In Federation Fast-Pitch, when a Pitcher/Catcher conference takes place, are baserunners (especially the one on 2nd), allowed to leave their bases and cross the foul lines to confer with a base coach? Either I read somewhere that they cannot, or I dreamed it. I can't find the rule that explicitly prohibits it. I do know that if they continue to confer after the Pitcher/Catcher conference concludes, then an offensive conference is charged.
Player Conferences
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- May 29, 2015
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No, neither the runners NOR THE BATTER may leave their position. If they do so to talk to their coach, it is a charged offensive conference. You only get one charged offensive conference per inning. A request for a second one is to be denied by the umpire. If the team takes it anyway, the coach gets to call it an early day.
If a coach talks, somebody has to pay the charges. If the defensive players hold their own parlay, it is not a conference in NFHS*.
*Not yet. Please change this NFHS! Stop screwing around with face paint and radios and change this.
If a coach talks, somebody has to pay the charges. If the defensive players hold their own parlay, it is not a conference in NFHS*.
*Not yet. Please change this NFHS! Stop screwing around with face paint and radios and change this.
So runners on first and third could run over to second base to talk without being charged an offensive conference while the P and C are chatting? Can runners on first and third initiate a no-coaches conference and be granted the same courtesy as the P and C?
A related but different question.
In the USA rules supplement: “It is not an offensive conference when a team rep confers with a batter or runner(s) during a defensive charged conference as long as they are ready to play when the defense is ready or [strangely, my editorial] when the pitcher is putting on a warm up jacket.”
Also, it is not a defensive charged conference if the pitcher is removed. Which implies that if the pitcher is removed, the offense if they confer would be charged (which I’ve never seen enforced that way).
Also, the warm up jacket phrase makes zero sense to me.
In the USA rules supplement: “It is not an offensive conference when a team rep confers with a batter or runner(s) during a defensive charged conference as long as they are ready to play when the defense is ready or [strangely, my editorial] when the pitcher is putting on a warm up jacket.”
Also, it is not a defensive charged conference if the pitcher is removed. Which implies that if the pitcher is removed, the offense if they confer would be charged (which I’ve never seen enforced that way).
Also, the warm up jacket phrase makes zero sense to me.
Rule reference please
- May 29, 2015
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Rule 1, Section 14: Conferences: Charged, Pregame
Rule 3, Section 7: Charged Conferences
Lots of moving pieces, but it is all there.
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- May 29, 2015
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Interesting ...
I cannot find anything by rule or think of anything off the top of my head (caseplay or interpretation) that would prevent it, though I would highly discourage it just to keep the game moving. The more "get togethers" we have, the more likely we are to be standing around waiting while the other group finishes discussing what to get Jimmy and Millie for their wedding.
Admittedly, I don't know my caseplays and interps the same way as my rules. You can get some strange stuff in those.
- May 29, 2015
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Also interesting, and I never thought about it. To me, if the coach is coming out, the other team is good. I know that is contradictory to the "letter of the law" since there hasn't technically been a charged conference.
I love these conundrums!
Why would the pitcher be putting on a warm-up jacket when the offense is on the field?
candlesticks always make a nice gift....
- Mar 1, 2013
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