Illegal pitchs-Florida/UCLA

[halskinner]

How far the pivot foot travels forward while not in contact with the ground means absolutely nothing to anyone. If the pitch starts, the pivot foot comes up and then back down to the rubber before the pushoff even occurs, you still haqve an illegal pitch, losing contact with the rubber.

If any light WHATSOEVER is seen between the pivot toe and the ground before the stride foot touches down, IP, leaping. Does not matter whether it stays that way for 1/16" or 4 feet, same violation, same penalty.

 

[SoftSocDad]

If the intent is to create more offense, define a smaller strike zone.

 

[ASAPAump]

I see the vast majority of pitches by most pitchers are technically an illegal pitch the way the rules are written, the umps just decides what is excessive. They dont call it at all when the drag foot obviously leaves the ground for maybe 6" or so, even if no hole, but they might if its 12-18". Problem is that foot cant leave the ground for even 1/16" of distance under the written rule, unless parallel to the ground over the hole. It can be very judgemental as to when to call an IP and when it is not, that is why it isnt called unless its excessive.

I see a lot of arguments like this... that if the umps are calling the foot for being 2" off of the ground, then they should be calling 1/16" off of the ground... that because of this they are not calling all illegal pitches... and that "it isn't called unless its excessive."

The fact of the matter is, it is NOT "not called unless excessive." It IS "not called unless SEEN." Do you think I'm going to see 1/16" off of the ground from 1B? No, but when I DO see the foot off of the ground, I'm going to call it. If there is any doubt (which the 1/16 would bring), then the benefit goes to the pitcher. Legal until illegal.

 

[dpett]

I personally dont care for the rules. A crow-hop , yes should be illegal. Leaps? No, doesnt matter.

Had an umpire tell me at a game a few weeks ago she was not going to call IP when I remarked as opposing pitcher was warming up, because there was a hole in front of the rubber. I said good, I dont want you to, but dont call it on ours either, lets play ball.

Good pitchers should be able to push the envelope of what the ump allows, but also should be able to adjust to be legal if needed. If they cant, they dont need to be pitching in those situations. Pitching rule enforcement isnt much different from strike zone, it can vary game to game, ump to ump. Some should quit whining an just go play, within whatever constraints a particular ump gives you.

Again, UCLA beat the snot out of florida. I wouldnt blame that on a few IPs, if florida or any other team is foolish enough to have pitchers that cannot adjust to what the ump calls, that is their problem, their weakness, and a legitimate reason to lose. Just one factor out of a myriad of them that determines who will come out on top on a given day. A given ump may take a given pitchers go-to pitch out on anyday by not calling the zone like they are used to. No difference, but no one is complaining about that or anything else that is less visible.

How about an illegal bat. It's still a bat so it shouldn't matter. Wouldn't be much of a game without rules enforcement. Pretty funny that you don't like a crow-hop but leaping is okay. The best games so far have been with LEGAL pitchers and good hitting teams. No excuses for the coaches who have to blame the umps instead of themselves.

 

[TheRogue]

If calling all the IP's results in 10 run games, get rid of the rule. I hate 10-8, 13-3 games.

 

[batsics1]

I just read in the paper that a pitcher in the state high school semi-finals (Texas) got called for IP (crowhopping) 16 times. So, maybe there is some trickle-down effect occurring. DD’s team played them during the year and not a single call.

She was called 9 times in one inning – the other team scored 5 runs. The losing coach’s comment, “I can’t say too much because I don’t make the calls, but I felt (the illegal pitches) took the game out of our hands”. The winning team scored 9 runs and had 13 hits.

The irony of all this is the coach gets to make this comment. She is correct. The illegal pitch calls affected her pitcher’s ability to focus and it affected the other players mental state. OTOH, if a losing coach says that the opposing pitcher was illegal – and the umps didn’t call it – it took us out of our game and we couldn’t hit her, it’s sour grapes.

The point is that for every team that suffers dramatically when the rules are suddenly enforced and it cost them a crushing defeat at an inopportune time, there are dozens of teams that suffer a slow wearing down from the illegal advantage.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

What I see around here is coaches that skirt the rules and they make it through the HS regular season and then they complain when the big boy umps crack down.

 

[Bishop]

If calling all the IP's results in 10 run games, get rid of the rule. I hate 10-8, 13-3 games.

I always like these kinds of responses. You'd rather let players that are incapable of playing within the rules and coaches who are incapable of teaching there players to play the game within the rules of the contest to be competitive and possibly successful with those who ARE capable of playing within the rules?

Way to cater to the lowest common denominator.

You think the rule should be removed because of the two games on Thursday. I say the rule should stay BECAUSE of them. I watched the Washington vs Georgia game that followed that featured 2 teams who could play within the rules set. Fantastic game. Why do we need to change the rules if legal teams can give us great games like that? The rule isn't screwing things up. The players and coaches not following the rule are.

I'm sitting here watching Florida vs Mizzou right now. Hey look, Brombacher is keeping her toe down today. Do you think the rule has done what was it was intended to do? It has kept the playing field fair and level now that the pitcher is functioning within the same parameters as all the rest.

 

[Bishop]

I just read in the paper that a pitcher in the state high school semi-finals (Texas) got called for IP (crowhopping) 16 times. So, maybe there is some trickle-down effect occurring. DD’s team played them during the year and not a single call.

She was called 9 times in one inning – the other team scored 5 runs. The losing coach’s comment, “I can’t say too much because I don’t make the calls, but I felt (the illegal pitches) took the game out of our hands”. The winning team scored 9 runs and had 13 hits.

The irony of all this is the coach gets to make this comment. She is correct. The illegal pitch calls affected her pitcher’s ability to focus and it affected the other players mental state. OTOH, if a losing coach says that the opposing pitcher was illegal – and the umps didn’t call it – it took us out of our game and we couldn’t hit her, it’s sour grapes.

The point is that for every team that suffers dramatically when the rules are suddenly enforced and it cost them a crushing defeat at an inopportune time, there are dozens of teams that suffer a slow wearing down from the illegal advantage.

If we are ever at the same tournament. The red cooler in the trunk has the coach soda's in it. See ya there when the day is done.

That's been my argument for years. Great post.

 

[Bishop]

What I see around here is coaches that skirt the rules and they make it through the HS regular season and then they complain when the big boy umps crack down.

Just like all the people saying 'How could they be illegal all year and suddenly get illegal at WCWS?'. See it all the time in youth. Teams show up to state and nationals and suddenly the rules are enforced. Apopalectic coaches of illegal pitchers are kinda fun to watch in a morbid train wreck kind of way.