Umpires calling illegal pitches...is there some type of unwritten etiiquette?

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JAD

Feb 20, 2012
8,231
38
Georgia
So this weekend we were playing in an 18U ASA Gold Qualifier. Winners bracket game with the winner getting a berth to ASA Gold Nationals. Home team loads up the bases in the 2nd inning with 2 outs. On the next pitch the field umpire calls an illegal pitch. He then proceeds to call the next two pitches illegal as well, plating all 3 runs.

Now I will agree that the pitcher was illegal, she places the heel of her drive foot on the front of the pitching plate, then has a slight "gym step" losing contact with the front of the pitching plate before releasing the pitch, but what infuriated the visiting team head coach was the fact that the pitcher had probably thrown 15-20 pitches in the first inning, then another 15-20 in the 2nd inning to load the bases before the umpire called it.

The visiting team had to replace the pitcher and ended up losing the game 3-4.

Any feedback from the umpires on here on what they would do in that situation? The umpires were from MS and the home team in that game was from MS while the visiting team was from GA. Was there a little "home cooking" going on?
 
Jun 11, 2013
2,619
113
We had one similar where an ump called an illegal pitch in the bottom of the 7th in a 0-0 game and put winning run on 3rd. Another time
he waited until they had 2nd and third to call it. Both umps said the P(not the same kid) had done it all game.

I have no problem with calling IP's if you are going to call them all game. I think the penalty is too harsh. If you call it on a kid in the first
inning it give them a chance to correct before it's a high leverage situation.
 
Sep 29, 2014
2,421
113
why not replace the pitcher after the 1st IP?, and certainly the 2nd!

Plus if the coach and pitcher actually got an explanation of what was illegal, why not just have the pitcher put her plant foot on the plate with toe hanging over the front and push off and reminder her to drag her foot if she says she can't pull her. THEN AGAIN as the coach you have been watching her all year and gotta know she is illegal...but really after the second IP there was no reason to continue.

As far as the timing there is no glory in calling a first inning first pitch IP or with going over to the coach after her warm up pitches and letting him know that if she pitches like that in game he is going to call an IP every time...again as ump we are bigger than the game people need to see us ;) I never understood that mentality; I always thought the best games I had as an ump were measured in not hearing one peep out of either coach then getting a "good game blue" handshake or wave as I exited the field.
 
Last edited:
Jun 22, 2008
3,731
113
Now I will agree that the pitcher was illegal, she places the heel of her drive foot on the front of the pitching plate, then has a slight "gym step" losing contact with the front of the pitching plate before releasing the pitch

Was the pitcher shifting the foot further forward prior to the push off or lifting it up and setting it down(gym step?)? Having the heel just touching the front of the pitching plate is perfectly legal in USA and there is no requirement for the foot to be in contact with the pitching plate when the ball is released. However, if she was shifting the foot further forward on her initial drive, then yes that would be illegal as she would be pushing off from a spot other than the pitching plate.
 

JAD

Feb 20, 2012
8,231
38
Georgia
Was the pitcher shifting the foot further forward prior to the push off or lifting it up and setting it down(gym step?)? Having the heel just touching the front of the pitching plate is perfectly legal in USA and there is no requirement for the foot to be in contact with the pitching plate when the ball is released. However, if she was shifting the foot further forward on her initial drive, then yes that would be illegal as she would be pushing off from a spot other than the pitching plate.

She was skipping forward 2-3", so she was illegal, and I don't think anyone was really arguing that, I think the coach was just disappointed that the umpire waiting until the worst possible time to call it. If he had called it in the first inning with no one on base, no one would have complained, but bases loaded in the second inning?
 
Feb 7, 2013
3,188
48
I always thought the best games I had as an ump were measured in not hearing one peep out of either coach then getting a "good game blue" handshake or wave as I exited the field.

Completely agree with this. It's similar to having an excellent dining experience in a restaurant. If you received great service and didn't even realize the wait staff (server, busboy, etc.) was there, then they did their job well.
 
Jun 23, 2016
47
8
Any feedback from the umpires on here on what they would do in that situation? The umpires were from MS and the home team in that game was from MS while the visiting team was from GA. Was there a little "home cooking" going on?

Home cooking? No. Seriously. No. Just... No. Stop that. No, no... Uh uh... No. :p

But as for calling illegal pitches, well... The only person who can really answer that is the Base Umpire. But speaking from personal experience, if it's an 18U Gold Qualifier, I'm calling whatever I see, whenever I see it. We owe the girls that much to do it right, and by 18U, they should be doing it right, especially in Gold.

But hey... sometimes, you aren't sure of what you saw until you're sure you saw it. Was she doing this on every single pitch, or was it only occasionally?
 
Feb 17, 2014
7,152
113
Orlando, FL
If you know what to look for you can see it from over 100 feet away so at 40-50 there is just no excuse not to see it. The problem is that the umpires are very poorly trained with respect to IP's.
 
Jun 23, 2016
47
8
If you know what to look for you can see it from over 100 feet away so at 40-50 there is just no excuse not to see it. The problem is that the umpires are very poorly trained with respect to IP's.

I agree, it's not that hard to see.

I'm not sure if it's a matter of training, or if it's a matter of having the guts to take the inevitable heat when we do call it. The excessive whining about "it's the first time that's been called on her all year," the tantrums... Some umpires just don't want to hear it. And I've even heard some associations flat out don't want us to call it, because it only makes coaches mad, and they'll take their money elsewhere. For the record, I won't call for such an organization.

Of course, I get a chuckle out of whenever I hear a coach say, "that's the first time it's been called all year," when the coach completely forgot I made the same call two weeks ago. :D :rolleyes:
 

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