This is funny. I don't believe there is a rule to cover this in MLB right now.

http://www.redlasso.com/ClipPlayer.aspx?id=8b70d381-952...12-8d10-b5b522237e45

I saw that on the web yesterday, that is crazy. I always wondered why there wasn't a switch pitcher. I'm guessing they will be adding a rule in to prevent an 8 minute delay next time.

Being most people can't pitch with there good arm, I can't see too many of these situations. Still, there is no doubt there will be a rule come out of this fiasco.

Just from a batters stand point, my first swing the bat would have slipped out of hands and went towards the pitchers head. Pitchers throw at batters all the time when they are too close to the plate or did something the pitcher didn't like. This is no different for the batter.

I haven't played much baseball but it seems like the game is more or less played at the pitcher's pace, just like tennis is played at the server's pace, so I'd say the hitter has to set up first and then the pitcher.

quote:

Originally posted by TenTimes:
I haven't played much baseball but it seems like the game is more or less played at the pitcher's pace, just like tennis is played at the server's pace, so I'd say the hitter has to set up first and then the pitcher.

Not the case at all. If you, as a batter, think the pitcher is either working too fast or too slow you can call timeout and reset the play. There is no limit to the number of times a batter can call timeout during an at bat either. If this were not the case, you would have every pitcher trying to take a long time to try and freeze up a batter.

quote:

Originally posted by Glassman:

quote:

Originally posted by TenTimes:
I haven't played much baseball but it seems like the game is more or less played at the pitcher's pace, just like tennis is played at the server's pace, so I'd say the hitter has to set up first and then the pitcher.

Not the case at all. If you, as a batter, think the pitcher is either working too fast or too slow you can call timeout and reset the play. There is no limit to the number of times a batter can call timeout during an at bat either. If this were not the case, you would have every pitcher trying to take a long time to try and freeze up a batter.

And in tennis the returner can jump out of his position and signal to the server that he's not ready. But it's still played at the server's pace, with the returner awaiting the serve. Just as the batter waits for the pitcher to be ready to deliver the pitch.

Here is the difference. Once you call timeout about 3 times during one at bat, the umpire will go out to the mound and tell the pitcher to speed it up. This was one of the changes baseball made to try and speed the game up.

With that being said, the pitchers are still given too much time to pitch. Give them 5 seconds to agree on a pitch, and 5 seconds from the set position if they are in the stretch.

Guess there is a rule. Pitcher must declare which arm he will pitch with before the first pitch and cannot change during the at bat.

Switch Pitching Rule

quote:

Originally posted by Glassman:
Guess there is a rule. Pitcher must declare which arm he will pitch with before the first pitch and cannot change during the at bat.

Switch Pitching Rule

But must he declare before the batter steps into the box or after? And can the batter switch sides after the pitcher declares?

The Batter never has to formally declare. I can step in the box, call timeout before the pitch and switch sides. So the pitcher must declare first.

In 1995, Bobby Brown, the American League president, gave umpires these rules:

The pitcher must indicate which hand he intended to use. The pitcher may change arms on the next hitter but must indicate the arm to be used. No warm-up pitches between the change of arms and if an arm is injured, the pitcher may change arms and the umpire must be notified of the injury. The injured arm cannot be used again in that game.

What's this?! Conversation on the message board . . . wow!

I was actually going to post a similar question to Glass. The audio for the CWS has been very clear and we've been able to hear the umpires say things that we haven't in the past. One thing that struck me as odd was the umpire repeatedly telling batters to step out of the box at the start of innings. Does that always happens. It seems kind of weird for a guy to step into the box, get all situated, then be old to get out so the ump can tell the pitcher that it's time to start the inning.

Ahh so we're both wrong, the game is played at the umpire's pace no wonder its such a slow game.

quote:

Originally posted by TenTimes:
Ahh so we're both wrong, the game is played at the umpire's pace no wonder its such a slow game.

The umps are supposed to tell the players to officially start an inning. If they are doing this now, that is new. It was pretty much a given that once the balls were thrown in from the infield and out field, and the catcher throws the last practice pitch to second, that when he is ready, and the batter is in the box, play is ready. I never had an umpire tell me to get out of the box so he could start an inning.