Barnhill-Collegiate Player of the year. #usasoftball

[Rocketech1]

What I "get" is that I work with several kids per year and often tell them I've based what I teach by studying the world's best pitchers of all time. Right now, Barnhill is touted as THE best pitcher in the NCAA. She admits that what she does is outside the rules. This puts me in a bind when I talk to kids, parents and coaches who want to know why I don't teach the leap and replant style. One of the reasons Barnhill is getting all this DFP attention is because many folks here are passionate about what they teach. If you don't like the koolaid...

It's pretty simple, you be honest with them.

If I was a paid pitching coach, I would explain to them what the rules technically say and then explain to them reality. For the last 15 years or so many of the top pitchers in fastpitch have pitched illegally either by a) laziness, b) bad mechanics, c) intentionally gaining an advantage, d) trying to do moves that are unnatural/inefficient (dragging a pivot along the ground like an anchor, f) rule book has pitching rules that are arbitrary and impossible to enforce (e.g. Leaping is ok if a hole is in front of the pitching plate, g) most games have 1 or 2 umpires and it's nearly impossible to monitor and enforce every pitching rule with any consistency.

I would also tell them that the governing bodies have purposely chosen not to enforce these rules and will likely allow leaping and replants (just like the men's game) in the near future (3-5 years).

Lastly, I would tell them that since we are in a transition period with regards to some of the pitching rules, we will focus on more important aspects of pitching such as proper arm whip mechanics, getting good I/R, work on movement, increasing spin rates, locating her pitches, and pitch strategy during games.

When you step back...it's not a difficult conversation at all....

 

[riseball]

It's pretty simple, you be honest with them.

If I was a paid pitching coach, I would explain to them what the rules technically say and then explain to them reality. For the last 15 years or so many of the top pitchers in fastpitch have pitched illegally either by a) laziness, b) bad mechanics, c) intentionally gaining an advantage, d) trying to do moves that are unnatural/inefficient (dragging a pivot along the ground like an anchor, f) rule book has pitching rules that are arbitrary and impossible to enforce (e.g. Leaping is ok if a hole is in front of the pitching plate, g) most games have 1 or 2 umpires and it's nearly impossible to monitor and enforce every pitching rule with any consistency.

I would also tell them that the governing bodies have purposely chosen not to enforce these rules and will likely allow leaping and replants (just like the men's game) in the near future (3-5 years).

Lastly, I would tell them that we will focus on more important aspects of pitching such as proper arm whip mechanics, getting good I/R, work on movement, increasing spin rates, locating her pitches, and pitch strategy during games.

When you step back...it's not a difficult conversation at all....

So in other words, tell them that their personal success is the priority not doing what is right. I think most people would find that conversation impossible.

 

[Rocketech1]

So in other words, tell them that their personal success is the priority not doing what is right.

You tell them their options and they can choose whether or not they want to spend a lot of time and money on leap and drag mechanics or if they would like to focus on other aspects of pitching. This way they make an informed decision and can practice on the areas they think will be the most beneficial to them in the circle.

 

[riseball]

You tell them their options and they can choose whether or not they want to spend a lot of time and money on leap and drag mechanics or if they would like to focus on other aspects of pitching. This way they make an informed decision and can practice on the areas they think will be the most beneficial to them in the circle.

You say you are not a paid pitching coach. That is probably a very good thing, you would not be successful.

 

[FastPitchCat]

It's pretty simple, you be honest with them.

If I was a paid pitching coach, I would explain to them what the rules technically say and then explain to them reality. For the last 15 years or so many of the top pitchers in fastpitch have pitched illegally either by a) laziness, b) bad mechanics, c) intentionally gaining an advantage, d) trying to do moves that are unnatural/inefficient (dragging a pivot along the ground like an anchor, f) rule book has pitching rules that are arbitrary and impossible to enforce (e.g. Leaping is ok if a hole is in front of the pitching plate, g) most games have 1 or 2 umpires and it's nearly impossible to monitor and enforce every pitching rule with any consistency.

I would also tell them that the governing bodies have purposely chosen not to enforce these rules and will likely allow leaping and replants (just like the men's game) in the near future (3-5 years).

Lastly, I would tell them that since we are in a transition period with regards to some of the pitching rules, we will focus on more important aspects of pitching such as proper arm whip mechanics, getting good I/R, work on movement, increasing spin rates, locating her pitches, and pitch strategy during games.

When you step back...it's not a difficult conversation at all....

and you need to add one more. follow the rules, whatever it is as of TODAY!

 

[FastPitchCat]

What I "get" is that I work with several kids per year and often tell them I've based what I teach by studying the world's best pitchers of all time. Right now, Barnhill is touted as THE best pitcher in the NCAA. She admits that what she does is outside the rules. This puts me in a bind when I talk to kids, parents and coaches who want to know why I don't teach the leap and replant style. One of the reasons Barnhill is getting all this DFP attention is because many folks here are passionate about what they teach. If you don't like the koolaid...

ken,

when and where did KB admit that what she does is outside the rules?

 

[Blacklabgator]

I think OILF is back!

Don't know who it is but have a feeling it's not a compliment.
That's fine. I'm sure you're too wore out from moving the goal posts on this topic to respond any other way.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[schwabach]

I'm not seeing any sliding standard here when it comes to IPs - Riseball is saying that it should be disallowed across the board. Barnhill is being singled out for IPs just as she was singled out as pitcher of the year. She is a role model for a lot of girls and she is the pitcher than she is because of her illegal pitching style.

Finally, in an earlier post, Riseball said that he had talked with Barnhill after a game and that is how he knows that she knows exactly what she is doing.

 

[riseball]

ken,

when and where did KB admit that what she does is outside the rules?

[MENTION=9657]FastPitchCat[/MENTION] I think you meant to direct that question to me. I think we all agree that it is inconceivable that she does not know she leaps, and does not know that it is illegal. However, I am more than happy to provide some details. .

As I stated it happened more than once. The first was mid-late June 2012 (?) right here:

https://https://www.google.com/maps/place/40%C2%B035'25.9%22N+74%C2%B036'43.2%22W/@40.590518,-74.6125562,214m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d40.590517!4d-74.612009

She was guesting with a team out of New York (?). Our team had hit her pretty well and she was upset. After the customary high fives we spoke with her and the HC of the other team. We complimented her on her abilities and stated that the reason we hit her was that she telegraphed every pitch she threw by the way she raised the toe of her pivot foot. The higher she brought her foot the more gas she would bring. So we sat on the heat which at the time was her drop ball that she would throw down the middle. We also pointed out that she was leaping and quite incorrectly stated that she would not get away with that in college. Obviously missed on that one. Her response was a big grin and "I never get called for it."

 

[knightsb]

Many of us who think Barnhill is illegal are actually fans of pitching. We are pitcher's dads, pitching coaches, fastpitch fans, and students of the game. We've read the rules, studied pitching mechanics, re-read the rules and studied more pitching mechanics. The talking heads rave about Barnhill. She's been given award after award. She gets a lions share of the attention by the media singing her praises. She gets attention on DFP because no one else seems to care that she pitches illegal, it's the opposite, she's rewarded for pitching illegal. No one wants to kill "a great story". Barnhillgate has been a slap in the face to those who have spent countless hours trying to follow the rules.

Often times the argument is made we should ignore illegal pitching because the bats are hot, the fences are too short, the strike zone is squeezed, and the hitters have gotten better, as if those of us concerned with illegal pitching are on the side of the hitter, nothing could be farther from reality. I love great pitching, I love a dominate pitcher, but I dislike when officials cherry pick which rules to enforce, when they are going to be enforced, and who they are going to enforce them against.