Uniform / arm sleeve

Bumping back to the top hoping I can get an answer.

If it's not clear what I am asking please let me know and I will try to clear it up.

Thanks

1-4-2 "For individual players, uniform sleeve lengths may vary. However, sleeves of each individual player shall be approximately the same length and shall not be ragged, frayed or slit. If the pitcher's undershirt sleeves are exposed, they shall not be white or gray. A pitcher shall not wear any item on his hands, wrists or arms which may be distracting to the batter."

So, If the compression sleeve is worn under a non-white long sleeve undershirt - no problem. Otherwise, if the compression sleeve is white, forget about it. If it is not white, it's up to the umpire to determine if it's distracting to the batter. Most of the time, if a batter complains about it, it's deemed distracting.

I'd have to agree....as long as it isnt white, I wouldnt have a problem with it.

A batter who complains to me that it is distracting would have a hard time getting me to agree especially if it was black......

quote:

Originally posted by piaa_ump:
A batter who complains to me that it is distracting would have a hard time getting me to agree especially if it was black......

When the rule says the pitcher can't wear anything distracting, I think it's in reference to the batter, not the umpire. If the batter tells me he is distracted by it, I'm going to make the pitcher put a shirt on.

I believe that until recently the fed rule was that the umpire was the one to determine if it was distracting to the batter.....not 100% sure but they may have dropped that from the new rules........

No, it hasn't changed. Of course it's up to the umpire to determine if the sleeve is distracting TO THE BATTER (can't have the rats running the game now can we?). But if the batter says it's distracting him, what am I going to say - no it isn't? That would be calling him a liar. If it we were talking about a small round band-aid on the back of his non-pitching arm, well then maybe the batter is just busting balls, and I'll be sure to have a word with him. But a full sleeve on a pitching arm? Cover it up please.

Thanks guys - I think for the sake of making sure he gets to wear it I will tell him to put his long sleeve undershirt on to cover it up.

It is black and looks well with the uniform but it goes from mid forearm to about mid upper arm.

Honestly it will probably be a while before it even becomes an issue. We tried to get him to do a 30 pitch bullpen session and he had to quit after one pitch. So he won't be pitching for quite some time.

Thanks again guys.

Good luck coach. I hope the arm heals 100%.

quote:

Originally posted by dash_riprock:
No, it hasn't changed. Of course it's up to the umpire to determine if the sleeve is distracting TO THE BATTER (can't have the rats running the game now can we?). But if the batter says it's distracting him, what am I going to say - no it isn't? That would be calling him a liar. If it we were talking about a small round band-aid on the back of his non-pitching arm, well then maybe the batter is just busting balls, and I'll be sure to have a word with him. But a full sleeve on a pitching arm? Cover it up please.

You wouldn't be the first one I've seen say it wasn't distracting even though a batter requested it be removed.