Open utterances-bot opened 9 months ago
During the episode, David mentioned he does not allow cheers that have a crescendo that coincides with the pitching motion. In the book,
Rule 2-27 SECTION 31 INTERFERENCE (OFFENSE) ART 1... Interference is an act (physical or verbal) by a member of the team at bat who illegally impedes, hinders or confuses any fielder...
We wouldn't have any issue with calling interference on a runner yelling to distract a fielder during a popup with the hope of causing enough of a lapse in concentration to have them miss the play. The same rationale applies here. It doesn't take much of a concentration break to have the pitcher miss her spot or her spins. If the offense didn't think it would bother the pitcher, they wouldn't do it.
Umpiring Fastpitch Softball
A Deep Dive into Fastpitch Softball Officiating
https://umpiringfastpitchsoftball.com/index.php?name=2024-02-14_umpiringfastpitchsoftball_episode25.mp3