Pitcher screams as her pitch reaches the batter.

[mikealdrich53]

I have seen pitchers grunt as they release the pitch. Today I saw a pitcher scream as the pitch reached the batter. It seemed a intentional act to distract the hitter. At first I wasn't paying close attention to when she was screaming. But it became perfectly clear it was not at the release point where most pitchers grunt. It was as the batter loaded and the pitch got to the hitting zone. Almost as if she was saying swing!!! Most of us can remember Monica Seles, the tennis star who screamed every time she hit a return. it was controversial when she started doing it. Although it wasn't considered illegal.
So imagine what the judges would have ruled if Monica waited to scream until her return was about to be hit by her opponent. bet that would have been ruled un sportsman like conduct. Well that's the way I viewed what I saw this pitcher doing. As a coach I was curious about how I should handle this if it were to happen in one of my games. I approached 2 college scouts from prominent schools and asked them to watch it happening. Both indicated they would approach the plate umpire to have it stopped. there are many rules about making sounds to distract hitters. Please understand that this was not a tournament so there was no need to protest. one last thought. If the pitcher is allowed to scream as the hitter is attempting to hit the ball. then why not the whole team??? Not a can of worms I want to see opened.

[mikealdrich53]

I have seen this in college and never heard of a coach raising an issue with the PU.

So if the pitcher is allowed to scream as the ball crosses the plate the rest of the team can too, or is it only the pitcher that's allowed to distract the hitter?

[GIMNEPIWO]

You go to the Plate Umpire ... If the PU feels that the actions of the pitcher as described in the OP were an attempt to hinder or impede the batter's attempt to make contact with the ball; it's verbal obstruction ... You can video it all that you want, but I don't know who is going to watch it.

[tnkrbell13]

There was a girl who did the same thing.....in 10u All Stars...she was asked to stop.

[GIMNEPIWO]

A few years back at the 23U level in VA ... We drew this team whose Pitcher sounded like a seagull ... It was made more interesting by the fact that the PU sounded like he sprung an air leak on every call

[Makina]

Had a catcher do something similar, but not exactly when the ball crossed the plate. Asked the coach about it and found out it was some other type of issue that she did not realize she was doing.

[GIMNEPIWO]

Had a catcher do something similar, but not exactly when the ball crossed the plate. Asked the coach about it and found out it was some other type of issue that she did not realize she was doing.

Tourette Syndrome ? ... I have had my back stops complain about PU's that apparently didn't know they had a similar issue with flatulence

[Pale Rider]

Had a catcher do something similar, but not exactly when the ball crossed the plate. Asked the coach about it and found out it was some other type of issue that she did not realize she was doing.

Tourette Syndrome ? ... I have had my back stops complain about PU's that apparently didn't know they had a similar issue with flatulence

I do both at WalMart...yell and create breezes

[GIMNEPIWO]

Had a catcher do something similar, but not exactly when the ball crossed the plate. Asked the coach about it and found out it was some other type of issue that she did not realize she was doing.

Tourette Syndrome ? ... I have had my back stops complain about PU's that apparently didn't know they had a similar issue with flatulence

I do both at WalMart...yell and create breezes

A two tool man ?

[Pale Rider]

Had a catcher do something similar, but not exactly when the ball crossed the plate. Asked the coach about it and found out it was some other type of issue that she did not realize she was doing.

Tourette Syndrome ? ... I have had my back stops complain about PU's that apparently didn't know they had a similar issue with flatulence

I do both at WalMart...yell and create breezes

A two tool man ?

Triple threat sometimes