If there's a thing that baseball fans like to do even more than argue over statistics, it is to contemplate edge cases in the rule book. And so, inspired by Jordany Valdespin's first inning at bat, this.
<excessive-explanation-probably>
As you may already know, the batter cannot call time out. The batter can only request time out from the home plate umpire. Nonetheless, from time to time, especially when the pitcher is taking a long time to deliver the next pitch, this results in the umpire granting time at the same time as the pitcher finally commits to throwing the ball. Usually, the pitcher just stops, without a problem. Sometimes, because coaches always tell you to do this when you're a pitcher, you avoid the possibility of injury that might result from an sudden, unnatural stop by completing the pitch. The pitch does not count, of course, and no one thinks ill of the pitcher for letting it fly.
</excessive-explanation-probably>
Since the pitch does not count if the umpire has signaled time out, what if the pitcher fires the ball into the batter's ribs? Shouldn't be a hit-by-pitch because time is out, right?
(signed)
Someone whose batting average was lower than his ERA
__________
[Added] To clarify ....
1 comment:
Even more <e-e-p>: Jordany Valdespin did as described: asked for time after the pitcher took too long to bring the next pitch, and the umpire also did as described: granted time just as the pitcher finally uncorked. JV may or may not have been nicked by the pitch. Nothing happened as a consequence, except of course the provocation to your humble speculator.
The game was Nats at Mets, 23 July 2012.</e-e-p>
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