Illegal pitchs, coaches and umpires...what's the solution?

[Bishop]

With you again MB. Think about this-

Extremely well played game in the second inning. Pitcher loads the bases after giving up a hit and two walks. She gets two outs on grounders. The next batter rips a line shot to the right field gap. Center fielder makes a full blown diving catch and comes down hard but hangs on to the ball. Everyone is amazed at both the hit and the catch. But wait...hold on...

The field ump has the arm out for illegal pitch. A ball is awarded and the runners all move up a base.

Guess the batter would have hit it out if the pitcher kept her toe down???

What are you getting at with that example? An umpire enforcing a rule be it an illegal pitch or say calling the batter out for steping on the edge of the plate when bunting or slapping can disrupt the flow of the game, change the outcome of a game. Isn't that what they are there to do? Enforce the rules.

Why are the rules about pitching the only ones that people feel are worth ignoring...for the sake of the game.

 

[goosesdad1]

Just read an article that I thought might clear this whole thing up once and for all. It's a completely different perspective that I am sure we all can agree upon or at least understand.

http://rise.espn.go.com/softball/articles/2010/03/Jen-Schroeder-My-Dad-My-Drive.aspx

 

[ASAPAump]

One pitcher is blatantly replanting, even sliding her foot out to the side when she replants. With no prompting from the opposing coach (a first in my book), base umpire calls at least 7 iPs in first inning, resulting in a run for the home team. From that point forward, even though the pitcher doesn't change her motion even one little bet, NOT ANOTHER IP IS CALLED FOR THE REST OF THE GAME. I was incredulous. I happen to know the umpire, and approached him in a friendly way after the game to ask why he had stopped calling IPs. He said that he thought the girl wasn't grievously illegal, so he thought that the pitcher had been "punished enough" at the point where it cost her a run.

No umpire likes changing the nature of the game based on IP calls. Trust me, I feel horrible. But if we don't call them, it is unfair to the team who is following the rules.

 

[goosesdad1]

What are you getting at with that example? An umpire enforcing a rule be it an illegal pitch or say calling the batter out for steping on the edge of the plate when bunting or slapping can disrupt the flow of the game, change the outcome of a game. Isn't that what they are there to do? Enforce the rules.

Why are the rules about pitching the only ones that people feel are worth ignoring...for the sake of the game.

What I am getting at is not ignoring the rules, but instead demonstrating the effect this particular rule can have on the game when it is enforced.
What I was getting at was what can and has happened with the application of the illegal pitch rule. It was THE CALL that made the difference in the game, not THE PITCH.

I don't know in what other sport a defensive penalty can directly result in a score for the offense without the offense making an attempt at a score. Harsh rule when applied without judgement. Judgement calls are a part of the game. The blind application of this rule can absolutely ruin wonderful athletic competition. You can just imagine if the umpire notices and the pitcher is an inch off the rubber and a half inch in the air.

 

[MTR]

Trust me, any intelligent umpire would love it if the restrictions were removed, but I guarantee the minute that happens, you will be screaming about how unfair this is or that is and the umpires have to take control.

Sorry, folks, not the umpire's job. And, btw, it isn't the umpire's call that affects the game, it is the actions of the player.

If I had my druthers, they would move the PP back to 46' with an 16-20' circle, let the pitcher does anything she wants with her feet as long as she starts the pitch in contact with the PP as long as she doesn't leave the circle

 

[Bishop]

What I am getting at is not ignoring the rules, but instead demonstrating the effect this particular rule can have on the game when it is enforced.
What I was getting at was what can and has happened with the application of the illegal pitch rule. It was THE CALL that made the difference in the game, not THE PITCH.

I don't know in what other sport a defensive penalty can directly result in a score for the offense without the offense making an attempt at a score. Harsh rule when applied without judgement. Judgement calls are a part of the game. The blind application of this rule can absolutely ruin wonderful athletic competition. You can just imagine if the umpire notices and the pitcher is an inch off the rubber and a half inch in the air.

Ok I see what you are getting at now. Thanks for the clarification.

I've been chewing on the 'no other sport' part. That's a really rough comparison. The only sport that is even remotely close to softball in how the score is generated is baseball. I'm still trying to learn the finer points (ok and some of the fundimentals too) of softball and really don't know a lot of baseballs rules. I'm sure there are rules for illegal pitches in baseball are they compareable to the rules of softball?

I agree that it's unfortunate that calling this breach of the rules can be a game changer. Isn't it also true that any penalty called at the right time can be game changing?

I've always thought that part our responibility as coaches is to teach the players how to compete within the scope of the rules. I don't see where blaming the umpire for making the call is good logic. If the pitch had been legal there would have been no call and the game would have been unaffected. I still feel the fault is on the player and the coach for making the Ump make the call for the illegal pitch.

Some folks have made comments about nitpicking form and making issues over slight infractions should be overlooked for the sake of the game. Things have been brought up like the hole often in front of the pitching rubber. Quarter inch misses on the drag coming off the rubber. The comparison of illegal pitches to exceeding the speed limit by a couple miles an hour was really good at trivialising the argument.

Lets be clear here. I started this thread because I have fair number of pitchers in ASA/NSA tournament play, most of the national qualifiers and state tournaments, that I have been in attendance at as a coach or spectator that seem incapable of throwing a legal pitch. I'm not talking about something subtle that you have to really watch for, use slow motion video or identify by sound. I'm talking about leaps with 4 inches of air under both feet and replants that my painfully inexperienced mark 1 eyeball can detect from the back corner of the dugout while keeping the book and marshalling the troops into batting order.

The thing that irritates me about the whole illegal pitch deal is it's effect on the outcome of the game. I want my girls to win or loose based on the skill they bring to the game. A game that should be played on a level playing field. The level playing field is ensured by the rules of play.

Several people have made statements like I don't think it gives them an advantage and at least one replied they needed to see a study to be conviced they get an advantage. I guess I stand on the point of not caring if the illegal pitch gives an advantage or hurts the pitchers potental performance. It's illegal and should be corrected.

The primary example what I see as a problem, that I don't think can possibly be good for the sport, is on pitcher I've watched for the last 2 years. She has a horrendous leap, that seemingly she cannot correct since the one game the umpires got serious about calling it her coach pulled after the second trip to the mound to try and get her to correct it. I saw her pitch multiple games at 4 different tournaments last year outside of that one game she got called about 5 times for IP. How is it fair that this team with a work horse pitcher that only throws a legal pitch by accident placed second in an ASA state tournamet with this girl in the circle for every game I saw them play? My answer to that...something is broken and needs fixed.

Our pitchers know what a legal pitch is. Most of them at one time or another had a leap of one degree or another that has been corrected, those that never had one have definitly heard the corrections and explainations given to the ones that have had the problem to know it's illegal. How am I supposed to explain that situation to my team? They can see as plain as anyone else the pitcher is illegal and the umps aren't calling it. I suppose I could tell them that sometimes life isn't fair. Life lessons are a part of sports. But then I though sports were supposed to be fair.