Strike Tracker/K Zone on ESPN2

[Westwind]

Off topic but I sure hear a lot of pitches described as backdoor by the announcers. I must not have the same definition or I'm not seeing the pitches the same.

 

[SoCalASABlue]

No, it doesn't. Just because she is lifting the front of the foot does not mean she is losing contact with the PP. The NCAA rules allow the pitcher to move/slide across the PP and momentarily lose contact as long as that movement does not bring the pivot foot closer to the plate prior to the push and drag

Come on MTR. Put away the umpire shield. Betsa completely lifts her right foot off the pitcher's plate before every flipping pitch - she's not dragging it across the plate. It's pathetic what is not being called at this level. Someone on this site has to be able to get a video of still shot of this BS.

 

[SoCalASABlue]

So in college softball there are stated rules that are not really enforced in order to maintain the entertainment value, just like in professional wrestling?

Ya think???

 

[riseball]

No, it doesn't. Just because she is lifting the front of the foot does not mean she is losing contact with the PP. The NCAA rules allow the pitcher to move/slide across the PP and momentarily lose contact as long as that movement does not bring the pivot foot closer to the plate prior to the push and drag

Even your seeing eye dog can see it. It flagrant and very obvious. It is not a slide it is a lift. If you look at the shots from the back you will see clay between the bottom of her foot and the leading edge of the pitchers plate.

 

[MTR]

Even your seeing eye dog can see it. It flagrant and very obvious. It is not a slide it is a lift. If you look at the shots from the back you will see clay between the bottom of her foot and the leading edge of the pitchers plate.

She wasn't doing it on every pitch and, yes, on a couple occasions there was some noticeable air, but it was not part of her delivery. The heel was always down prior to the move forward. This is permissible in the NCAA. It was discussed on an umpire board and to a man/woman who work NCAA ball, it was considered legal.

ASA, Fed or other associations, it is probably illegal, but not in the NCAA

 

[Lenski]

No, it doesn't. Just because she is lifting the front of the foot does not mean she is losing contact with the PP. The NCAA rules allow the pitcher to move/slide across the PP and momentarily lose contact as long as that movement does not bring the pivot foot closer to the plate prior to the push and drag

The heel came off the pitching plate three times, and the last time she lifted her heel she was setting the heel in front of the pitching plate....not touching it.

 

[riseball]

As usual there is no shortage of those enabling and offering excuses for skippies. Find it is interesting that there is and an umpire board with men/women who work NCAA that can read a digital screen, but are unable to do their job when it comes to seeing an illegal pitch. Watching the Auburn game and the pitcher is airborne, yet no call. WTF?

 

[MTR]

As usual there is no shortage of those enabling and offering excuses for skippies. Find it is interesting that there is and an umpire board with men/women who work NCAA that can read a digital screen, but are unable to do their job when it comes to seeing an illegal pitch. Watching the Auburn game and the pitcher is airborne, yet no call. WTF?

You mean what you perceive to be an illegal pitch while watching from angles not available to the on field umpires and with replays at less than real time. Never offering excuses, just plain simple information. Can't force you to understand something you don't want to understand.

Those responsible for the mechanics, rules and proper application are in attendance. Have you seen anything change in the manner in which something is called since the beginning? If we do, then you know something different has happened or the umpires have been given new direction.

 

[sbcowboy]

Took this pic from one of the games. I think it was when UL Lafayette pitcher was called for IP. Which surprised me that they called it!

 

[STRIKE3]

IMO, that "strike zone" is a baseball strike zone for the strike tracker and not a softball one. The pitcher just threw a strike and Mendoza said the pitch was a ball. Well, when the batter assumed her stance, she squatted a lot. Though the pitch was out of the K Zone, I thought it was a good pitch per the softball strike zone.

Thoughts on this? (Note, I could be way off base here.)

I agree 100%. The K-Zone is too short and clearly does not extend to the batter's sternum. However, it does seem to be consistent with the height of which most calls are made. In other words, I don't see many strikes called above the belt but below the sternum. It seems the K-Zone is where the strikes typically get called even thought that is NOT what the rule book defines the strike zone. JMHO.