Leap into 2022, USA rules change for pitching

[inumpire]

This weekend, DD played in a tourney in FL where multiple umps called out. We paid tons of money but they had mostly one ump per game instead. I can see umps throwing up their hands and say I QUIT! How are they going to watch balls and strikes and then have to call the pitcher out b/c of an illegal pitch? They can't even call balls and strikes correctly most of them time. They definitely can't call when a slapper was out of the box during contact.

I joke that I should invent a device to call balls and strikes to free up an ump to watch other stuff on the field.

Maybe you should sign up to become an umpire?? You seem to see all and know all. Just sayin….

 

[Vertigo]

I disagree with the mention that we should move the mound back when this goes into effect. You’d then be hurting the girls who were taught the correct and legal way to pitch all along. They won’t all of a sudden become “leapers.” The hitters will just need to adjust like they did when we used to pitch from 40 feet.

Interesting how we reward those who refuse to fix the issue.

 

[MNDad]

Replanting does not make it a crow hop by itself. Replanting before the hands separate = crow hop.

Say what???

 

[Texminoh]

Writing this post knowing full well the discussion about this topic will continue forever.
(Like the technical hitting forum LOL)

Read and re-read the rules all you want,
it is the visual interpretation that will matter.
People may interpret the rules can be written very vague or not.
However in the moment
*THE VISUAL interpretation will decide.
*imo is the most important factor.
Just like balls & strikes!

Have found it is just better to
* pitch it and hit it!

I'm saying this again and kind of making it a statement if you will. Because all the oncomming bitching and the griping and the delay of game about the focus on something that in the long run is irrelevant.
When all you have to do is
just hit the ball
This simple message
can remove all sorts of aggravation trying to stare at the pitchers feet and figure out whether or not you have a complaint.
When all you have to do is
HIT THE BALL BOOM

Lol. You are basically making an argument for there being no rules relating to pitching. "Pitch it. Hit it."

Extending your logic ("hey, it's fine for a pitcher to replant and drive from 3 feet closer to the batter"), one could counter that with "screw the batter's box... if the batter wants to backup 3 feet behind back of box, she ought to be allowed to. In fact, we don't need a batter's box. Pitch it how you want. And I'll hit it how I want"! ;-)

As an ump (and a coach), I find annual rules changes exhausting... but I don't think "allowing a leap" changes anything about the nature of the pitch. As others have described, leaping is NOT crow hopping. Take those terms out and I imagine we would all agree (well, most all!)... this is about what distance a pitcher DRIVES from. When she leaps, she is still driving off the pitcher's plate. When she crow hops, she is driving from a shorter distance. As a coach, an an ump and as a lover of this awesome sport, I'm good with the former, not the latter.

 

[Texminoh]

I disagree with the mention that we should move the mound back when this goes into effect. You’d then be hurting the girls who were taught the correct and legal way to pitch all along. They won’t all of a sudden become “leapers.” The hitters will just need to adjust like they did when we used to pitch from 40 feet.

Interesting how we reward those who refuse to fix the issue.

Did someone really say we should move the mound back? If so... wow!

 

[Texminoh]

I think one of the main benefits will be fewer arguments and illegal pitch calls when the drag foot is a few inches above the clay. Nothing ruins the flow of a game as much as a coach yelling illegal pitch for de minimis violations on every single pitch. Plus the umpire is hardly even in a position to call a violation from behind the plate. Sometimes the only reason the foot is not touching is because the opposing pitcher has dug a hole in front of the rubber.

I coach in USA Softball governed leagues and am a USA Softball certified ump (and NFHS). I don't have any special insight on this (learned about the coming rule change here on this forum), and my sense is 100% same as yours. This rule change will "simplify" things for everyone... pitchers, coaches, umps (and pitchers' parents... I used to be one of those too!). As long as the DRIVE comes off the pitcher's plate, we're all good. As an ump, I no longer need to be concerned with watching/trying to see if that drag foot leaves the ground (or the plane of level ground!)... it will now be all about whether or not the pitcher has replanted and DROVE from some distance shorter than 43'. I like it. I really hope NFHS follows suit. For those of us who ump in both rule sets, let me just say... we hate the rules discrepancies!

 

[Vertigo]

I know I’m in the minority but I still say leaping is an advantage. Girl on our 18U gold team last year used to leap and could definitely get out further and throw harder than when she was forced to drag. Velocity would noticeably drop when she stayed legal.

 

[radness]

I know I’m in the minority but I still say leaping is an advantage. Girl on our 18U gold team last year used to leap and could definitely get out further and throw harder than when she was forced to drag. Velocity would noticeably drop when she stayed legal.

& Changes the batters timing!

 

[radness]

Lol. You are basically making an argument for there being no rules relating to pitching. "Pitch it. Hit it."

Extending your logic ("hey, it's fine for a pitcher to replant and drive from 3 feet closer to the batter"), one could counter that with "screw the batter's box... if the batter wants to backup 3 feet behind back of box, she ought to be allowed to. In fact, we don't need a batter's box. Pitch it how you want. And I'll hit it how I want"! ;-)

As an ump (and a coach), I find annual rules changes exhausting... but I don't think "allowing a leap" changes anything about the nature of the pitch. As others have described, leaping is NOT crow hopping. Take those terms out and I imagine we would all agree (well, most all!)... this is about what distance a pitcher DRIVES from. When she leaps, she is still driving off the pitcher's plate. When she crow hops, she is driving from a shorter distance. As a coach, an an ump and as a lover of this awesome sport, I'm good with the former, not the latter.

Did you read my previous comments? Doesn't appear you did... or maybe didn't grasp the point of the message so I'll clarify

 

[radness]

Writing this post knowing full well the discussion about this topic will continue forever.
(Like the technical hitting forum LOL)

Read and re-read the rules all you want,
it is the visual interpretation that will matter.
People may interpret the rules can be written very vague or not.
However in the moment
*THE VISUAL interpretation will decide.
*imo is the most important factor.
Just like balls & strikes!

Have found it is just better to
* pitch it and hit it!

I'm saying this again and kind of making it a statement if you will. Because all the oncomming bitching and the griping and the delay of game about the focus on something that in the long run is irrelevant.
When all you have to do is
just hit the ball
This simple message
can remove all sorts of aggravation trying to stare at the pitchers feet and figure out whether or not you have a complaint.
When all you have to do is
HIT THE BALL BOOM

Here ya go @Texminoh simple easy peezy...

That's right no matter how you write the rules people are going to debate their visual interpretation if you don't understand that as an Umpire who has tried to interpret their own Strike Zone versus another umpires Strike Zone,
then open the other eye.
* I'm saying that a little silly way, but very serious, because you already know the *Dilemma that exists on trying to interpret the rules and then *interpret visually what people see. Come on now it's the simple principle of the situation.
Never said Abandon All rules although that might be kind of interesting LOL

I am making the point it is better to just concentrate on hitting the ball and stop focusing on trying to figure out if you have something to complain about what the pitcher is doing, or debate how each umpire is going to interpret what they see.

Pitch it and Hit it.
is a simple message.
Hope you got it