NCAA 9-4 Removing Pitcher

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NCAA 9-4 Removing Pitcher

Removing Pitcher

SECTION 4. The conditions for removal of the pitcher are as follows:

a. A coach is allowed to be involved in a maximum of 3 free trips of the 6 defensive charged conferences, plus one extra free trip in the event of an extra inning game.

1) A free trip is one in which the coach does not remove the pitcher.

2) The coach cannot circumvent this rule by asking a player to act for him, and neither can the coach or his representative leave the bench or dugout and approach the base lines to confer with the pitcher for the purpose of evading this rule.

3) If a coach holds a defensive conference with a defensive player, it shall be considered a trip whether the player goes to the mound or not.

4) Unused free trips to the mound during the first nine innings may be used during any extra innings.

5) For the purpose of identifying trips to the mound on a batter, a player becomes the batter as soon as the previous batter reaches base, or is put out. The new batter does not have to enter the batter’s box to be considered the batter.

6) If the offensive team has a prolonged injury timeout, the pitcher may leave the mound and confer with the coach, or the coach may go to the mound to talk with the pitcher without being charged with a defensive trip. If the defensive conference further delays play, a trip shall be charged to the defensive team.

7) In a situation where a player is bleeding, a decision to substitute for the player must be made within 10 minutes from the time play is stopped. A substitute player must begin warming up immediately when the blood rule is in effect.

8) During a free trip or a time out to allow a substitution for the pitcher, a defensive player may warm up another defensive player, provided it does not delay the game. The player warming up must be in the current lineup and remain in fair territory during the charged conference or timeout. For example, a bullpen catcher is not allowed to participate in this type of warm-up.

9) The plate umpire shall record on the lineup card each free trip and the inning in which it occurred.

b. If a coach or his nonplaying representative goes to the mound a second time in the inning to talk to the same pitcher, the pitcher must be removed from the pitcher’s position for the remainder of the game. The coach is to indicate the relief pitcher to an umpire immediately after crossing the foul line (see 7-2-e-2-d.

Note 1: If, after one trip to the same pitcher in the same inning, or three free trips in a game, the coach goes to the plate umpire to announce a pitching change (does not go to the mound), a second trip shall be charged (when the change is recorded on the official lineup card). If moved to a defensive position, the pitcher shall not return to pitch.

Note 2: The relief pitcher, when called from the bullpen by the umpire, must proceed immediately to the mound. Any additional pitches thrown in the bullpen will be subtracted from the eight preparatory pitches permitted on the mound. In the case of an injury to the current pitcher, the substitute pitcher shall take all warm-up pitches from the game mound.

c. A coach may not make a second trip to the mound in the same inning with the same batter at bat. However, if a pinch hitter is substituted, the coach may make a second trip but must remove the pitcher;

1) In this pinch-hitter situation, a relief pitcher, having just been brought in to pitch, may not be removed from the game before pitching completely to one batter or the side has been retired (see 5-5-b).

2) If the coach previously has used the allowed free trips and mistakenly is allowed to go to the mound for a conference, the pitcher shall be removed from the position after the batter completes the turn at bat. The pitcher may not re-enter the game as a pitcher.

3) If the coach starts to the mound for a second trip with the same batter at bat in the same inning, the umpire shall warn that this act is not permitted. If the coach continues to the mound, the coach shall be ejected and the pitcher must complete pitching to the batter; when the batter’s turn is completed, the pitcher shall be removed from the game. The coach should be warned of the impending removal so that another pitcher can start warming up. The substitute pitcher shall be permitted the eight preparatory pitches unless circumstances justify additional pitches.

Note: If the umpire originally fails to recognize that the coach is making a second trip during the same batter, the coach shall not be penalized.

d. The trip to the mound (which may include a conference with the infielders) begins when the coach crosses the foul line, and shall be concluded when the coach leaves the dirt circle or the pitcher begins his eight warm-up pitches; and

e. A pitcher who is removed from the pitching position but remains in the game as a defensive player may return to the mound only once with the exceptions of 7-2-e-2-d and 9-4-b provisions.

f. When the game pitcher crosses the foul line on the way to the mound to start an inning, he shall pitch to the first batter until such batter is put out or reaches base, unless a pinch hitter is substituted or the batter or the pitcher sustains an injury or illness, which incapacitates him from continuing.

November 4, 2019
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