Is throwing overhand just an illegal pitch?

tommyd

Addicted to Softballfans
We have a guy in our no-limit HR league that hit 4 homeruns out of 5 at bats. Just cranked em. We intentional walked him on his last at bat. He, understandably, wasn't happy about it. Manager wants to intentional walk him everytime, now.

I had a different idea. I want to throw fast overhand pitches just like baseball. I know it's an illegal pitch, but the batter still has the option of swinging if he chooses. I guess my question is, can the ump do anything about it? Am I in any danger of getting thrown out for this?
 

kvander

Addicted to Softballfans
Not sure about the rules, but you should be thrown out for it. It's pretty much the definition of unsportsmanlike. It's a league, with no home run limit, and you're going to do this to a guy just because he's good?

That said, I would love to be the hitter. Hope he sits on one down the middle and smashes it.
 

tommyd

Addicted to Softballfans
The guy managing our team wants me to walk him. The batter doesn't like this. I thought I was actually meeting somewhere in the middle.

As far as him being good, I'm not there to throw bp. I want to win. I asked about the overhand in hopes that the guy may appreciate a chance to swing more than an intentional walk. If the overhand is considered that big of a **** move, I'll walk him.
 

kvander

Addicted to Softballfans
That's an odd mentality. I honestly think it's pretty crappy to walk the guy in the first place, since he's paying to play in a league, and probably worked hard to become a good hitter. Also, you play in a league with unlimited home runs .... so expect people to hit home runs.
 

tommyd

Addicted to Softballfans
What's an odd mentality? Honestly, I'm not a big fan of walking the guy either. But, he is a beast, most of my team wants to walk him, and I think it increases our chances of winning to do so.

Not sure what this particular league was doing in making it unlimited. These are all D teams.

Anyway, I understand anyone who thinks either/or is a **** move. I'm wondering about the actual rules.

I have no problem in even asking the guy if he'd rather the walk or fastballs. I wouldn't be surprised if he rakes those too.


That's an odd mentality. I honestly think it's pretty crappy to walk the guy in the first place, since he's paying to play in a league, and probably worked hard to become a good hitter. Also, you play in a league with unlimited home runs .... so expect people to hit home runs.
 

EdFred

every day I'm shovelin'
I wouldn't throw overhand pitches. But that guy is getting walked all day, every day. And walking him isn't crappy. If everyone is there to win, you do within the rules whatever it is to help your team win. If that means intentionally walking the guy every time up, well, too bad for him. No one complains when the best hitters in baseball get a free pass to first, why do we feel bad when someone gives a free pass in softball. As a pitcher you prevented the least amount of damage, and as a hitter you did your job and got on base. It's up to the next guy in the lineup to do his job.
 

Country469

Well-Known Member
If it was the playoffs and you were facing elimination, fine its one thing to walk him. But for just a random league night, you'd think instead of thinking about throwing overhand you could just get a few more hits and beat him the old fashioned way, ya know, on the field. Quintessential softball player issue here, some one else is better than me, so clearly to win I need to do something outside the norm or actual rules to win cuz its my entitlement in life. Nevermind this that guy works harder on bp, hits the gym 5 days a week, and is naturally a better athlete, I'm entitled to win my games every time cuz I spent x # of dollars on my 4 bats.


TLDNR buy a shaved bat and drop bombs
 

blakcherry329

Well-Known Member
Nothing wrong with walking him every time. Make his teammates beat you. You don't have to just pass him to first. You can try to get him to chase a bad pitch, just to give him a chance to hit.
That being said, if it's crunch time, walk him. lol

To the original question, No don't do that stupid ****. Either pitch to him, or don't, but don't throw overhand. smh
 

RDD15

Addicted to Softballfans
Quintessential softball player issue here, some one else is better than me, so clearly to win I need to do something outside the norm or actual rules to win cuz its my entitlement in life. Nevermind this that guy works harder on bp, hits the gym 5 days a week, and is naturally a better athlete, I'm entitled to win my games every time cuz I spent x # of dollars on my 4 bats.

One might argue that it is a quintessential softball player issue to believe that a team owes it to you to pitch to you, and not employ good strategy. He might work hard, he might be a better player. But he is a wrong if he thinks that he deserves to dictate the other team's strategy in any game where a score is being kept.

I dont have my USA rulebook handy, but as I recall you can be tossed for delivering a pitch with "excessive speed".
 

Country469

Well-Known Member
I guess if you wanna ignore the regular season lig game part I mentioned thats cool. Being mr softball ego man and walking someone every time is generally what the losing team does.
 

LngBallLvr

Addicted to Softballfans
We have a guy in our no-limit HR league that hit 4 homeruns out of 5 at bats. Just cranked em. We intentional walked him on his last at bat. He, understandably, wasn't happy about it. Manager wants to intentional walk him everytime, now.

I had a different idea. I want to throw fast overhand pitches just like baseball. I know it's an illegal pitch, but the batter still has the option of swinging if he chooses. I guess my question is, can the ump do anything about it? Am I in any danger of getting thrown out for this?

If you are the catcher, then I say do it! Good luck with those foul tips.

Seriously dude. You sincerely asked this? If so, you are what is wrong with softball.
 

irishmafia

Addicted to Softballfans
I had a different idea. I want to throw fast overhand pitches just like baseball. I know it's an illegal pitch, but the batter still has the option of swinging if he chooses. I guess my question is, can the ump do anything about it? Am I in any danger of getting thrown out for this?

You will only do it once and then you get to start drinking somewhere else while your team finishes the game apologizing to everyone on the other team and the umpire.
 

tommyd

Addicted to Softballfans
If you are the catcher, then I say do it! Good luck with those foul tips.

Seriously dude. You sincerely asked this? If so, you are what is wrong with softball.
Perhaps, you can explain why I'm what's wrong with softball? Is it because I want to actually give the batter an attempt to hit instead of walking him, which he's already shown his displeasure towards? Or, is it because I want to increase our chances of winning by not pitching to him?

It's not like I said I'm going to be going high and inside on him.

Yes, I sincerely asked what the repercussions, rule-wise, would be. I didn't sincerely ask for opinions on if it's a good strategy, but thanks.
 

tommyd

Addicted to Softballfans
You will only do it once and then you get to start drinking somewhere else while your team finishes the game apologizing to everyone on the other team and the umpire.
Thanks! So, it's definitely something that will get me tossed? The whole thing was somewhat hypothetical. I, and a couple other teammates, started talking about it after the game.
 

Country469

Well-Known Member
Perhaps, you can explain why I'm what's wrong with softball? Is it because I want to actually give the batter an attempt to hit instead of walking him, which he's already shown his displeasure towards? Or, is it because I want to increase our chances of winning by not pitching to him?

It's not like I said I'm going to be going high and inside on him.

Yes, I sincerely asked what the repercussions, rule-wise, would be. I didn't sincerely ask for opinions on if it's a good strategy, but thanks.

because you're more concerned with winning a rec league game but manipulating things than getting better and winning the right way. How fun it walking a batter? Not for anyone. Its ****ing league. That guy should be pissed. Just like all the rest of the sandbaggers in this game, its all "whoa is me, he's too good." Your strategy is being a *****. point blank on that.
 

tommyd

Addicted to Softballfans
because you're more concerned with winning a rec league game but manipulating things than getting better and winning the right way. How fun it walking a batter? Not for anyone. Its ****ing league. That guy should be pissed. Just like all the rest of the sandbaggers in this game, its all "whoa is me, he's too good." Your strategy is being a *****. point blank on that.

Yes, I'm more concerned with winning. That's why I play. If you play for other reasons, that's great. It's more fun, for me, to walk a batter than to have him go 4 for 4, all HRs. Fun, for me, is winning in the end. If I were the batter, it would be more fun for me to get fastballs than to get the intentional walk.
 

Country469

Well-Known Member
Yes, I'm more concerned with winning. That's why I play. If you play for other reasons, that's great. It's more fun, for me, to walk a batter than to have him go 4 for 4, all HRs. Fun, for me, is winning in the end. If I were the batter, it would be more fun for me to get fastballs than to get the intentional walk.

I hope you get walked the rest of your life then, but it won't happen because I can already tell you couldn't hit water if you fell out of a boat. If you were the batter you wouldn't have a clue how to handle it. I'm guessing the batter is used to playing real ball tho, and unlke you doesn't try to relive the memories he couldn't make in hs, cuz he got cut from the team. Lol at caring that much about some lig regular season game. I hope you throw it overhand and he takes the damn pitcher out.
 

Hiltz

Built for comfort
No one complains when the best hitters in baseball get a free pass to first, why do we feel bad when someone gives a free pass in softball.

The best hitters in baseball are paid millions to win. This guy is probably PAYING hundreds to play.


Seriously dude. You sincerely asked this? If so, you are what is wrong with softball.

Yes, I'm more concerned with winning. That's why I play. If you play for other reasons, that's great. It's more fun, for me, to walk a batter than to have him go 4 for 4, all HRs. Fun, for me, is winning in the end.

Yup, you're what's wrong with softball.


It's not like I said I'm going to be going high and inside on him.

You should go high and tight, maybe pitch behind him or even drill him. Then natural selection might occur and this issue would be resolved.
 
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