Rules are the rules....unless they aren't???

[ConorMacleod]

12u 'C'. USSSA.

Pitcher takes a major hop before replanting and dragging right toe on pitch. I ask Umpire if this is an illegal pitch (which I know it is). The following conversation ensues...

Umpire: It's not illegal. I can see the spot where her toe drags.
Me: Yes. But it's dragging after she leaps from pitching rubber. Her foot is at least 6 inches in the air.
Umpire: As long as she drags her toe it's not illegal.
Me: So we are just going to ignore the fact that both feet are entirely in the air when she moves forward? (I then walk away)

Oh, and the pitchers dad/coach walks up to me and stares me down from 2 feet away and wants to know if I "have a problem". Yes, your daughter cheats.

So, I guess at the 12u 'C' level, rules are now optional. If it's pertinent at all, another Umpire at the fields that day said; "yes, every one of her pitches is illegal". I'd like to request him for the next game against this team.

 

[CoogansBluff]

You are right.

But I wouldn't care in that situation. I doubt it helps the pitcher that much, and if it does, then facing better pitchers might make my team better.

 

[ConorMacleod]

You are right.

But I wouldn't care in that situation. I doubt it helps the pitcher that much, and if it does, then facing better pitchers might make my team better.

Then it shouldn't be a rule. It's either a rule, or it isn't. Otherwise, I would have taught my Pitchers to leap off the rubber, replant, push off, and get closer to the batter before releasing the pitch. The rule was clearly written to prevent said advantage.

 

[Eric F]

Then it shouldn't be a rule. It's either a rule, or it isn't. Otherwise, I would have taught my Pitchers to leap off the rubber, replant, push off, and get closer to the batter before releasing the pitch. The rule was clearly written to prevent said advantage.

You're teaching your pitchers to do it right, and they will be able to keep that habit much easier as they progress in the game. The opposing pitcher, however, will come to a time down the road where she is going to have to make a major adjustment, and her pitching may suffer for a while because of it. In the long run, your pitcher is better off.

 

[djcarter1966]

Did the ump actually say "It is OK to leap", the conversation you outlined stated the umpire said she was dragging her foot which would mean from what the umpire saw she was legal, maybe I'm just reading your comment wrong. or did he admit she only drags after leaping

 

[CoogansBluff]

Then it shouldn't be a rule. It's either a rule, or it isn't. Otherwise, I would have taught my Pitchers to leap off the rubber, replant, push off, and get closer to the batter before releasing the pitch. The rule was clearly written to prevent said advantage.

I know, but my experience is that you're fighting a losing battle, ie, expending energy that would be invested in your own team. Tournament directors don't seem to want to deal with the issue.

 

[Rocketech1]

Was there a large depression in front of the pitching plate, then both feet can technically be off the ground at the same time? Being a little facetious here but want to point out that the rules are capricious and their enforcement arbitrary especially if you only have one umpire working the game. Almost impossible to see from home plate while watching the pitch and any base runners. BTW, this umpire sounds like a moron that clearly doesn't realize that one can leap and have some drag after an illegal leap, but IME a lot of umpires are either ignorant of the pitching rules or choose to ignore them.

 

[JJsqueeze]

Getting all bent out of shape over illegal pitch calls or lack thereof is soooooo 2013.

 

[smddad]

The rule was clearly written to prevent said advantage.

And you know this how? The best advice I was given years ago when I complaigned. My assistant who had coached top teams for years and came out of retirement to work with team had asked me, "Why do you care? Let's just worry about our own pitchers and let them play the game."

You are wasting entirely too much energy worrying about a 12 year old girl's pitching in a C tournament.

 

[CJ D]

I'm just wondering if any of you who are telling him not to worry about it would care if a 16U A team you were coaching was playing against a girl who did this? I'm betting you would. The level of the team he is coaching is of no importance in this. It isn't written in the rule book that all rules apply except for C teams. His girls are playing on a C team. They are expecting to see comparable talent. When a girl or coach circumvents the rules that gives her an advantage (and yes, leaping does give a decided advantage, as has been documented on here using numbers and stuff lol), it isn't a level playing field any more. Ive seen on here folks talking about how it isn't right for an A team pitcher to guest for a C team in a C tournament, etc. Not that this makes her an A level pitcher, but clearly it is a violation of the rules. If we don't care about that because it's "C level ball", then should we just go ahead and take out the rules about leaving bases early (they're not that fast in C ball), or not allowing them to steal home on passed balls (the catchers aren't that good), or maybe only allow one base on overthrows?