not calling out illegal pitches

[nicoh22]

Is there a rule that the umpire must verbally say illegal pitch if the pitch is too high or flat? In my last rec game the umpire used hand signals but wouldn't say anything. Both teams complained, but he just kept pointing up with his index finger for high pitches, and he would put his palm facing the ground for flat pitches. We explained to him that when we r batting we can't see his hand signals, but I think that he only cared if the pitcher knew that the pitch was illegal. It was frustrating.

 

[EAJuggalo]

No, it is not a requirement in any association I am aware of. I work USA and USSSA. The USA rulebook is silent about the what the umpire should do. It is a delayed dead ball and in any other delayed dead ball situation there is no verbalization. It is highly recommended and you're not going to do anything high level without doing it, but it is not required. In USSSA, it is expressly forbidden to give any indication it was an unfairly delivered pitch until the pitch has been completed. In USSSA, I usually point up when over the top or hold the arm straight out palm down if it's flat. In USA, I try to verbalize it all loud enough for the batter and catcher to hear me while holding the left arm out, but sometimes a flat pitch I can't get it out in time.

 

[eddieq]

It's not in the rules that it's required, but the official USA Softball mechanic as described in the umpire manual is:

To signal an illegal pitch raise your left arm horizontal with the fist closed and verbally say “illegal or illegal pitch” loud enough for the closest defensive player to hear you.

 

[jonsey]

nicoh.. you didn't mention what assoc. .. in SSUSA senior ball both a verbal and a raise of your left arm horizontally is given .. for a judged pitch over 12' it should be given at the full heighth of the pitch.. for a flat pitch that comes in quicker it's tougher and you give it as soon as you can

 

[nicoh22]

Thanks for the replies, I have seen many umpires do it so I thought it was a rule. It happened in a 50+ USA league

 

[jmo99]

In USA it is not in the rule book but it is in the Umpire Manual -

"To signal an illegal pitch raise your left arm horizontal with the fist closed and verbally say “illegal or illegal pitch” loud enough for the closest defensive player to hear you."

 

[hitless45]

yes it was stated above in post #3

 

[ImminentDanger]

"verbally say “illegal or illegal pitch” loud enough for the closest defensive player to hear you."

??? Interesting that it says - for 'Defensive Player' --- but they can do nothing with that information. until the next pitch.
It should say 'Offensive Player' meaning BATTER - who can do something different based on the call...

%%%

 

[blakcherry329]

??? Interesting that it says - for 'Defensive Player' --- but they can do nothing with that information. until the next pitch.
It should say 'Offensive Player' meaning BATTER - who can do something different based on the call...

%%%

I'm thinking that if the defensive player can hear it, so can the batter. Making a hand gesture, only, is pretty much useless to the batter, unless the pitch is a dead ball, no matter what.

 

[eddieq]

People bitching that they didn't know the pitch was/would be called illegal always makes me scratch my bald head. It's slow pitch. If the pitch is hittable, swing the bat. Don't wait to hear the words, "Illegal" to decide if that pitch was meatball enough for you.

 

[ImminentDanger]

Because, in most places, umpire qualtiy (strikezone) is so variable, hearing 'illegal' is better than guessing how bad a pitch you must swing at...

%%%

 

[ilyk2win]

The best is when they cry about a borderline pitch, then swing at a pitch that would hit them if they didn't swing, then cry "Blue made me have to swing!"
I treat the 6-10 the same as the strike zone box......if any part of the ball touches the 6-10' zone, it's good. From 52' (or 55-65' the one league I umpire), a pitch where the top of the ball barely touches 6' is going to look VERY "flat" - and the taller the pitcher the flatter it will look.
It's also very hard to get "ILLEGAL" verbalized quick enough on a pitch that doesn't meet the 6' requirement. Ironically, these dudes want those pitches in BP, but don't want them in a game situation. Weird!