you make is true and I wasn't thinking about that on my first post.

A pitcher can get a sign before stepping on the plate, then "simulate" getting her sign after stepping on it (or even get another one). The "simulating" the sign just means taking a pause while facing the catcher with the hands separated.

Looking at it that way makes all the difference in the world! When you look at it that way (and that is the correct way to look at it) BOTH of the umpires in the first post were wrong. (And my answer was only half right.)

A pitcher CAN get her sign before stepping on the plate, but then must take the required pause before pitching. Saying that she MUST be on the plate to get signs wasn't quite right.

The umpire that said she CANNOT take signals from the plate is still wrong.

Good job in pointing out that slight difference.