Illegal pitch?

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Feb 25, 2018
350
43
Illegal pitch in this video?
Recent hs varsity game, rule set is NFHS. For me, the pause is not long enough to appear to take a sign.

I know it’s a judgement call.

 
Jul 22, 2015
851
93
Illegal pitch in this video?
Recent hs varsity game, rule set is NFHS. For me, the pause is not long enough to appear to take a sign.

I know it’s a judgement call.


Illegal by NFHS rules. Lots of variability on when it gets called though. I would definitely call that one. It's almost a walk-through.
 
Jan 22, 2011
1,610
113
Would love to get input from some experienced umpires on this.

My observations:
1) 6-1-c says hands must be together for at least one second before releasing the ball and hands may be moving while hands together.
2) I can't see her feet clearly in video or anything in the rule defining how long to simulate taking a signal.
3) I've been told by experienced umpires to stay standing and then get into position when the pitcher starts the motion and the batter is ready.

She is moving her hands and has them together for more than one second before releasing the ball. Unless there is a definition of time to simulate a signal, she does pause very briefly to take a signal. The batter appears to be ready.

I very well may be wrong, but looks legal to me, but in USA rec game I did bases on the other night, plate umpire called time and asked the pitcher to take a little more time simulating the signal.

1652464052930.png
 
Feb 25, 2018
350
43
The NFHS video on the topic from 2019 kinda defines how long the pause needs to be by the legal examples they show; basically, the the pause needs to be long enough to say “fastball”, which is what I do.
If they’re going before I finish that, my fist is out. Does not get called much in New England, despite it once again being a point of emphasis.
 
Feb 25, 2018
350
43
Would love to get input from some experienced umpires on this.

My observations:
1) 6-1-c says hands must be together for at least one second before releasing the ball and hands may be moving while hands together.
2) I can't see her feet clearly in video or anything in the rule defining how long to simulate taking a signal.
3) I've been told by experienced umpires to stay standing and then get into position when the pitcher starts the motion and the batter is ready.

She is moving her hands and has them together for more than one second before releasing the ball. Unless there is a definition of time to simulate a signal, she does pause very briefly to take a signal. The batter appears to be ready.

I very well may be wrong, but looks legal to me, but in USA rec game I did bases on the other night, plate umpire called time and asked the pitcher to take a little more time simulating the signal.

View attachment 25552
From USA April 2019 Rule Plays and Clarifications
 

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Oct 24, 2010
308
28
IMHO, it is. Everyone does it, no one calls it. (hyperbole)

Shouldn't the time to simulate taking a signal be as long as actually taking the signal? ;)
 
Jan 22, 2011
1,610
113
Thanks. IMO it is short enough to go either way, since I can say fastball just before her hands come together. If she is doing it this quick every pitch I would call illegal pitch after a couple times, since penalty is only a ball. In a game last summer I saw a pitcher get called for not simulating taking a signal (even though she paused briefly), because she was looking at her arm band before stepping on the plate, but not while on the plate. Since she was using an arm band, umpire wanted her to simulate taking a signal by looking at the armband while on the pitching plate. I think they want to award a de-facto walk-thru.

1652465830347.png
 
Feb 25, 2018
350
43
Easy fix: Give them the sign on the pitching plate. If they’re going to pitch in college, that’s how most coaches do it.
 
May 17, 2012
2,804
113
Easy fix: Give them the sign on the pitching plate. If they’re going to pitch in college, that’s how most coaches do it.

Or just nod your head "yes" like you are receiving the signal. Never once had an issue with doing it that way.
 

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