The National Federation of State High School Associations has come up with rule changes in softball, track and field and baseball for the 2009 season. The IHSAA is a member of that association, so some of the changes might be of interest to those of you who play the games here in Hoosierland.

Some. Nothing earth shaking.

The changes in softball, so wrote the NFHS, are designed to create more balance between pitching and batting.

One change is the penalty for a pitcher who exceeds the 20-second time limit to throw the ball. Once ruled an illegal pitch, now the violation is a ball will be awarded to the batter.

“The change,” wrote Mary Struckhoff, NFHS assistant director and liaison to softball rules, “makes a violation of time to pitch by the pitcher consistent with a batter failing to be ready within 10 seconds after the ball has been returned to the pitcher.”

Here is where I show my stupidity (again). I must admit when someone such as myself works for a small daily newspaper and therefore covers six different sports in the spring, I don’t see a ton of softball games. I see my share.

I didn’t know the 20-second rule for the pitcher or the 10-second rule for the batter existed. Did you? Have you ever seen the rule called?

Just asking.

Another revision to a rule changes the pitching windup requirement to a maximum of one and one half clockwise revolutions. The NFHS suggests that the change will make the rule, which results in an illegal pitch, easier for umpires to identify and enforce.

The final adjustment to help create balance between offense and defense clarifies the definition of an attempted bunt. The rule will be changed to state that holding the bat in the strike zone is considered an attempted bunt. In order to take a pitch, the batter must withdraw the bat backward away from the ball.

So much for softball.

Here are a couple of rules to note in track and field.

Beginning next season, pole vaulters once again will be charged with a foul if their feet leave the ground in an attempt to clear the crossbar, but are unsuccessful. However, an exception was adopted to permit the vaulter to leave the ground and return when stopping an approach.

Another revision will allow competitors in throwing events to enter and exit the throwing circle without a foul providing it occurs within the time allowed for the trail and before the competitor starts an attempt beginning with the pause. The change will allow competitors, for example, to leave the circle to wipe off their hands and re-enter the circle without a penalty.

There is a change in the automatic timing (FAT) rule. The rule now allows all ties for place finishes and or determining qualifiers for a subsequent round to be broken using time to one one-thousandth of a second.

So, so much for track and field.

For baseball, a revision was made regarding infractions by a pitcher. The rule states it is illegal for a pitcher to intentionally pitch close to a batter, replacing the prior phrasing of to “throw” close to a batter.

A change for batters, too. The rule-makers are concerned batters are still attempting to be hit by pitchers and earn an undeserved awarded base by “taking one for the team.” In such a situation, the pitched ball will be called either a strike or a ball and the player who permitted the ball to touch him remains at bat unless the pitch results in a third strike or ball four.

Now you know the new rules for softball, track and field and baseball. Heck, the seasons are only (what?) nine months away.