When is a pitcher considered in the game

If, in the umpire's judgment, circumstances warrant, both teams may be officially "warned" prior to the game or at any time during the game. League Presidents may take additional action under authority provided in Rule 9.

Umpires should act without hesitation in enforcement of this rule. A league by its own action may limit the number of preparatory pitches to less than eight preparatory pitches. Such preparatory pitches shall not consume more than one minute of time. If a sudden emergency causes a pitcher to be summoned into the game without any opportunity to warm up, the umpire in chief shall allow him as many pitches as the umpire deems necessary.

Each time the pitcher delays the game by violating this rule, the umpire shall call "Ball. The umpire shall insist that the catcher return the ball promptly to the pitcher, and that the pitcher take his position on the rubber promptly. Obvious delay by the pitcher should instantly be penalized by the umpire. If a pitcher turns or spins off of his free foot without actually stepping or if he turns his body and throws before stepping, it is a balk.

A pitcher is to step directly toward a base before throwing to that base but does not require him to throw except to first base only because he steps. It is possible, with runners on first and third, for the pitcher to step toward third and not throw, merely to bluff the runner back to third; then seeing the runner on first start for second, turn and step toward and throw to first base.

This is legal. However, if, with runners on first and third, the pitcher, while in contact with the rubber, steps toward third and then immediately and in practically the same motion "wheels" and throws to first base, it is obviously an attempt to deceive the runner at first base, and in such a move it is practically impossible to step directly toward first base before the throw to first base, and such a move shall be called a balk.

Of course, if the pitcher steps off the rubber and then makes such a move, it is not a balk. Umpires will judge a quick pitch as one delivered before the batter is reasonably set in the batter's box.

With runners on base the penalty is a balk; with no runners on base, it is a ball. The quick pitch is dangerous and should not be permitted. PENALTY: The ball is dead, and each runner shall advance one base without liability to be put out, unless the batter reaches first on a hit, an error, a base on balls, a hit batter, or otherwise, and all other runners advance at least one base, in which case the play proceeds without reference to the balk.

Umpires should bear in mind that the purpose of the balk rule is to prevent the pitcher from deliberately deceiving the base runner. If there is doubt in the umpire's mind, the "intent" of the pitcher should govern. However, certain specifics should be borne in mind:.

This is not to be interpreted as throwing to an unoccupied base. A manager or coach is considered to have concluded his visit to the mound when he leaves the 18 foot circle surrounding the pitcher's rubber. If the manager or coach goes to the catcher or infielder and that player then goes to the mound or the pitcher comes to him at his position before there is an intervening play a pitch or other play that will be the same as the manager or coach going to the mound. Any attempt to evade or circumvent this rule by the manager or coach going to the catcher or an infielder and then that player going to the mound to confer with the pitcher shall constitute a trip to the mound.

If the coach goes to the mound and removes a pitcher and then the manager goes to the mound to talk with the new pitcher, that will constitute one trip to that new pitcher that inning. In a case where a manager has made his first trip to the mound and then returns the second time to the mound in the same inning with the same pitcher in the game and the same batter at bat, after being warned by the umpire that he cannot return to the mound, the manager shall be removed from the game and the pitcher required to pitch to the batter until he is retired or gets on base.

After the batter is retired, or becomes a base runner, then this pitcher must be removed from the game. The manager should be notified that his pitcher will be removed from the game after he pitches to one hitter, so he can have a substitute pitcher warmed up. The substitute pitcher will be allowed eight preparatory pitches or more if in the umpire's judgment circumstances justify. MLB Miscellany: Rules, regulations and statistics Perfect games and No-hitters: An official perfect game occurs when a pitcher or pitchers retires each batter on the opposing team during the entire course of a game, which consists of at least nine innings.

In a perfect game, no batter reaches any base during the course of the game. An official no-hit game occurs when a pitcher or pitchers allows no hits during the entire course of a game, which consists of at least nine innings.

In a no-hit game, a batter may reach base via a walk, an error, a hit by pitch, a passed ball or wild pitch on strike three, or catcher's interference. Determining rookie status: A player shall be considered a rookie unless, during a previous season or seasons, he has a exceeded at-bats or 50 innings pitched in the Major Leagues; or b accumulated more than 45 days on the active roster of a Major League club or clubs during the period of player limit excluding time in the military service and time on the disabled list.

Waivers: A waiver is a permission granted to a Club that desires to assign or release one of its players. There are basically two types of waivers -- waivers for the assignment of a player and waivers for the unconditional release of a player.

In both cases, waivers are granted only after all the other Major League Clubs have been given an opportunity to claim the player and none has done so. With regard to assignment waivers, permission is granted for a specific period of time.

With unconditional release waivers, once permission is granted the player is a free agent. The man roster: A Club's man roster is a list of all the players currently reserved by a Club at the Major League level. The Major League Rules permit each Club to reserve a maximum of 40 players excluding players on the day disabled list at any one time.

From September 1 through the end of the season the entire man roster is eligible to play for the Club at the Major League level. Determining player performance streaks: Consecutive Hitting Streaks: A consecutive hitting streak shall not be terminated if the plate appearance results in a base on balls, hit batsman, defensive interference or a sacrifice bunt.

A sacrifice fly shall terminate the streak. In establishing the validity of the catch, the fielder shall hold the ball long enough to prove that he has complete control of the ball and that his release of the ball is voluntary and intentional. If the fielder has made the catch and drops the ball while in the act of making a throw following the catch, the ball shall be adjudged to have been caught.

Catch Comment : A catch is legal if the ball is finally held by any fielder, even though juggled, or held by another fielder before it touches the ground. Runners may leave their bases the instant the first fielder touches the ball. A fielder may reach over a fence, railing, rope or other line of demarcation to make a catch.

He may jump on top of a railing, or canvas that may be in foul ground. No interference should be allowed when a fielder reaches over a fence, railing, rope or into a stand to catch a ball. He does so at his own risk. If a fielder, attempting a catch at the edge of the dugout, is "held up" and kept from an apparent fall by a player or players of either team and the catch is made, it shall be allowed.

It is not legal if the ball lodges in his clothing or paraphernalia; or if it touches the umpire and is caught by the catcher on the rebound. If a foul tip first strikes the catcher's glove and then goes on through and is caught by both hands against his body or protector, before the ball touches the ground, it is a strike, and if third strike, batter is out. If smothered against his body or protector, it is a catch provided the ball struck the catcher's glove or hand first.

If the batter is in a legal position in the batter's box, see Rule 5. The ball is dead and no runners may advance. If the batter-runner drops his bat and the ball rolls against the bat in fair territory and, in the umpire's judgment, there was no intention to interfere with the course of the ball, the ball is alive and in play.

If a batted ball hits part of a broken bat in foul territory, it is a foul ball. If a whole bat is thrown into fair or foul territory and interferes with a defensive player attempting to make a play, interference shall be called, whether intentional or not. In cases where the batting helmet is accidentally hit with a batted ball on or over fair territory or a thrown ball, the ball remains in play the same as if it has not hit the helmet.

If a batted ball strikes a batting helmet or any other object foreign to the natural ground while on foul territory, it is a foul ball and the ball is dead.

If, in the umpire's judgment, there is intent on the part of a baserunner to interfere with a batted or thrown ball by dropping the helmet or throwing it at the ball, then the runner would be out, the ball dead and runners would return to last base legally touched. The ball is dead and no runners may advance;. The batter-runner is permitted to exit the three-foot lane by means of a step, stride, reach or slide in the immediate vicinity of first base for the sole purpose of touching first base.

The ball is dead and runner or runners shall return to their original base or bases;. Obviously this is an umpire's judgment play. For interference by a runner, see Rule 5. A runner's base path is established when the tag attempt occurs and is a straight line from the runner to the base he is attempting to reach safely; or.

Even though an out is called, the ball remains in play in regard to any other runner. This rule also covers the following and similar plays: Less than two out, score tied last of ninth inning, runner on first, batter hits a ball out of park for winning run, the runner on first passes second and thinking the home run automatically wins the game, cuts across diamond toward his bench as batter-runner circles bases.

In this case, the base runner would be called out "for abandoning his effort to touch the next base" and batter-runner permitted to continue around bases to make his home run valid.

If there are two out, home run would not count. This is not an appeal play. PLAY — Runner believing he is called out on a tag at first or third base starts for the dugout and progresses a reasonable distance still indicating by his actions that he is out, shall be declared out for abandoning the bases.

PENALTY : For penalties applying to a runner's intentional interference with a thrown ball or his hindrance of a fielder's attempt to make a play on a batted ball, see Rule 6. He shall not be called out for failure to retouch his base after the first following pitch, or any play or attempted play. This is an appeal play;.

They may steal on a foul tip. If a so-called tip is not caught, it becomes an ordinary foul. Runners then return to their bases. However, if a following runner is put out on a force play, the force is removed and the runner must be tagged to be put out.

The force is removed as soon as the runner touches the base to which he is forced to advance, and if he overslides or overruns the base, the runner must be tagged to be put out. However, if the forced runner, after touching the next base, retreats for any reason towards the base he had last occupied, the force play is reinstated, and he can again be put out if the defense tags the base to which he is forced;.

Catcher's throw catches him before he can return. Ruling is that runner is out. Force out is removed. Oversliding and overrunning situations arise at bases other than first base. For instance, before two are out, and runners on first and second, or first, second and third, the ball is hit to an infielder who tries for the double play. The runner on first beats the throw to second base but overslides the base. The relay is made to first base and the batter-runner is out.

The first baseman, seeing the runner at second base off the bag, makes the return throw to second and the runner is tagged off the base.

Meanwhile runners have crossed the plate. The question is: Is this a force play? Was the force removed when the batter-runner was out at first base?

Do the runs that crossed the plate during this play and before the third out was made when the runner was tagged at second, count? Answer : The runs score. It is not a force play. It is a tag play. The ball is dead and no runner may score, nor runners advance, except runners forced to advance. If a runner is touched by an Infield Fly when he is not touching his base, and before the ball has gone through, or by, an infielder, and no other infielder has a chance to make a play on the ball, both the runner and batter are out.

Regardless of whether a runner is touching his base or not when touched by an Infield Fly before the ball has gone through, or by, an infielder and no other infielder has a chance to make a play on the ball, the ball is dead and no runner may score, nor runners advance, except runners forced to advance. With two out, the interference puts the batter out and no score counts;. PLAY — Runners on second base and third base with one out. The runner from third base i. Believing the lead runner will be tagged out, the runner at second base i.

Before being tagged, the lead runner runs back to and beyond third base toward left field. At this time, the trailing runner has passed the lead runner as a result of the lead runner's actions. As a result, the trailing runner is out and third base is unoccupied. The lead runner is entitled to third base if he returns to touch it before he is out, see Rule 5. The umpire shall immediately call "Time" and declare the runner out;. If he attempts to run to second he is out when tagged.

If, after overrunning or oversliding first base he starts toward the dugout, or toward his position, and fails to return to first base at once, he is out, on appeal, when he or the base is tagged;. It does not apply to the ordinary play where the runner misses the plate and then immediately makes an effort to touch the plate before being tagged.

In that case, runner must be tagged. A runner is not permitted to take a flying start from a position in back of his base. Such runner shall be called out on appeal. B When the ball is dead, no runner may return to touch a missed base or one he has left after he has advanced to and touched a base beyond the missed base. PLAY B — Batter hits ball to shortstop who throws wild into stand ball is dead — batter-runner misses first base but is awarded second base on the overthrow.

Even though the umpire has awarded the runner second base on the overthrow, the runner must touch first base before he proceeds to second base. Any appeal under this rule must be made before the next pitch, or any play or attempted play. If the violation occurs during a play which ends a half-inning, the appeal must be made before the defensive team leaves the field.

Successive appeals may not be made on a runner at the same base. If the defensive team on its first appeal errs, a request for a second appeal on the same runner at the same base shall not be allowed by the umpire.

For example, if the pitcher threw to first base to appeal and threw the ball into the stands, no second appeal would be allowed. Appeal plays may require an umpire to recognize an apparent "fourth out.

If there is more than one appeal during a play that ends a half-inning, the defense may elect to take the out that gives it the advantage.

Second runner's run shall not count, as provided in Rule 5. If a pitcher balks when making an appeal, such act shall be a play. An appeal should be clearly intended as an appeal, either by a verbal request by the player or an act that unmistakably indicates an appeal to the umpire. A player, inadvertently stepping on the base with a ball in his hand, would not constitute an appeal.

Time is not out when an appeal is being made. Unless two are out, the status of a following runner is not affected by a preceding runner's failure to touch or retouch a base. If, upon appeal, the preceding runner is the third out, no runners following him shall score.

If such third out is the result of a force play, neither preceding nor following runners shall score. When three offensive players are legally put out, that team takes the field and the opposing team becomes the offensive team.

A substitute player shall bat in the replaced player's position in the team's batting order. When two or more substitute players of the defensive team enter the game at the same time, the manager shall, immediately before they take their positions as fielders, designate to the umpire-in-chief such players' positions in the team's batting order, and the umpire-in-chief shall so notify the official scorer.

If this information is not immediately given to the umpire-in-chief, the umpire-in-chief shall have authority to designate the substitutes' places in the batting order. If a double-switch is being made, the manager or coach shall first notify the plate umpire. The umpire-in-chief must be informed of the multiple substitutions and interchanged batting order before the manager calls for a new pitcher regardless of whether the manager or coach announces the double-switch before crossing the foul line.

Signaling or motioning to the bullpen is to be considered an official substitution for the new pitcher. It is not permissible for the manager to go to the mound, call for a new pitcher, and then inform the umpire of multiple substitutions with the intention of interchanging the batting order.

Players for whom substitutions have been made may remain with their team on the bench or may "warm-up" pitchers. Umpires should not permit players for whom substitutes have been made, and who are permitted to remain on the bench, to address any remarks to any opposing player or manager, or to the umpires.

If a player who has been substituted for attempts to re-enter, or re-enters, the game in any capacity, the umpire-in-chief shall direct the player's manager to remove such player from the game immediately upon noticing the player's presence or upon being informed of the player's improper presence by another umpire or by either manager.

If such direction to remove the substituted for player occurs before play commences with the substituted-for player improperly in the game, then the substitute player may enter the game. If such direction to remove the substituted-for player occurs after play has commenced with the substituted-for player in the game, then the substitute player shall be deemed to have been removed from the game in addition to the removal of the substituted-for player and shall not enter the game. If a substitute enters the game in place of a player-manager, the manager may thereafter go to the coaching lines at his discretion.

Any player other than a pitcher substituted for an injured player shall be allowed five warm-up throws. Any play that occurs while a player appears in a game after having been substituted for shall count. If, in an umpire's judgment, the player re-entered the game knowing that he had been removed, the umpire may eject the manager.

No player in the game shall be permitted to act as a courtesy runner for a teammate. No player who has been in the game and has been taken out for a substitute shall return as a courtesy runner. Any player not in the lineup, if used as a runner, shall be considered as a substitute player.