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ILLEGAL PITCHES
Learning the new Little League Rule 8.05 - Illegal Pitch
(courtesy of alexp@megalink.net)
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For 1999, Little League has rewritten Rule 8.05 for Major/Minor play eliminating Balks and replacing them with Illegal Pitches. The traditional Balk rule remains in effect for Junior/Senior/Big League play. Here are the key things you need to know about the new Illegal Pitch rule. With one exception, all Illegal Pitches should be called either WITH or WITHOUT runners on base! The one exception is if the pitcher muffs his pitch (for example the ball slips from his hand during the pitch) AND the pitch fails to cross the foul line. With no runners on base, that is simply NO PITCH. But WITH runners on base, that is an Illegal Pitch. Illegal Pitches include, by definition, pitching while off the rubber, quick return pitches, and all the actions specified in Rule 8.05. The new 8.05 includes as Illegal Pitches all the violations which were Balks last year. Please note that the violations for failing to Stop in Set position or for removing either hand from the ball after taking a pitching stance are NOT included in this list. They continue to be Balks in Junior/Senior/Big League games but were not Balks in Major/Minor games and are not Illegal Pitches now. However, the fact that Illegal Pitches can occur with no runners on base gives a whole new significance to some of the other actions.
With the bases empty, it is an Illegal Pitch for the pitcher on the rubber to drop the ball, or to step off the rubber wrong foot first, or to abort his pitch delivery, or to change from Windup to Set stance without first stepping back off the rubber with his pivot foot! Technically, it is also an Illegal Pitch for the pitcher on the rubber to play catch with a fielder in the infield since he is, thus, throwing to an unoccupied base or failing to step towards the base. Be sure you call Time before you let a pitcher play catch to stay loose during delays!
There remain many restrictions in the pitching rules which are NOT among the list of possible Illegal Pitches. For instance, taking signs while off the rubber is "illegal", but it is not an "Illegal Pitch"! Do not fold such things into Illegal Pitches. Simply warn the pitcher not to do it again. Do NOT award a Ball to the batter!
The penalty for an Illegal Pitch is that Time is called and a Ball is awarded to the batter. If that is Ball 4, then the batter gets first base. Note that the ball would be Dead during such an award, so the batter may NOT round first base and try for second base. Runners are returned to their original bases unless the batter is awarded first base and the runners have to advance to make room for him (possible EXCEPTION if the ball is batted or thrown wild past a base -- see below.) Also, please note that an Illegal Pitch is a "play". That means an Illegal Pitch cancels the defense's right to make Appeal plays anywhere!
Precisely when to call Time is perhaps the trickiest part of the whole rule. Here's the current official interpretation from Little League.
- If the pitcher commits an Illegal Pitch and does NOT THROW the ball, then call Time immediately.
- If the pitcher commits an Illegal Pitch and throws the ball to first base, second base, or third base, and the THROW IS CAUGHT, then call Time immediately. Runners off base may NOT be tagged out when such a throw is caught, because Time is already out. Do NOT allow the defense to continue play such as making a rundown on a runner.
- If the pitcher commits an Illegal Pitch and throws the ball to first, second, or third, and the THROW IS NOT CAUGHT (that is if the throw goes wild past the base but stays in play), then let play continue until all action is stopped. That is let play continue until all running has stopped AND some infielder is holding the ball inside the infield. On such a wild throw, runners ARE allowed to run at their own risk. Runners may be tagged out even if they have just stepped off their original bases! All such advances and outs stand as played. NOTE: After everything stops, you still award a Ball to the batter for the Illegal Pitch.
- If the pitcher commits an Illegal Pitch and "pitches" the ball to the batter and THE BALL IS NOT BATTED, then call Time immediately. The pitch itself is discarded, so the batter's count is only changed due to the penalty award of one Ball. Runners may not advance on such a play even if the "pitch" goes wild past the catcher. Runners also can not be put out.
- If the pitcher commits an Illegal Pitch and "pitches" the ball to the batter and THE BALL IS BATTED, then let play continue. If the batter-runner and ALL base runners each advance at least one base safely, then play continues as if the Illegal Pitch had never happened. The Illegal Pitch is nullified. But if the batter-runner, or ANY base runner is put out before reaching his next base, then call Time at that point, DISCARD THE ENTIRE PITCH AND PLAY, return the runners to their original bases, return the batter to bat as if the pitch had never happened, and award a Ball to the batter.
If the batter becomes a runner OTHER than by batting the ball (e.g., hit batsman or catcher's interference), the situation is a little complicated due to a contradiction in the rules between rule 8.01(d) and the new rule 8.05. If the bases are empty, then an Illegal Pitch can be nullified if the batter reaches first base safely BY ANY MEANS. So with the bases empty, a batter who is hit with an Illegal Pitch should be awarded first base and the Illegal Pitch should be discarded. But if there are runners on base, the current Little League official interpretation is that an Illegal Pitch can ONLY be nullified if the ball is BATTED. That means, that with a runner at first base, if the batter is hit with an Illegal Pitch, the batter STAYS at bat, the runner STAYS at first base, and the batter's count is changed by only the addition of one Ball! The new rule may produce other apparently unfair results.
Please be aware that the following play rulings are the officially sanctioned rulings from Little League as of this date.
Play 1: Runner at third base. Illegal Pitch is thrown wild past the catcher and the runner scores. Ruling: The runner is returned to third. The ball is dead because it was NOT BATTED! A Ball is awarded to the batter.
Play 2: Runners at first and third. Illegal Pitch is batted on the ground to second base. The runner from first is forced out at second base, but the relay throw to first base is too late and the batter-runner is safe at first. The runner from third scores on the play. Ruling: Because the runner from first was put out before reaching second base, THE ENTIRE PITCH AND PLAY IS DISCARDED and the Illegal Pitch penalty is enforced. Umpires should call time when that runner is force out (instead of calling the runner out). The runners are returned to first and third base, the batter is returned to bat as if the pitch had never happened, and a Ball is added to his count.
Play 3: Runner at first leaves base early and the red signal flag is dropped. The pitcher, already in his pitching motion, panics and aborts his pitch, wheels and throws to second base. His throw is caught in plenty of time to tag the sliding runner. Ruling: This is an Illegal Pitch, but it was incited by the runner's illegal act of leaving early. Time is still called when the throw is caught at second due to the Illegal Pitch. Thus the runner from first CAN NOT BE TAGGED OUT. But, that runner is still returned to first base since he left early. In addition, since the illegal actions by the runner unintentionally incited the Illegal Pitch, the Illegal Pitch is discarded and the batter's count remains UNCHANGED. Effectively, the whole play is discarded and it becomes a do-over.
Please note that the managers NEVER have an option to choose the result of the play instead of the Illegal Pitch penalty. It is all automatic. If the ball is batted and everyone advances one base safely, then the Illegal Pitch is nullified. Otherwise, the play MUST be discarded and the Illegal Pitch penalty enforced.