New 2020 Pitching Rules

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Aug 1, 2019
195
43
South Carolina
Once people figure out how much this will help pitchers, 70mph will be the new 60. More people will be touching that number than ever before and a lot of pitching coaches will claim it's their own "good works" not the rule change that has made the difference. Sorry charlie, the speeds will be increasing for almost EVERYONE who uses this rule. It's called leverage and momentum.

I'm amazed by the logic that some people have about not wanting their pitchers to use this updated rule. Finally the pitching rules are brought into 2020, instead of being left behind in the 1950's. Yet, they will think nothing about grabbing the newest, hottest, most exciting bat on the market that will allow someone with just a mediocre swing to hit it 250'. You update your offense annually, why not your pitching? It's unthinkable for a kid to use even a 10 year old bat in today's game, yet they don't want to update their pitching mechanics?

Most high schools will have to fall in line with this, although there's only a handful that do not follow the NHFS rules. If high school wants to keep up the illusion that players get recruited from high school to college, they will have to adopt the same rules. This is a good portion of the reason why ASA, USSSA and PGF all followed the NCAA. And I wouldn't be surprised if colleges aren't as enthusiastic about a pitcher who wants to keep both feet on the rubber vs. one who doesn't. For the same reasons colleges would almost never recruit someone who didn't play Travel ball, using the same pitching rules as they'd see in college. The comparison needs to be apples to apples, not apples to bowling balls.

Bill

I’m confused by your post. USA and USSSA are now in line with NFHS. So your statement that “most high schools will have to fall in line with this” is counterintuitive.

Also, none of these organizations are completely in synch with NCAA. College pitchers are NOT allowed to take a step back during their pitching motion. The only change is that NCAA allows the pitcher to take her signal with the stride foot behind the plate. USA, USSSA and NFHS (not sure what PGF says) allow this as well.


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radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
Once people figure out how much this will help pitchers, 70mph will be the new 60. More people will be touching that number than ever before and a lot of pitching coaches will claim it's their own "good works" not the rule change that has made the difference. Sorry charlie, the speeds will be increasing for almost EVERYONE who uses this rule. It's called leverage and momentum.

I'm amazed by the logic that some people have about not wanting their pitchers to use this updated rule. Finally the pitching rules are brought into 2020, instead of being left behind in the 1950's. Yet, they will think nothing about grabbing the newest, hottest, most exciting bat on the market that will allow someone with just a mediocre swing to hit it 250'. You update your offense annually, why not your pitching? It's unthinkable for a kid to use even a 10 year old bat in today's game, yet they don't want to update their pitching mechanics?

Most high schools will have to fall in line with this, although there's only a handful that do not follow the NHFS rules. If high school wants to keep up the illusion that players get recruited from high school to college, they will have to adopt the same rules. This is a good portion of the reason why ASA, USSSA and PGF all followed the NCAA. And I wouldn't be surprised if colleges aren't as enthusiastic about a pitcher who wants to keep both feet on the rubber vs. one who doesn't. For the same reasons colleges would almost never recruit someone who didn't play Travel ball, using the same pitching rules as they'd see in college. The comparison needs to be apples to apples, not apples to bowling balls.

Bill

Can add
The veteran pitching instructors have spoken with like the new rule. Mirror your comments on it as well.

The inconsistancy of when/where it can be used, think has yet to be smoothed out. It will 'probably' become more fluent and recognized as the standard.

"The equalizer" to the flight of the yellow rocket ball and technology engineered bats!
 
Last edited:
Aug 21, 2008
2,359
113
I’m confused by your post. USA and USSSA are now in line with NFHS. So your statement that “most high schools will have to fall in line with this” is counterintuitive.

Also, none of these organizations are completely in synch with NCAA. College pitchers are NOT allowed to take a step back during their pitching motion. The only change is that NCAA allows the pitcher to take her signal with the stride foot behind the plate. USA, USSSA and NFHS (not sure what PGF says) allow this as well.


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CHSUmp, I was under the impression that USA and USSSA had different rules from each other. One allowing the step back, one allowing the start back. If I have that wrong, I apologize. But I think you may wanna recheck your statement about "both organizations being completely in sync with NCAA". Not according to Ms. Scarborough:



Either way, I'm not sure how what I wrote is "counter-intuitive" since the overall point was that colleges will want to see pitchers using the rules they use in the college game, not what they can do in High School. Prior to this year, NHFS was the main body NOT in line with the NCAA (although colleges will tell you how little high school matters for recruiting). But the NHFS was the wild west compared to the restrictive rules of USA, USSSA, PGF, etc.

PGF is the same as NCAA.

Bill
 
Jul 14, 2018
982
93
PGF is the same as NCAA.

It's my understanding that PGF is following the NCAA rule of a start back, but the other orgs are all allowing the step back. DD's pitching coach has told us that she's heard that all of the major showcases will be adhering to the start back as well.

This being the case, the pitching coach is having her students adopt the start back. It's legal everywhere, and will not require learning a different motion should pitchers advance to the showcase or NCAA level. Sounds reasonable to me.

ETA: Has anyone heard whether Little League or Babe Ruth are instituting one or the other of these changes as well?
 
Last edited:
Aug 1, 2019
195
43
South Carolina
CHSUmp, I was under the impression that USA and USSSA had different rules from each other. One allowing the step back, one allowing the start back. If I have that wrong, I apologize. But I think you may wanna recheck your statement about "both organizations being completely in sync with NCAA". Not according to Ms. Scarborough:



Either way, I'm not sure how what I wrote is "counter-intuitive" since the overall point was that colleges will want to see pitchers using the rules they use in the college game, not what they can do in High School. Prior to this year, NHFS was the main body NOT in line with the NCAA (although colleges will tell you how little high school matters for recruiting). But the NHFS was the wild west compared to the restrictive rules of USA, USSSA, PGF, etc.

PGF is the same as NCAA.

Bill

From the PGF website:
PGF operates under the rules and guidelines set forth by National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)
So unless they've changed their tune for 2020, I don't believe PGF is the same as NCAA.

Again, NCAA is the only major organization that only allows the "start back" and not the "step back". NFHS, USSSA, USA, and apparently PGF (based on what I quoted above) allows both.

What I said was counter-intuitive was your statement that NFHS would have to fall in line with this. What "this" are you talking about? If you're talking about NCAA rules, none of the major organizations are in line any more. Yes, last year and the years before, USA and USSSA were in line with NCAA when they all required the pitcher to keep both feet in contact with the plate until the pitcher took her forward stride when delivering the pitch. But in 2020, USA and USSSA changed their rules to align with NFHS, while NCAA changed its rule to be the only organization allowing the start back but not the step back.
 
Aug 21, 2008
2,359
113
From the PGF website:

So unless they've changed their tune for 2020, I don't believe PGF is the same as NCAA.

Again, NCAA is the only major organization that only allows the "start back" and not the "step back". NFHS, USSSA, USA, and apparently PGF (based on what I quoted above) allows both.

What I said was counter-intuitive was your statement that NFHS would have to fall in line with this. What "this" are you talking about? If you're talking about NCAA rules, none of the major organizations are in line any more. Yes, last year and the years before, USA and USSSA were in line with NCAA when they all required the pitcher to keep both feet in contact with the plate until the pitcher took her forward stride when delivering the pitch. But in 2020, USA and USSSA changed their rules to align with NFHS, while NCAA changed its rule to be the only organization allowing the start back but not the step back.

It's my understanding that PGF has adopted the "start back" rule, same as NCAA.

The "this" I'm talking about is NOT requiring both feet to be on the rubber. Unless I misspoke in what I wrote originally, I believe that was the context. Someone said some states (in this case Florida) requires High Schoolers to throw with 2 feet on the rubber. That will need to change as all the other governing bodies have adopted 1 foot on the rubber, either with the step back or start back. EITHER WAY, 1 foot is all that's required. If "Florida" for example wants to make their high school softball completely irrelevant they will keep their current 2 feet rule and watch all the players skip the high school season, which is practically meaningless for recruiting anyway. HS softball is great to play ball with your friends and represent your school but, it's useless for recruiting.

This is what's so pathetic about these organizations and their egos. Have a conference call and make 1 rule!!!! But no, they all have to be different because of their precious egos.

I do think the "STEP BACK" is more of an advantage. However, since ALL organizations AND NCAA allow the start back, that is what I would encourage people to do. Pitchers will still get a ton more leverage and momentum than the 2 feet on the rubber crap. And since the "START BACK" is allowed everywhere, the "STEP BACK" is not.... why not just do the one allowed everywhere and take the umpires who don't know the rules out of the equation?

Bill
 
Aug 21, 2008
2,359
113
It's my understanding that PGF is following the NCAA rule of a start back, but the other orgs are all allowing the step back. DD's pitching coach has told us that she's heard that all of the major showcases will be adhering to the start back as well.

This being the case, the pitching coach is having her students adopt the start back. It's legal everywhere, and will not require learning a different motion should pitchers advance to the showcase or NCAA level. Sounds reasonable to me.

ETA: Has anyone heard whether Little League or Babe Ruth are instituting one or the other of these changes as well?

Rick, I don't know how I missed your post before I just sent my last one but I think I touched on your main points. I agree with your PC, using the start back will be legal everywhere as the STEP back is not. Showcases would be useless if they didn't use the NCAA rule so coaches can see pitchers doing their thing under those rules.

Bill
 
Aug 1, 2019
195
43
South Carolina
It's my understanding that PGF is following the NCAA rule of a start back, but the other orgs are all allowing the step back. DD's pitching coach has told us that she's heard that all of the major showcases will be adhering to the start back as well.

This being the case, the pitching coach is having her students adopt the start back. It's legal everywhere, and will not require learning a different motion should pitchers advance to the showcase or NCAA level. Sounds reasonable to me.

ETA: Has anyone heard whether Little League or Babe Ruth are instituting one or the other of these changes as well?
I don't know about Babe Ruth changing, but Little League has always used the NFHS rule that allows both the start back and the step back. And now that USA and USSSA have joined NFHS and LL with their new rules, they are all in synch with each other.

Babe Ruth was the same as the older NCAA, USA, and USSSA rules that required the pitcher to start with both feet in contact with the plate, and she could only take a step forward during the delivery, at least according to the 2015 rule book I have on file. If I was a betting man, I would think that Babe Ruth would change as USA and USSSA did and adopt both the start back and step back. But the 2020 rule changes listed on their website as of 1/7/2020 does not mention any pitching changes. Perhaps they'll change starting in 2021, or come out with a change for 2020 in the next couple of months.
 
Oct 4, 2018
4,611
113
It's my understanding that PGF is following the NCAA rule of a start back, but the other orgs are all allowing the step back. DD's pitching coach has told us that she's heard that all of the major showcases will be adhering to the start back as well.

This being the case, the pitching coach is having her students adopt the start back. It's legal everywhere, and will not require learning a different motion should pitchers advance to the showcase or NCAA level. Sounds reasonable to me.

ETA: Has anyone heard whether Little League or Babe Ruth are instituting one or the other of these changes as well?

Is the bolded part the case? That's what I understood.

My *only* hesitation is that my DD works on the start back and then in a tournament is told she can't. We play some pretty low-level, country bumpkin tournaments where umpires and tournament directors seem to have their own set of rules. We're now playing more USSSA tournaments than before, but many we play are still under their own set of rules that don't get updated much.
 
Jul 14, 2018
982
93
My *only* hesitation is that my DD works on the start back and then in a tournament is told she can't. We play some pretty low-level, country bumpkin tournaments where umpires and tournament directors seem to have their own set of rules. We're now playing more USSSA tournaments than before, but many we play are still under their own set of rules that don't get updated much.

DD has played in many of these non-sanctioned tournaments as well. It's been my experience that they generally adopt the ASA/USA rule book. However, if the local tournament director or UIC is still toting a 2018 (or earlier) rule book, all bets are off.
 

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