Tennessee coaches unhappy with California pitcher's shoe flap

[JJsqueeze]

Coming from many years of working on the "hill" in baseball. Pitching mechanics are well regulated, called young to actually "help" a pitcher develop. Girls Fastpitch is a circus, I'll never understand why.

Maybe because there is nothing in the baseball rules about pitching that is as ridiculous as the leap rule and the rules don't force athletes to do unnatural things like try to drag a toe on the ground while they leap out to pitch? As soon as I was able to throw a ball I was able to pitch a baseball legally. Can anyone even articulate why you need to drag your toe? It can't be replanting, because you can do that with or without a drag. What is the point?

 

[JAD]

So here is the POY from last year. I don't remember anyone getting up in arms about Waldrop at any point. So I guess because it is not as severe it must be OK? otherwise how did all those folks vote for her to be POY?

I would imagine this is difficult to see in real time, and since Waldrop's drag foot lands on the side, there is very little advantage gained.

 

[JAD]

It is extremely rare for me to see any illegal pitches called in PA. My DD was called for 2 last year. Both in the same inning of the same game. After the second one I strolled out to ask the ump what the problem was. Evidently DD was not bringing her hands together long enough. He claimed she was only holding her hands together for 3/4 of a second instead of a full second. Explained it to DD. She smiled, and moved on... In three years of travel ball and over 200 games, I have only seen 1 leap called.

My DD has been called for 4 or 5 illegal pitches over the years, and ever time it has been because she was sliding her stride foot back and losing contact with the rubber during her wind up.

 

[riseball]

I would imagine this is difficult to see in real time, and since Waldrop's drag foot lands on the side, there is very little advantage gained.

Waldrop at only 5'-10" is getting all the way out to the front of the circle for a glide and stride close to 8'. I cannot imagine her doing this while throwing a legal pitch. She is also generating much more kinetic energy than she would had she not leaped. How is this not a competitive advantage?

 

[GOINGDEEP]

Maybe because there is nothing in the baseball rules about pitching that is as ridiculous as the leap rule and the rules don't force athletes to do unnatural things like try to drag a toe on the ground while they leap out to pitch? As soon as I was able to throw a ball I was able to pitch a baseball legally. Can anyone even articulate why you need to drag your toe? It can't be replanting, because you can do that with or without a drag. What is the point?

The leap is ridiculous. But it's still a "rule" on the books. Off the top of my old head I can balk right at 30 ways, probably a competent ump will call 29 of those. Fastpitch, I can count only a few.................if I can see it from the dugout............surely an ump can see it much closer to the action than me.

 

[JJsqueeze]

She is not generating "much" more kinetic energy by having her toe an inch off the ground vs just dragging on the surface. That is pure poppycock.

 

[riseball]

If you look closely using the background as a frame of reference I think you will see it is a bit more than an inch. Note the position of her head.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

She is not generating "much" more kinetic energy by having her toe an inch off the ground vs just dragging on the surface. That is pure poppycock.

Gotta get off after this, old lady giving me that look. My friend it's not the "energy", it's getting that inch closer to the plate. Closing the gap. If I could have "leaped" off that dirt mound, in my prime, I'd well................wife gonna put my iPad in the dishwasher.

 

[Greenmonsters]

Maybe because there is nothing in the baseball rules about pitching that is as ridiculous as the leap rule and the rules don't force athletes to do unnatural things like try to drag a toe on the ground while they leap out to pitch? As soon as I was able to throw a ball I was able to pitch a baseball legally. Can anyone even articulate why you need to drag your toe? It can't be replanting, because you can do that with or without a drag. What is the point?

Pitching from the stretch position is not natural. The balk rule, which is intended to prevent pitcher's from gaining an unfair advantage over baserunners, as applied to LH pitchers is pretty ridiculous. That said, BB pitchers learn to work within the rules pretty quickly and, FWIW, don't leap.

 

[Greenmonsters]

The leap is ridiculous. But it's still a "rule" on the books. Off the top of my old head I can balk right at 30 ways, probably a competent ump will call 29 of those. Fastpitch, I can count only a few.................if I can see it from the dugout............surely an ump can see it much closer to the action than me.

Be honest GD, how many times have you been tossed for addressing the plate umpire as Mr. Magoo?