# Baseball rules question (stall, baby, stall!) **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [December 24, 2011, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-rules-question-stall-baby-stall/607278 "2011-12-24T14:11:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2011, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-rules-question-stall-baby-stall/607278/1 "2011-12-24T14:11:33Z")
Is there anything in the rules that would prevent an obvious stall tactic like this one? I’m thinking back to that WS game where LaRussa got the wrong guy up (“what are you doing here?” or whatever he said when he saw him). At that point does he have any options to get the pitcher he wants warmed up and ready? For example, new pitchers coming into a game get a certain number of warm-up pitches on the mound. Does the pitcher he brought in, the “wrong” pitcher, have to throw a pitch? Could he send him back, or…send him to play first base (after a lengthy conference on the mound), and have the first baseman come to the mound, throw the standard number of warm-up pitches (nothing taxing on his arm, just having a catch with the catcher, more or less), then “pull” him (after a lengthy conference on the mound), send him back to first base, and do the same with the second baseman, then the third baseman (moving the “wrong” pitcher to the temporarily empty positions, so as not to burn another player)? All the while, the pitcher he really wants is up and warming up. And if a pitch MUST be thrown, have the “wrong” guy throw an unhittable ball, then pull him for the first baseman (sending the “wrong” guy to first, after a lengthy conference on the mound, yadda, yadda, yadda), have the first baseman throw the warm up pitches, then throw one more unhittable ball, then back to first for him, and the manager brings in the “right” pitcher (after lengthy mound conference), now to pitch with a 2 ball count. Is the relief pitcher “on the clock” with his warm-up pitches from the mound? Or could he take 30 seconds between pitches? If a relief pitcher needn’t throw a single pitch (before being pulled), seems like you could easily stall long enough, using the position player ploy I described. But that seems so easy, it can’t be permitted or somebody would have figured that out about a hundred years ago. But even if a relief pitcher must throw a pitch, couldn’t a manager stall through mound conferences, position players warming up, etc., to get the pitcher he wants ready with nor worse than a 2-ball count? What are allowable stall options for a manager who needs a currently cold pitcher to get up, warm, and ready? Could be obvious to everyone in the stadium that it’s a stall, but the rules permit it, IOW–that’s the question. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2011, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-rules-question-stall-baby-stall/607278/2 "2011-12-24T14:28:55Z")
When a pitcher takes the mound, he has to throw a pitch. So you’ll only get through 3 such iterations, and that’s if the ump doesn’t warn you off. They have a similar “don’t be a jerk” rule they can fall back on. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2011, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-rules-question-stall-baby-stall/607278/3 "2011-12-24T14:34:12Z")
What would they be warning you off about, if you’re following the rules? Bring in a pitcher, have him warm up, throw a pitch, then back to his position. And if you get 2 or 3 iterations, that’s the point. A lengthy conference on the mound, warm-up pitches, one ball, then out you go…repeat… ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2011, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-rules-question-stall-baby-stall/607278/4 "2011-12-24T15:18:32Z")
[Baseball rules (pdf).](http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/downloads/y2010/official_rules/2010_OfficialBaseballRules.pdf) “Rule 3.03 Comment: A pitcher may change to another position only once during the same inning; e.g. the pitcher will not be allowed to assume a position other than a pitcher more than once in the same inning.” Rule 3.05 “(a) The pitcher named in the batting order handed the umpire-in-chief, as provided in Rules 4.01 (a) and 4.01 (b), shall pitch to the first batter or any substitute batter until such batter is put out or reaches first base, unless the pitcher sustains injury or illness which, in the judgment of the umpire-in-chief, incapacitates him from pitching. (b) If the pitcher is replaced, the substitute pitcher shall pitch to the batter then at bat, or any substitute batter, until such batter is put out or reaches first base, or until the offensive team is put out, unless the substitute pitcher sustains injury or illness which, in the umpire-in-chief’s judgment, incapacitates him for further play as a pitcher.” ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2011, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-rules-question-stall-baby-stall/607278/5 "2011-12-24T15:36:21Z")
Reported. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2011, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-rules-question-stall-baby-stall/607278/6 "2011-12-24T17:18:48Z")
> [@Alley\_Dweller](#): > > [Baseball rules (pdf).](http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/downloads/y2010/official_rules/2010_OfficialBaseballRules.pdf) > > “Rule 3.03 Comment: A pitcher may change to another position only once during the same inning; e.g. the pitcher will not be allowed to assume a position other than a pitcher more than once in the same inning.” > > Rule 3.05 “(a) The pitcher named in the batting order handed the umpire-in-chief, as provided in Rules 4.01 (a) and 4.01 (b), shall pitch to the first batter or any substitute batter until such batter is put out or reaches first base, unless the pitcher sustains injury or illness which, in the judgment of the umpire-in-chief, incapacitates him from pitching. > (b) If the pitcher is replaced, the substitute pitcher shall pitch to the batter then at bat, or any substitute batter, until such batter is put out or reaches first base, or until the offensive team is put out, unless the substitute pitcher sustains injury or illness which, in the umpire-in-chief’s judgment, incapacitates him for further play as a pitcher.” That answers that. Thanks. John DiFool, what did you report? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2011, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-rules-question-stall-baby-stall/607278/7 "2011-12-24T17:35:54Z")
> [@Stratocaster](#): > > That answers that. Thanks. > > John DiFool, what did you report? Most likely a spam post that was removed. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2011, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-rules-question-stall-baby-stall/607278/8 "2011-12-24T17:40:46Z")
^ Or maybe for a forum change to “The Game Room.” ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2011, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-rules-question-stall-baby-stall/607278/9 "2011-12-24T17:44:47Z")
> [@x-ray\_vision](#): > > ^ Or maybe for a forum change to “The Game Room.” You’re right. I didn’t notice which forum this was in. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![raindog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@raindog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raindog)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2011, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-rules-question-stall-baby-stall/607278/10 "2011-12-24T19:37:12Z")
I had a friend who was an umpire who told me some funny stories about umpiring and some arcane but interesting rules. As to pitchers, he pointed out (we were at the game talking) that at the end of the pitchers warm up pitches the umpire will look up at the press box area----where the “official scorer” is located-----and point to the pitcher/ pitcher’s mound and then point up to the official scorer to signify that the pitcher is now ‘officially’ in the game. In 40 years I’d never noticed this small gesture and I bet most fans don’t either. And you know, I now always look for that to happen. And…it always does. At any rate, maybe the pitcher is not officially in the game until the warm up pitches are done and the ump says he’s in the game. As to what you can do to stall in the event the wrong relief pitcher shows up on the mound… ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2011, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-rules-question-stall-baby-stall/607278/11 "2011-12-24T22:52:07Z")
Moved from GQ to the Game Room. **samclem** , Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Ace309](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ace309/32/1050_2.png) [@Ace309](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ace309)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-rules-question-stall-baby-stall/607278/12 "2011-12-29T14:55:56Z")
Not directly on point, but there exist pace-of-game rules to keep stalling down. They’re MLB’s, not in the official rulebook as far as I know, but [Jerry Manuel was fined for an obvious attempt to ice a closer](http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090502&content_id=4529364&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb) in 2009. [(It didn’t work.)](http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYN/NYN200904290.shtml) ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2011, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-rules-question-stall-baby-stall/607278/13 "2011-12-30T17:32:21Z")
Here are some relevant rules: > [@](#): > > 8.03 > When a pitcher takes his position at the beginning of each inning, or when he relieves another pitcher, **he shall be permitted to pitch not to exceed eight preparatory pitches** to his catcher during which play shall be suspended. 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. > > 8.04 > When the bases are unoccupied, **the pitcher shall deliver the ball to the batter within 12 seconds after he receives the ball**. Each time the pitcher delays the game by violating this rule, the umpire shall call “Ball.” The 12-second timing starts when the pitcher is in possession of the ball and the batter is in the box, alert to the pitcher. The timing stops when the pitcher releases the ball. > The intent of this rule is to avoid unnecessary delays. 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. So there ya go. The reliever can only throw 8 pitches and can only take 1 minute to do it. When pitching, you’ve got 12 seconds to throw. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2011, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-rules-question-stall-baby-stall/607278/14 "2011-12-30T18:53:50Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > So there ya go. The reliever can only throw 8 pitches and can only take 1 minute to do it. When pitching, you’ve got 12 seconds to throw. And when has the 12 second rule ever been enforced? ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2011, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-rules-question-stall-baby-stall/607278/15 "2011-12-30T19:41:48Z")
> [@Terminus\_Est](#): > > And when has the 12 second rule ever been enforced? I knew someone was going to say that, but I actually timed a whole game once. Twelve seconds is a loooooong time to deliver a pitch. Doubly so, when you consider that it only starts when the batter is in the box and alert _and_ when no runners are on base. Try it yourself. Clock the pitcher when the bases are empty. Start the count when the ball enters his glove or when the batter is ready, whichever is last. You’ll see. It’s much faster-paced than you think.