Illegal Pitch

[knightsb]

Discuss or post illegal pitches, rules, etc...

2008 ASA:
RULE 6 - PITCHING REGULATIONS (FAST PITCH)
Section 1. PRELIMINARIES.
Before starting the delivery (pitch), the pitcher shall comply with the following:
A. The pitcher may not take the pitching position on the pitcher’s plate without
possession of the ball.
B. The pitcher shall not be considered in the pitching position unless the catcher
is in position to receive the pitch.
C. Both feet must be on the ground within the 24-inch length of the pitcher’s
plate. The shoulders shall be in line with first and third bases.
1. (Male) The pitcher shall take a position with their pivot foot in contact
with the pitcher’s plate and their non-pivot foot in contact with or behind
the pitcher’s plate.
2. (Female) The pitcher shall take a position with both feet in contact with
the pitcher’s plate.
D. While on the pitcher’s plate, the pitcher shall take the signal or appear to
take a signal with the hands separated. The ball must remain in either the
glove or pitching hand.
E. The pitcher shall bring the hands together for not less than one second and
not more than 10 seconds before releasing it,
1. (Male) If the pitcher decides to pitch with the non-pivot foot to the rear
and off the pitcher’s plate, a backward step may be taken before,
simultaneous with or after the hands are brought together. The pivot
foot must remain in contact with the pitcher’s plate at all times prior to
the forward step.
2. (Female) Both feet must remain in contact with the pitcher’s plate at all
times prior to the forward step.
Section 2. STARTING THE PITCH.
The pitch starts when one hand is taken off the ball after the hands have been
placed together.
Section 3. LEGAL DELIVERY.
A. The pitcher must not make any motion to pitch without immediately delivering
the ball to the batter.
B. The pitcher must not use a pitching motion in which, after bringing the hands
together, the pitcher removes one hand from the ball, and returns the ball to
both hands.
C. The pitcher must not make a stop or reversal of the forward motion after
separating the hands.
D. The pitcher must not make two revolutions of the arm on the windmill pitch.
A pitcher may drop the arm to the side and to the rear before starting the
windmill motion.
E. The delivery must be an underhand motion with the hand below the hip and
the wrist not farther from the body than the elbow.
F. The pitch shall be delivered on the throwing arm side of the body and not
behind the back or through the legs.
G. The release of the ball and follow through of the hand and wrist must be
forward and past the straight line of the body.
H. (Men’s Fast Pitch) In the act of delivering the ball, the pitcher must take one
step with the non-pivot foot simultaneous with the release of the ball. The
step must be forward toward the batter. It is not a step if the pitcher slides
the pivot foot across the pitcher’s plate toward the batter, or if the pivot foot
turns or slides in order to push off the pitcher’s plate, provided contact is
maintained with the plate. Raising the foot off the pitching plate and returning
it to the plate creates a rocking motion and is an illegal act.
I. (Women’s and all JO play) In the act of delivering the ball, the pitcher must
take one step with the non-pivot foot simultaneous with the release of the
ball. The step must be forward and toward the batter within the 24-inch length
of the pitcher’s plate. It is not a step if the pitcher slides the pivot foot across
the pitcher’s plate toward the batter, or if the pivot foot turns or slides in order
to push off the pitcher’s plate, provided contact is maintained with the plate.
Raising the foot off the pitching plate and returning it to the plate creates a
rocking motion and is an illegal act
J. Pushing off with the pivot foot from a place other than the pitcher’s plate is
illegal.
K. (Women’s and all JO Play) Pushing off and dragging the pivot foot in contact
with the ground is required. If a hole has been created, the pivot foot may
drag no higher than the level plane of the ground.
L. (Men’s) Pushing off and dragging the pivot foot in contact with the ground,
or if both feet are in the air, having the toes of the pivot foot in the downward
direction is required.
M. The pitcher must not make another revolution after releasing the ball.
N. The pitcher shall not deliberately drop, roll or bounce the ball in order to
prevent the batter from hitting it.
O. The pitcher has 20 seconds to release the next pitch after receiving the ball
or after the umpire indicates “play ball.”

 

[knightsb]

2013 usssa

2013 USSSA
RULE 6. PITCHING RULE
Sec 1. A legal pitch shall conform to the following:
A. Prior to the pitch, the pitcher shall have both feet in contact with the
pitcher's plate. Part of the pivot foot must be on top of the pitcher’s
plate. Both feet must be within the 24-inch length of the pitcher’s plate.
The hands must be apart.
The pitcher may not take the pitching position on the pitcher's plate
without possession of the ball, and the pitcher may not simulate pitching
with or without the ball when near the pitcher's plate.
B. Preliminary to pitching, the pitcher must take a position with the
shoulders in line with first and third base with the ball in the glove or
pitching hand, with the hands separated.
C. While in this position, the pitcher shall take (or simulate taking) a signal
from the catcher.
D. After completing “C” above, the pitcher shall bring the hands together in
front of the body for not more than 10 seconds before releasing the ball.
The hands may be motionless or moving.
Note: Before the pitch starts, the pitcher may remove them self from the
pitching position by stepping back from the pitcher’s plate with both feet
(either foot may be removed first) or by requesting time.
E. The Pitch:
1. The pitch begins and cannot be discontinued when one hand is taken
off the ball or the pitcher makes any motion that is part of the
windup after the hands have been brought together.
2. During the delivery, the pitcher shall take exactly one forward step
toward home plate and land within or partially within the 24-inch
length of the pitcher’s plate.
No step backward is allowed.
3. The pivot foot may remain in contact with or may push off and drag
away from the pitching plate prior to the front foot touching the
ground, as long as the pivot foot remains in contact with the ground.
Pushing off with the pivot foot from a place other than the pitcher’s
plate is illegal.
NOTE 1: It is not a step if the pitcher slides his foot in any direction
on the pitcher’s plate, provided contact is maintained.
NOTE 2: Techniques such as the “crow hop” and “the leap” are
illegal.
F. A LEGAL DELIVERY - shall be a pitched ball that is delivered to the
batter with an underhand motion.
1. The release of the ball and the follow-through of the hand and wrist
must be forwarded past the vertical line of the body.
2. The hand shall be below the hip and the wrist not father from the
body than the elbow.
3. The pitch shall be delivered on the throwing arm side of the body
and not behind the back or between the legs.
4. The pitch is completed with a step toward the batter.
G. THE PITCHER MAY USE ANY WINDUP DESIRED PROVIDED:
1. No motion to pitch is made without immediately delivering the ball
to the batter.
2. The pitcher does not use a rocker action in which, after having the
ball in both hands in pitching position, he removes one hand from
the ball, takes a backward and forward swing and returns the ball to
both hands in front of the body.
3. The pitcher does not use a windup in which there is a stop or reversal
of the forward motion.
4. The pitcher does not make more than one and one half revolutions of
the arm in the windmill pitch. A pitcher may drop the pitching arm
to the side and to the rear before starting the windmill motion. The
ball does not have to be released the first time past the hip.
5. The pitcher does not continue to wind up after taking the forward
step or after the ball is released.
NOTE: Continuation of the windup is considered any action that,
after the ball is released, causes the arm to continue to rotate past the
shoulder.
H. The pitcher shall not wear any item on the pitching hand, wrist, arm or
thigh that the Umpire judges to be distracting. If a pitcher wears a batting
helmet while on defense, the outer covering and shield shall be a nonglare
surface.
I. Foreign Substance on the ball/Items on pitcher. The pitcher shall not at
any time be allowed to use any moisture or foreign substance on the ball,
the pitching hand or fingers nor do anything to deface the ball. Neither
shall any other player or team personnel apply moisture or a
foreign substance to the ball nor do anything to deface the ball. Under the
supervision and control of the Umpire, powdered resin may be on the
hands to dry them. The pitcher’s fingers, hand, wrist, forearm or elbow
may be taped for injury, providing such tape is a neutral color.
J. The pitcher shall not deliberately drop, roll, bounce, etc., the ball while in
the pitching position in order to prevent the batter from striking it.
EFFECT Sec 1. A – J – Illegal Pitch
K. Once the ball has been returned to the pitcher to prepare for the next
pitch or the Umpire says “play”, the pitcher has 20 seconds to release the
next pitch.
PENALTY: Dead ball; a ball on the batter
L. At the beginning of an inning or when a pitcher relieves another pitcher,
one minute may be used to deliver not more than five practice pitches to
the catcher, or some other teammate. For excessive warm-up pitches, a
pitcher shall be penalized by awarding a ball to the batter for each pitch
in excess of five.
M. If the ball slips from the pitcher’s hand during the back swing or forward
motion, a ball is called on the batter. In either case, the ball remains in
play and runners may advance at their own risk.

 

[knightsb]

Pivot foot looses contact with the pitcher's plate.

 

[James Smith]

I don’t study all this but that is a replant and illegal. (I didn't read all the rules you were nice enough to post so I might be sighting the wrong rule. )

 

[Ken B]

The Wring Rule doesn't usually come into effect unless any of the following have occured:
-Bases loaded, 2 outs, full count, 6th inning and down one run
-Just walked the last two batters and coach has BU pitcher warming up
-Your opponent is the team you left last year because they were losing, they're up and you're in the circle getting wrung

 

[JJsqueeze]

as long as the rules have a (male) and a (female) then there is something wrong with them. Yes, Monica is illegal here according to ASA and USSSA (although I do not know what rules are in effect for the Japanese league she is playing in here, I assume it is illegal here as well since neither foot is in contact with the plate), but all this gym step stuff goes away if the female pitchers could have their foot behind the plate like the males.

 

[Ken B]

Dang. James hit the edit button and stole my attempt at humor...

 

[knightsb]

Dang. James hit the edit button and stole my attempt at humor...

man, you gotta hit that quote button to lock it in

 

[Ken B]

Legal or Illegal:

Pitcher's pivot foot is in the depression and the heel in contact with the front edge of the rubber. During the forward drive, the heel breaks contact with the front edge as the toe pushes away, several inches in front of the rubber. The foot did not leave the ground or slide forward prior to the drive.

 

[James Smith]

ASA anyways it is Illegal for both men and women:

E. The pitcher shall bring the hands together for not less than one second and
not more than 10 seconds before releasing it.

1. (Male) If the pitcher decides to pitch with the non-pivot foot to the rear and off the pitcher’s plate, a backward step may be taken before, simultaneous with or after the hands are brought together. The pivot foot must remain in contact with the pitcher’s plate at all times prior to the forward step.

2. (Female) Both feet must remain in contact with the pitcher’s plate at all times prior to the forward step.