{"id":58383,"date":"2023-05-18T18:00:12","date_gmt":"2023-05-18T22:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/?p=58383"},"modified":"2023-05-18T13:48:40","modified_gmt":"2023-05-18T17:48:40","slug":"tipping-pitches-in-baseball","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2023\/05\/18\/tipping-pitches-in-baseball\/","title":{"rendered":"Tipping Pitches: Is It A Big Deal"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Every so often, tipping pitches becomes a big deal. Tipping pitches means the pitcher is inadvertently giving signals of his upcoming plans for what he is going to throw to the plate. An event happens in a game every so often that brings the idea back into the spotlight. This week, the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2023\/05\/10\/alek-manoahs-slider-pitch\/\" target=\"_self\">Toronto Blue Jays<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2023\/03\/18\/the-future-is-now-for-the-yankees\/\" target=\"_self\">New York Yankees<\/a> were that event.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">On one hand, Yankees star Aaron Judge blamed his dancing eyes on the rowdiness of his teammates in the dugout. Blue Jays reliever Jay Jackson admitted he was tipping his pitches. Why the different reactions? The responses from Judge and Jackson mirror differing opinions from the public on the topic. So really, is tipping pitches a big deal, or is it a strategic part of baseball?<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Aaron Judge hits a home run as the Blue Jays broadcasters wonder why he keeps glancing toward the dugout <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/ZrOY7grbYV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/ZrOY7grbYV<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JomboyMedia\/status\/1658286104062095360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">May 16, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h2>Tipping Pitches In Baseball<\/h2>\n<h3><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Toronto and New York<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Tipping pitches can happen because of a variety of reasons. A change in posture, fatigue can set in, or nervousness can alter the delivery. As well, simple things such as a set position and timing can be a distinguishing mark that players pick up on.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Blue Jays reliever Jackson got told he could have been tipping pitches, and where and how Yankees hitters were picking up on it. He\u00a0<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">said to Ken Rosenthal<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> of The Athletic &#8220;It was the time it was taking me from my set position, from my glove coming from my head to my hip.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">This potential mistake cost Jackson his stint in the big leagues. He was optioned to triple-A Buffalo the day after.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">No Rules Against Tipping Pitches<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">According to\u00a0<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">MLB rules and regulations<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">, \u201cduring a game, no club personnel may communicate in any manner the opposing team\u2019s signs or pitch information to a batter, baserunner or coach on the field.\u201d Regulation 1-1(B) states \u201cThe only exception to this rule is that a baserunner or coach on the field who identifies an opposing club\u2019s signs or pitch information through his own unaided observation of the pitcher, catcher or opposing team\u2019s dugout may communicate that information to the batter or another on-field coach.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Essentially, baserunners or coaches can relay information about pitch tipping as long as it is observed themselves. No technology to help. If someone observes it with their eyes it is fair game.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The reality is, if a player or a coach notices something about the pitcher&#8217;s delivery that could indicate what pitch is coming, they are going to take advantage. Strategy in sports is finding methods to achieve a successful outcome. The pitcher tipping pitches are the method, and being able to take advantage of it is a successful outcome.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">However, just because a pitcher tips his pitches and the opposing team picks up on it does not mean they are going to be successful. Willie Mays said about Sandy Koufax &#8220;I knew every pitch he was gonna throw, and I still couldn&#8217;t hit him.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">It can be a strategy that helps hitters, but at the end of the day, baseball is still an incredibly difficult sport. The strategy does not always turn into success.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Teams Win from Tipping Pitches<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">There is an old saying, &#8220;When your enemies are making mistakes, don&#8217;t interrupt them.&#8221; In game 6 of the 2001 World Series, the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2023\/04\/20\/diamondbacks-bumgarner-dfa\/\" target=\"_self\">Arizona Diamondbacks<\/a> were winning 15-0 by the end of the fourth inning against Andy Pettitte. The Diamondbacks figured out there was a delay in his delivery depending on what the southpaw was throwing. Arizona was able to force a game 7 and go on to win the World Series.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Part of the Game<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Tipping pitches happens in baseball. It is a longstanding tradition in a game where teams are always trying to get ahead of their opponents. Whether someone believes it is right or wrong, it happens. This will be a highly contested argument as long as baseball exists. Tipping pitches is a strategy, whether baseball enthusiasts believe it or not. Unless there are rules made against it, tipping pitches will continue to be part of the game.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Main photo credits:<\/p>\n<p>Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports<\/p>\n<p>Players mentioned:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/j\/judgeaa01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2023-05-18_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Aaron Judge<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/j\/jacksja01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2023-05-18_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jay Jackson<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/m\/mayswi01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2023-05-18_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Willie Mays<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/k\/koufasa01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2023-05-18_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Sandy Koufax<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/p\/pettian01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2023-05-18_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Andy Pettitte<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Every so often, tipping pitches becomes a big deal. Tipping pitches means the pitcher is inadvertently giving signals of his upcoming plans for what he is going to throw to the plate. An event happens in a game every so often that brings the idea back into the spotlight. This week, the Toronto Blue Jays [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3928,"featured_media":58400,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2,1071],"tags":[501,997,326,6333,41,5410,36,1722],"class_list":["post-58383","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-mlb","tag-aaron-judge","tag-andy-pettitte","tag-arizona-diamondbacks","tag-jay-jackson","tag-new-york-yankees","tag-sandy-koufax","tag-toronto-blue-jays","tag-willie-mays"],"modified_by":"Troy Brock","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58383","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3928"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=58383"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58383\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/58400"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=58383"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=58383"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=58383"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}