# Baseball: Can a pitcher be compelled to pitch?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-can-a-pitcher-be-compelled-to-pitch/790394>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Created:** [July 2, 2017, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-can-a-pitcher-be-compelled-to-pitch/790394 "2017-07-02T21:46:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\
**Post date:** [July 5, 2017, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-can-a-pitcher-be-compelled-to-pitch/790394/21 "2017-07-05T02:18:26Z")

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> [@Common\_Tater](#):
>
> I suppose the clock starts over every time the batter leaves the box to adjust his sleeves and knock the dirt off cleats?

The umpire doesn’t have to grant time for the batter to do that.

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**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\
**Post date:** [July 5, 2017, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-can-a-pitcher-be-compelled-to-pitch/790394/22 "2017-07-05T04:05:18Z")

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> [@RickJay](#):
>
> Well, he has to throw a pitch to walk someone; the automatic intentional walk has to be signalled by the manager.
> 
> In a scenario where a pitcher refuses to pitch one need not even go to Rule 8.01(c), the “umpires can make decisions if there’s no specific rule” rule - they can refer directly to the rule right after that one, which gives umpires the authority to eject anyone engaging in unsportsmanlike behaviour, which this clearly is.

I thought the penalty for taking too long to pitch was a called ball which would leads to walks.

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**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\
**Post date:** [July 5, 2017, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-can-a-pitcher-be-compelled-to-pitch/790394/23 "2017-07-05T13:24:22Z")

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It is, but that’s just dallying around too much and too often. If the pitcher takes this to an unsportsmanlike level, where he is literally preventing the game from proceeding - as the OP proposes is the case - he should, if necessary, be ejected, in accordance with 8.01(d).

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