Quick Pitch Davidson Rules Hasty Return, Automatic Ball

Inning #12 proved odd as plate umpire Bob Davidson negated an Oliver Perez 0-1 strike during Wednesday's Tigers-Mariners game. With none out and none on, Perez's 0-1 fastball to Tigers batter Victor Martinez was aborted after Perez rushed through his delivery. Though Rule 8.01(b) generally requires a pitcher employing Set Position to hold the ball in both hands in front of his body and to come to a complete stop, Rule 8.01(b) Comment exempts the pitcher from this "complete stop" requirement with no runners on base.

With no runners on base, the pitcher is not required to come to a complete stop when using the Set Position. If, however, in the umpire’s judgment, a pitcher delivers the ball in a deliberate effort to catch the batter off guard, this delivery shall be deemed a quick pitch, for which the penalty is a ball. See Rule 8.05(e) Comment.

Quick pitches with no runners result in an auto. ball

Replays indicate that Perez did satisfy the hands-in-front-of-body requirement and did not come to a complete stop, though Rule 8.01(b) Comment specifies the illegality of a quick return pitch, which is what Davidson ruled Perez was guilty of; Perez was charged an extra ball for his effort.

In 2011, the UEFL held a Quick Pitch discussion after umpire Mike Everitt charged Royals pitcher Bruce Chen with an automatic ball for attempting an illegal quick return pitch.

On August 15, 2012, Everitt ejected Red Sox first baseman Adrian Gonzalez and Manager Bobby Valentine for arguing a quick pitch no-call. Since 2011, quick pitch no-calls have resulted in two other ejections, both occurring during the same week in May 2011 (Rob Drake of Troy Tulowitzki [5/20/11], Ed Hickox of Jerry Hairston, Jr. [5/27/11]).

With no runners no base, the penalty is an automatic ball; with runners on, it is a balk: Rule 8.05(e).*
*Prior to 1964, a complete stop was defined as full cessation of movement lasting at least one second.

Video: Davidson renders Perez's pitch of quick return, adding a ball to the count; Wedge briefly argues