Any Time before batting?

[sngehl01]

Wanting to know what the USSSA rule is, but would like to know ASA just for the sake of knowing.

Batter takes a pitch, strike one. Immediately after pitch batter steps back out of the box, never asks for time, umpire never grants time or calls time or anything. Soon as the pitcher gets the ball back he shoots in a "quick pitch" if you will (it was pretty flat, was definitely trying to get it there before the batter was ready.)

Pitch lands in the strike zone, umpire calls a ball (he said he thought he had to call ball since it was quick pitch when I talked to him between innings).

Is this legal? Umpire does have to grant time, correct? I didn't think you could just step out and automatically be granted time. This call ended up helping my team, but I still think it was the wrong call.

Thanks

 

[buser699]

Utrip you need to ask for a verbal time and it has to be granted by the ump. they don't have to grant time but it is a verbal request. in asa if your out of the box and don't ask or raise your hand the pitch is a dead ball and time is automatically granted but not totally sure about asa

 

[NCASAUmp]

In ASA, you should ask for time, but it may or may not be granted. You'll most likely get the first "time" without question, but if you keep asking for it over and over and you're holding up the game, I'll tell you to get back into the box and that we're playing ball.

 

[Country35]

utrip you had better ask, I see good pitchers do this all the time. If your not ready to hit, get the heck outa the box.

 

[Skov18]

One of the good Umpires in my UTRIP leagues and Tournaments told me that he calls this sometimes because the rule says there has to be a pause between when the pitcher gets the ball back and the next pitch. I've never seen anyone call it and I've quick pitched guys myself and never been called for it. I guess it's umpire judgment.

 

[mhansen]

In utrip i believe the rule is once the batter has entered one foot legally into the box, pitchers are allowed to pitch so long as umpire has not granted time. Sometimes you will catch the batters off balance because they won't entirely remove their foot after every pitch.

 

[irishmafia]

Wanting to know what the USSSA rule is, but would like to know ASA just for the sake of knowing.

Batter takes a pitch, strike one. Immediately after pitch batter steps back out of the box, never asks for time, umpire never grants time or calls time or anything. Soon as the pitcher gets the ball back he shoots in a "quick pitch" if you will (it was pretty flat, was definitely trying to get it there before the batter was ready.)

Pitch lands in the strike zone, umpire calls a ball (he said he thought he had to call ball since it was quick pitch when I talked to him between innings).

Is this legal? Umpire does have to grant time, correct? I didn't think you could just step out and automatically be granted time. This call ended up helping my team, but I still think it was the wrong call.

Thanks

Speaking ASA

By rule, it is not possible to have any type of pitch if the batter is not completely in the batter's box. (7.3.A).

The umpire should be holding up the pitcher until the batter is ready. That does not mean the umpire cannot call a strike for the batter violating what is known as the 10-second rule. No pitch needs to be thrown.

If the umpire rules a quick pitch, s/he is not doing their job, but it is still considered an IP and a ball is awarded to the batter unless s/he attempts to strike the ball, but that cannot happen since the rule requires them to be completely in the box prior to a pitch and at the time of the pitch in order for there to be a pitch to strike! What a conundrum.

 

[guitarmike]

The quick pitch is part of the game in Utrip. I see it all the time.

 

[KangarooNokona]

have you ever been able to pitch the ball with someone NOT in the box? is this a real question? Now I struck out two batters thursday night because they were bs'n with the catch while still in the box so i just chunked it up and by the time they realized i pitched it, it was bouning off the plate! STRIKE 3

 

[sngehl01]

thanks guys, just what i was wanting to know.

 

[BretMan]

The quick pitch is part of the game in Utrip. I see it all the time.

Yes, it's part of the game. Problem is, it's a part of the game that their rule book specifically says is illegal.

Okay, I don't work U-Trip games and I've never seen their Umpire Manual (if such a thing even exists). But they do have rules in their rule book that say...

- The batter has 10 seconds to take his position in the batter's box.

- The pitcher has five seconds to deliver the pitch AFTER the batter takes his position in the box.

- A quick pitch is an unfairly delivered pitch.

- A quick pitch is an "obvious attempt to catch the Batter off guard and balance. This could be when the Batter first takes his position in the Batter’s Box and before he is ready, or when the Batter is still off balance from the previous pitch."

I don't see how anyone could read all that and assume it means: "Go ahead and chuck it if the batter's not ready because USSSA allows that".

 

[riotact]

This is how I view the rule as well.

 

[mazzamouth]

In utrip i believe the rule is once the batter has entered one foot legally into the box, pitchers are allowed to pitch so long as umpire has not granted time. Sometimes you will catch the batters off balance because they won't entirely remove their foot after every pitch.

just cause a batter has 1 foot in the box does not make him ready, 90% of batter will kicks some dirt, lick there bat, what ever, does not make him ready.

4 things need to be ready for a pitch to be called a strike or ball..
batter
catcher
pitcher
umpire

if 1 is not ready the umpire should have his hand up.

I will tell you I have umpired everything but Major and I missed my chance for that this year.. the umpire should be able to see some one is not ready and have his hand up ( do not pitch sign).

 

[Pumacat35]

One of the good Umpires in my UTRIP leagues and Tournaments told me that he calls this sometimes because the rule says there has to be a pause between when the pitcher gets the ball back and the next pitch. I've never seen anyone call it and I've quick pitched guys myself and never been called for it. I guess it's umpire judgment.

That's funny, I have caught the ball with my pitching hand and in the same motion thrown a pitch. (USSSA) and never had an ump say anyhting about it

 

[ser7643]

That's funny, I have caught the ball with my pitching hand and in the same motion thrown a pitch. (USSSA) and never had an ump say anyhting about it

Just because they don't call it means they are correct. You have to pause in utrip, and in all associations if I'm not mistaken.

If the batter steps out of the box before you receive the ball back from the catcher or start your pitching motion after pausing the umpire should not call the pitch a ball or strike because it was not an offically pitched ball.

 

[Pumacat35]

Just because they don't call it means they are correct. You have to pause in utrip, and in all associations if I'm not mistaken.

If the batter steps out of the box before you receive the ball back from the catcher or start your pitching motion after pausing the umpire should not call the pitch a ball or strike because it was not an offically pitched ball.

I never said it was right but as a pitcher that stands 53 feet from guys with shall we say "funny sticks" if the umpire is not going to stop me I am going to take every advantage I can!!

I mean why do pitchers have to play fair if hitters are not going to?????

 

[08superbee]

I held my hand up this weekend to call time, i was positioning my feet not even looking up and the ball was pitched for a strike. Umpire says I need to ask for a verbal time, next game I ask for a vebal time. I bring the bat up look up and the ball is already on it way, i think its a dead ball since i havent said a word. Ump calls strike three, I just look at him wodering what the hell he is thinking. My coach appeals it with some comments to his competence and he gets ejected. Same umpire who told me I needed to call a verbal and let him know when I was ready in the prior game. Not ussually a big deal but we were the home team with no time left 2 outs with a runner on third down 11-10!!!!!!!!!!!! Didn't help that the pitcher was also the head ump for regular season play.

 

[riotact]

It seems to be a common misconception in USSSA that a pitcher can just chuck the ball over the plate if the batter steps out of the box between pitches. "He has to ask for time" ...i've heard this over and over again. If a pitch is delivered and the batter steps out of the box between pitches, there will be no pitch allowed until the batter is set and pitcher has presented the ball for 1 second.

The pitcher can not start his motions for at least a second after the batter has taken his position in the batters box. This rule is specifically covered under Rule 7 Sec 3F. If the pitcher has presented the ball, and started his motions for delivery, that is a whole other rule that applies. In this case, the umpire is not to call time unless something very unusual happens.

This scenario is specifically covered in 2010 umpire certification test.

 

[pompetti]

It seems to be a common misconception in USSSA that a pitcher can just chuck the ball over the plate if the batter steps out of the box between pitches. "He has to ask for time" ...i've heard this over and over again. If a pitch is delivered and the batter steps out of the box between pitches, there will be no pitch allowed until the batter is set and pitcher has presented the ball for 1 second.

The pitcher can not start his motions for at least a second after the batter has taken his position in the batters box. This rule is specifically covered under Rule 7 Sec 3F. If the pitcher has presented the ball, and started his motions for delivery, that is a whole other rule that applies. In this case, the umpire is not to call time unless something very unusual happens.

This scenario is specifically covered in 2010 umpire certification test.

I had to put up $100 this past weekend at the USSSA Mixed World Series to protest a game. A teammate took a strike and stepped out of the box before the catcher returned the ball to the pitcher. While he was still out of the box, the pitcher delivered a pitch and the umpire called it a strike for the strikeout.

The umpire told me the batter had to ask for time. I protested that he was out of the box before the pitcher had the ball, therefore the pitcher isn't allowed to pitch. Luckily, Rick Robertson (USSSA UIC) was there to handle the protest and I got my $100 back.


On a side note, I can understand protest fees to prevent frivolous protests but can't we get the first one for free? Having to make sure I've always got $100 in cash just in case an umpire makes a protestable mistake is a bit overboard.

Is the fee something all associations have in their code/rulebooks or is it done on a tournament by tournament basis?

 

[VF500Racer]

Quick pitch more or less allowed in USSSA.
Usually the pitch don't land for strike
and will be flat and low;
but usually umps don't call against it.
Was watching USSSA worlds couple weeks back and
they were doing it long as batter had one foot inside box.