Did I pitch?

by Justin
(ABQ,NM,USA)

Justin asked: Today my coach put me in to pitch with runners on first and third.

The runner on third is the winning run for the other team.

I decided to try and pick off the guy at first but threw the ball away resulting in the winning run to score. However, this happened before I threw my first pitch of the game.

So did I pitch?

Rick answered: Justin, thank you for your question.

Once your coach decided to make a move, he would have called time out, come out and indicated to the umpire that he wanted to make a pitching change.

During that time out, I assume you took your warm up tosses. At the completion of those 8 pitches, the plate umpire would have restarted play, creating a live ball situation. If no announcement was made, the ball immediately becomes live when you step on the pitching plate.

Technically, you did pitch; but will receive only one pitching stat, a fielding error on the throw.

The run scored would be charged to the pitcher who allowed that runner to get on.

Yours in baseball,

Rick