Enforcing the rules v. impacting the game

[Ken Krause]

So there I was, watching the Purdue v Michigan fastpitch softball game last weekend on the DVR. Early in the first inning, the Purdue pitcher gets called for an illegal pitch. Her stride foot landed outside the markings for the pitching lane. N

Once that happened I started taking more interest in that particular call. It seemed like she was outside the lane a lot. I know the angles can be deceiving on TV, but it seemed pretty clear that this was not a random occurence.

Later in that inning, Michigan had a runner on third and I clearly saw the Purdue pitcher land outside the lane again. No call, though. She did it several times, in fact, and didn't get called for it.

So it makes me wonder. Have the umpires been told not to call it if it means scoring a run? Was it this particular umpire perhaps being unwilling to make a call that would affect the game?

What do you think? Should an umpire call an illegal pitch even if it means advancing a run home? Or is that going over the line? What if the pitcher is gaining a big advantage by making the ball run in too much on the hitter? And if you don't call it does it penalize the other pitcher for pitching within the rules?

Let me know your thoughts on this. I don't have an answer myself so I'm interested in yours. Except you spammers. You guys can take your garbage somewhere else.

More...

 

[coachtucc]

How will the player learn to pitch legally if the umps don't call it!! After a few calls, I am sure the pitching coach will visit the mound to make a correction or the player will be pulled!

 

[nanotech14]

You would hate to see it impact the game , but it does impact the batter too. If the pitcher strikes out the batter , because she hand cuffs her with a inside pitch that the batter might not be able to fight off.Then thats not right either. The rules are there for a reason right or wrong on how you feel about the rules , like them or don't like them it is what it is. It is are job as the coach to teach these girls the rules and how to stay within the rules , not to say that we don't on occasions try to find those gray areas in the rules to find a advantage. But if you where called on it once and you continue to do it than , I say if it cause you to give the other team a run than thats your own fault not the umpire or the other teams fault.

 

[shockcoach]

The penalty should be changed. This is one of those that came over with baseball's balk rules. In baseball, it's a penalty on the runner, not the hitter. So the runner gets to move ahead one base. In softball, you get a double jeopardy. A ball on the batter and the runner advances one base. Remove the one base penalty and make it a delayed dead ball and award a ball on the batter. Then keep calling the rules until the pitchers start abiding by them.

Just my 2¢ worth

 

[D.G. OutLaws 16u]

At the D1 level pitchers (coaches and all players) know the rules. Heck, they even help the ump (and pitchers) visually by putting chalk lines down. So yes, call the IP let the run score. D1 pitchers have been throwing for probably 10+ years allready. Thier stride and form should be perfected by now. If they don't have the 'basics" down by now they shouldn't be there. Its not like they have to learn something completly new here.
However....high level ball your always looking for an edge. You take what the ump gives. Umps consistantly calling certain pitches out of the zone for strikes....you throw there. If your able to jump off the base before release...you take it AND keep pushing it. Same goes for pitchers crow hopping or striding out of the lane. I learned a long time ago not to complain, dwell or focus on what the ump is NOT calling, the players pick up on that and instantly come out of focus. Instead of barking at the ump in the moment I'll quietly/politely meet in between innings and play on.
In keeping with the spirit of the game let the umps call 'thier' game and abide to it. MLB recently started video replay for review with certain calls.....is D1 softball next......?

 

[PEPPERS]

Most days I’m just happy if the ump is consistent!!! If you point out an infraction most of the time it is not enforced. We went and saw the GA-AL game a few weeks ago the ump behind the plate was not consistent on balls and strikes and I felt had an effect on the game.







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[bobbyb]

I think the way its done now is interruptive and useless. It does no good to "occasionally" call it and let it go on.

I think they need to come up with a tougher standard and enforce it.

Part of the problem is ...Refs are in a no win situation. When I spoke to our states head ump about crow hopping...he told me his story of calling it the whole game. He was vilified in the media and obviously parents, teams, coaches, players wanted his neck. It was requested that he never return to that field.

As he stated...most umps are doing this part time and do not wish to go out and create a LONG day calling every IP... Nor do they want to put up with the after math of having done so.

I think it should be looked at from a perspective of empowering the umpire/ref.

In reference to crow hopping...almost all will leave two divots in the dirt. Study that and let the umps use that (and point it out) in determining crow hopping if the study holds up. I believe it would.

Give the girls a warning, call the ip a ball. Show the coaches the dirt criteria. In between innings...rake the mound after suspected illegal pitchers.

THEN...have a set number of IP that can be called...say five...then the pitcher is ejected. It would beat the heck out of having to always call the ip...and delay the game...frustrate everyone...without any final resolution. If you removed the pitcher from the field...that ones over...everyone HAS to move on.

This way you resolve it...you let it be known it will not be tolerated and change will occur. The first year of implementing such rules would be tough on some pitchers and teams but I would bet that most would work it out. The coach and parents of pitchers would definitely work it out by the following year!

Our city held a tournament locally the season before last. The best pitcher 64+ mph in the area...crow hopped. The umpire on hand was the most respected one around here. He called ip...ONE TIME.

The coaches argued...screamed and it was getting down right ugly. After the game i asked him about it cause she continued to pitch the same way. He said..."there was no way to resolve it".

If we don't come up with rules that the umps will feel empowered enough to do it. It will never change.

 

[KevinC]

As shockcoach stated the penalty is too harsh. It should just be a ball on the batter.

I think this is why umps don't call illegal pitches every time they could - it would be too disruptive to the game. A girl that pitches illegally once probably does it every other pitch if not every pitch. I think some umps choose to call it when it has the maximum penalty (baserunner on 3rd) and some choose to avoid calling it in those situations.

If they changed the penalty to just a ball on the batter I bet the umps would call it every time and the pitchers would learn to stop doing it.

 

[RulesMeister]

I agree with everyone, except the part about being too harsh. I think the harsher the penalty, the quicker it gets resolved. If it's a light penalty, (just a ball on the batter) pitchers and coaches would more often knowingly take the chance. It's terrible that the ump is villified for ENFORCING THE RULES! Either change the rules, or enforce them every time, not just occasionally. It should be called on pitch 1 and every pitch after that is deemed to be illegal. AN UMPIRE CANNOT take into consideration what the score is, who's in scoring position, what the count is, etc.
The crow hop is another problem area. Many can't recognize it, but many don't want to, for the reason bobbyb says about putting up with the aftermath. The rules for most sanctioning bodies talks about a second impetus or starting point. Sadly, a large number of pitchers still crow hop, even at the college level, and get away with it. However, most umpires only look to see if the pivot foot leaves the ground, but that isn't necessary for a crow hop. There's a simple way of recognizing it and it's based on physics. If there is a smooth drag from the pitcher's plate, there is no crow hop. If there's a stutter step, there is a crow hop. Watching it in real time is fairly easy to see, ESPECIALLY compared to a legal (smooth drag) pitcher. In slow motion, it's easier to see. If there is a stutter step, it means there's a slight pause, and that slight pause is where the second push happens. By laws of physics, with the front foot in the air, and a pause with the back foot, there has to be a second push. The sad thing is that only a little more than half of the pitchers out there are pitching legally. A large minority still pitch illegally. (It's probably about 65/35, or 70/30) Until all umpires at all levels do their job of calling every one they see, the problem will continue to be out there.

 

[KevinC]

What I meant by too harsh is that the penalty doesn't match the infraction.

A balk in baseball gives the pitcher an unfair advantage over a baserunner taking a lead before the ball this thrown so it makes sense to award the baserunners a base.

An illegal pitch in softball does not give the pitcher an advantage over the the baserunner since they can't leave the base until after the ball is thrown. In my opinion there is no reason to award baserunners the next base.