need to move the plate back to 45" and let 'em get as high as they want
Auburn already went that route and it did not work out too well.
illegal pitch story and question
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Auburn already went that route and it did not work out too well.
Now that is funny! lol
- Feb 7, 2013
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The mens game is all but gone. So let's model the womens game after the mens game so they can fade into obscurity together! Why not make it real simple and just let them throw overhand? If you are going to bastardize the game, might as well go all in.
That's a ridiculous argument, the men's game is not losing popularity because pitchers crow hop. More likely the big 3 sports (baseball, football, and bball) have become the sport of choice for many young men.
I would argue that the current state of the game where the governing bodies ask their umpire crew to not call IPs, giving an unfair advantage to those who can't or choose not to drag their foot along the ground like an anchor is doing far more damage to the game than allowing leaping for everyone and leveling the playing field for all pitchers.
The bottom line is that illegal pitching will be the status quo for another decade without major overhauls in the system.
By the way, Bill Hillhouse who played men's fastptich at the highest levels is an advocate of allowing leaping in the women's game. I really doubt he would be such a strong believer in leaping if he thought it would kill the womens game and his livelihood as a pitching coach.
martianr
Softball DAD
The reason for moving the mound back in the first place was to give a "slight" advantage back to the batter. I agree with moving the mound back in the college ball. At least 5 feet. Then the leapers loss there advantage.But, I don't agree with allowing crow hopping and not presenting.
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Ok, so the leapers lose their advantage. What is your anticipated impact to the pitchers who play within the rules and throw legally? Why do you see a need to make them less efficient?
FWIW - "Presenting" is not and has not ever been required.
What is ridiculous is the argument that it is somehow fair to those who compete within the rules to change the rules to suit those that do not! Those who pitch legally do not need changes to the rules to "level the playing field". They simply need the rules enforced and those who refuse to abide by them to leave the game.
If someone physically cannot drag, they lack the required athleticism to pitch. If they simply refuse to drag, they lack the character to play organized sports. The former needs to find a different position. The latter needs to find another way to spend their weekends.
IME the only folks clamoring for changes in the pitching rules are invested as parents or coaches of a skippie that refuses to pitch legally. So the world needs to change to suit the wants and desires of those that feel they are entitled? From the information coming from the NCAA rules committee it is obvious that they are moving toward enhanced enforcement of the existing rules, with no intention of indulging the fantasy of changing the rules to allow leaping and increasing the pitching distance.
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People. It is a rubber in a circle. There is no mound.
People. It is a rubber in a circle. There is no mound.
The frustrating thing to me was how the opposing coaches handled themselves and the situation. The rubber not being flush to the ground made the situation worse.
Yes, she occasionally gets airborn. I am not denying the fact that she is illegal. It looks to me like her head and shoulders get to far our front and she doesnt stay back and tall enough.
She threw again last night. We had the best umpires around. I've known them since i was coaching back in the day. After the 2nd inning the one grabbed me and asked if i knew she was getting a "little airborn on a few pitches" I said, ya its occasionally an issue. Its a work in progress. Next inning, both umps come and talk to me. they just said we make coaches (and apparently parents) aware at this level, but we wont call it. We want you aware to help fix it. personally, i am fine with that. Funny thing is they came to me with it and not the coaches. We switched pitchers and she was doing something else illegal and they called the coaches out to talk about her.
Yes, she occasionally gets airborn. I am not denying the fact that she is illegal. It looks to me like her head and shoulders get to far our front and she doesnt stay back and tall enough.
She threw again last night. We had the best umpires around. I've known them since i was coaching back in the day. After the 2nd inning the one grabbed me and asked if i knew she was getting a "little airborn on a few pitches" I said, ya its occasionally an issue. Its a work in progress. Next inning, both umps come and talk to me. they just said we make coaches (and apparently parents) aware at this level, but we wont call it. We want you aware to help fix it. personally, i am fine with that. Funny thing is they came to me with it and not the coaches. We switched pitchers and she was doing something else illegal and they called the coaches out to talk about her.
Baseball at the age of around 13 when they start to call balks is brutal. Balks are called all the time. I saw more balks called in one year of travel baseball then I saw IPs called in 10+ years of fastpitch softball. By the time the boys are 15 balks are never called, because the pitchers don't balk anymore. If softball followed baseball's lead on this, 12u would be brutal on pitchers. But you wouldn't see constant IPs in 14u and older.
