Baseball Rule I did not know.....

[Senator]

Major League Baseball Rulebook, 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 beginning of the game is also precisely timed according to network specifications, and the 2nd base umpire carries a stopwatch, to signal the start of each inning based on the set length of commercial breaks.

________________________

Has the 12 second rule ever been enforced?

[larrymcg421]

I'm waiting for this to be enforced on a 3-0 count in the 9th inning of a perfect game.

[Ksyrup]

Last year, I think it was, the Tigers made a huge deal out of how much time Rafael Betancourt takes between pitches (if you've ever had the misfortune to watch that guy work, it is painful), and I believe the ump called him twice for delay of game, resulting in 2 balls being called. Leyland did a great job of pointing it out to the umps and making a big deal about it, before he even threw a pitch in the game, and one of them sat there looking at his watch and called it immediately both times.

EDIT: I guess I didn't remember it correctly, or assumed the Tigers had something to do with it. Either way, the umps were on alert.

It was 2007:

Clock called on Cleveland's Betancourt

Posted by Scott Warheit July 05, 2007 07:05AM



Twice in Tuesday night's series opener with Cleveland, reliever Rafael Betancourt, who likes to go through an extensive routine before tossing the ball to home plate, was charged with a ball for taking too long in between pitches. It was the first time this year he had been called for the infration, and Buster Olney wrote for ESPN Insider that while he may have technically violated rules, having umpires standing with stopwatches isn't good for the game either.

July 4, ESPN Insider: Rafael Betancourt lingers between pitches, in the way a kid dawdles before cleaning his room. It's not that he's not making any progress toward the act of throwing the baseball. It's just that all of his adjustments -- the shoulder shrugs, climbing the rubber, turning and looking for the sign -- take time. He can make the notoriously slow Steve Trachsel look like a speed-walker, by comparison.

But still, the sight of second base umpire Doug Eddings glancing at his stopwatch and then rushing in to call a ball on Tuesday night did seem a little silly. Betancourt was taking too much time, and according to the rule book, he needs to be charged with a ball whenever he goes over the allotted count of seconds. At one point, Eddings stepped in to call a ball and move the count from 2 balls and 2 strikes to 3-2. Indians manager Eric Wedge -- who had already gone out to argue vociferously -- stood in the dugout, smirked and waved a dismissive hand: Ridiculous.

While Cleveland manager Eric Wedge originally accused Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland of alerting the umpires of the rule violation, Leyland denied those charges Wednesday.

July 5, Detroit Free Press: DeMuth said Wednesday that no one from the Tigers said anything to the umpires about Betancourt. "Not a word was said from Detroit," DeMuth said.

Earlier Wednesday, without being asked, Tigers manager Jim Leyland said: "I don't care how long it takes Betancourt to throw the ball. I don't complain to the umpires about silly stuff. I want to make it perfectly clear that I don't play amateur high school stuff. I'm a professional manager. I don't care if Betancourt takes an hour."

(Leyland said that he didn't know what was going on when Wedge came out to argue about the call on Betancourt. DeMuth said Leyland later asked him, "What was that about?")

"The players (who take a lot of time) are reported by other crews and evaluators in the stands," DeMuth said. "There are names on this list of batters who constantly take a long time getting into the box. There are names of pitchers who don't immediately go out to the mound for the start of the inning. There are names of pitchers who throw a few pitches in the bullpen after they are signaled into the game. There are all sorts of reasons to get on a list of delaying the pace of the game."

[Coffee Warlord]

They will, on occaison start the timer in the event the pitcher is working very slow, and then inform him that he's on the stopwatch. I've seen the ump tell Ted Lilly that once or twice (and the announcers stated what's going on). Never seen a ball called on it, but they've pressed him before.

[johnnyshaka]

Finally, a way for batters to fight back for all those years of dealing with quick pitchers (guys who are delivering the ball before you're comfortable in the box)...quick hitting should become all the rage!!

[stevew]

I've never seen it called. I'm a big fan of pitchers who work fast.