When watching a game the other night, we noticed one of the pitchers would go into a deep crouch at the beginning of her pitch and, while bringing her arm back, would scrape the ball on the ground. Is this legal? Illegal? We could not find any specific rule one way or the other about it. Thank you!
Pitching Question
- Thread starter fusionmom
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It is illegal to rub dirt on the ball or grind the ball into the dirt, it is considered defacing the ball. Guess I would have to see it in person, but if the pitcher was scraping the ball on ground on backswing I would call it an illegal pitch, change out the ball and instruct the pitcher not to deface the ball again.
- Jan 25, 2011
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That sounds crazy, I would think the pitcher would be worn out after a couple of innings.
We had a girl on our 12U team last year who had a crazy windup like that where she sometimes scraped her hand on the ground. Didn't help her much. She did much better when we worked to get that a bit more fluid and under control. But I have no idea if it is legal or not. I'll take Comp's word for it that it is illegal.
- May 30, 2011
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There's a lot of motions that pitchers make that just plain look odd but are not illegal. It wouldn't be the weird mothion she goes thru that would be illegal it's what she's doing to the ball. When you use the word "scraping" I'm thinking defacing the ball as well although I never considered defacing the ball happening during the pitching motion.
there is a pitching coach around here that teaches the players to bend way over at their start, knees bend and chest basically touches their knees, their hand nearly touches the ground during the back swing and could possibly at times touch. not sure the thought process other than I heard he thinks they stay lower and drive forward instead of up but I don't believe it at all as they still stand completely up at end of back swing when arm is up at top, some girls back swing is even past their shoulder line. They also sure work themselves a lot of extra with all that unwanted motion and knee bends.
Sounds like this kid was emulating LSU's ace, Carley Hoover....Or Miss. State's Alexis Silkwood. (minus the ball scrape of course)
Scraping the ball across the dirt adds scuffs. These scuffs will add extra movement to the pitch if thrown correctly... This is why its illegal
Scraping the ball across the dirt adds scuffs. These scuffs will add extra movement to the pitch if thrown correctly... This is why its illegal
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