Pitching rules

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Jun 29, 2009
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I have a pitching question. when my daughter pivots she is about 2 inches away from the rubber. her foot never leaves contact with the ground but she is technically pushing off about 2-3 inches in front of the rubber. is this legal?

Thanks for your time,
Glenn
 
May 13, 2008
831
16
As long as the foot never leaves contact with the ground she is legal. 2-3 inches is going to be almost impossible to detect anyway.
 

halskinner

Banned
May 7, 2008
2,681
0
I have a pitching question. when my daughter pivots she is about 2 inches away from the rubber. her foot never leaves contact with the ground but she is technically pushing off about 2-3 inches in front of the rubber. is this legal?

Thanks for your time,
Glenn

No, it is not legal but many times it is not called.

The instant her heel comes up off the rubber she is now pushing off from somewhere other than the rubber, an illegal act.

Have her start with her pivot foot with the ball of the foot directly over the front edge of the rubber. Then she will always be pushing off from the rubber (something that will not move) rather than loose dirt.

It may be nearly impossible to detect for the plate ump, however, it is very EASILY detected by any field ump.

Hal
 
Feb 13, 2009
26
0
North Carolina
Hal is correct! This is illegal in almost all leagues I have dealt with. His correction is also the same one I use. I actually have all my pitchers start with this position and as they advance their foot position may change depending on how their style changes. Edge of rubber under ball of foot is the safest and easiest correction and works well for teaching younger pitchers how to drive off the rubber.
 

redhotcoach

Out on good behavior
May 8, 2009
4,706
38
Just was talking to neighbor...he is a high school/college ump. He said yes she should be touching rubber to push off, but if it is a case of heel was on top of rubber and she was pushing off of the ball of her foot in front of rubber, he probably wouldn't notice or call it.
 
May 13, 2008
831
16
I think a slight clarification is in order; is she starting with her pivot foot in contact with the pitching plate? The way I was reading it was that as she pivots her foot slides 2-3 inches off of the pitcher's plate without losing contact with the ground. If this is the case this is legal.
 
Jun 29, 2009
4
0
there is no question she is starting on the rubber. the toe is off the rubber (2-3 inches). she lifts her heel off the rubber pivoting on her toe which creates a space of about 2-3 inches like I mentioned. at no time during does her foot leave the ground as she drags forward and an s-shape follows. thanks.
 

redhotcoach

Out on good behavior
May 8, 2009
4,706
38
I remember seeing someone teaching with just the back of the heel of the pivot foot touching the rubber, and the toe of the non-pivot touching the back of the rubber...so I had to look up the rule.....
ASA states: both feet must remain in contact with the pitching plate PRIOR to the step forward. (just in contact doesn't say where, and prior to the step)
USSSA state: Pivot foot must be on or partially on the surface of the pitching plate. Non pivot foot must be in contact with OR BEHIND pitching plate. (so USSSA you must have the pivot foot more on the surface of the rubber, but you do get the big advantage of not having to have the back foot on the rubber for greater weight transfer.)
 
May 13, 2008
831
16
Here is the USSSA rule on the pivot foot:

The pivot foot may remain in contact with or may push off and drag away from the pitching plate prior to the front foot touching the ground, as long as the pivot foot remains in contact with the ground. Pushing off with the pivot foot from a place other than the pitcher’s plate is illegal.

NOTE 1: It is not a step if the pitcher slides his foot in any direction on the pitcher’s plate, provided contact is maintained.
NOTE 2: Techniques such as the “crow hop” and “the leap” are illegal.

As noted by RHC, in USSSA (and NFHS) the non-pivot foot may start behind the pitching plate while the other associations require the pitcher to start with both feet in contact with the plate. Other than that difference, what happens in regards to the pivot foot is pretty much the same, although sometimes worded differently.

So, as long as she starts with the pivot foot in contact with the plate and maintains contact with the ground she is legal. IF there is a hole in the ground where the pivot foot is the pitcher may lose contact with the ground provided that her toes aren't above ground level. In other words, if there is a large hole in the dirt, she isn't expected to forcibly drag through the hole as long as she is level with the rest of the area.

Now you can see why umpires have such a tough time making this call.
 

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