tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8308814967611371361.post1681437301597812427..comments2009-08-18T13:35:17.902-05:00Comments on wezen-ball.com: Pitchers in the Outfieldlarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17314820003835656973noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8308814967611371361.post-57537017657349317792009-07-13T12:11:10.857-05:002009-07-13T12:11:10.857-05:00Yeah, that's pretty much what happened. LaRuss...Yeah, that's pretty much what happened. LaRussa came out and made sure with the umps that Piniella would be stuck with Marhall before he made his move. <br /><br />I guess you're right. It's phrased in terms that can really only apply to the act of changing pitchers and that particular batter. I was thinking maybe it was phrased more like "a new pitcher brought into the game must face at least one batter," in which case you could interpret it to allow Marshall to be removed right away.Billhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07840958382433052735noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8308814967611371361.post-23878871079090941832009-07-13T11:05:25.749-05:002009-07-13T11:05:25.749-05:00Hmm, I'm not entirely clear on what happened, ...Hmm, I'm not entirely clear on what happened, though I'm guessing it went like this (I did see some of the highlights on SC this morning): Marshall pitches to a batter(s); he moves to left and Heilman comes in to pitch; Heilman gets Ryan out and Piniella moves Marshall back to the mound (and puts Reed Johnson in left); LaRussa then brings in a pinch-hitter. Are you saying that Piniella then wanted to sub Marmol in for Marshall (removing Marshall from the game), but the umps wouldn't let him? That is strange.<br /><br />The rule can be found as a (official) <a href="http://www.mlb.com/mlb/downloads/y2008/official_rules/03_game_preliminaries.pdf" rel="nofollow">Comment to Rule 3.03 (pdf)</a>. The comment says: "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."<br /><br />However, there is Rule 3.05(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."<br /><br />Since there has been an official double-switch at this point, with Johnson in left and Marshall on the mound, Marshall is the new, official substitute pitcher, right? If so, then this rule seems like it must apply, and LaRussa did the smart thing in waiting for it before he brought in his pinch-hitter. Make sense to you?larhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17314820003835656973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8308814967611371361.post-48811207087972032602009-07-13T10:52:28.677-05:002009-07-13T10:52:28.677-05:00As I wrote on Craig's "Morning in Exile&q...As I wrote on Craig's "Morning in Exile" post (and on yours two months ago), I think this is an underused strategy. <br /><br />How about the decision, though, to forbid Piniella from substituting Marmol for Marshall right after bringing him in again, when LaRussa inserted a pinch hitter? It seems to me that he's already pitched to a batter, and it doesn't make any sense to reset just because he went to the OF and skipped a batter. I can't find the rule governing this, so I don't know, maybe it's crystal clear. But if there's any ambiguity, I thik they should've ruled the other way on that one.Billhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07840958382433052735noreply@blogger.com