The end of the big leap?

[RichK]

Sluggers, if the days "of the big leap" are over, what's next? The little leap? An actual drag? Less dynamic step off the mound? What would you recommend as a corrective?

We were cautioned about our #1 12U pitcher over the weekend and she wasn't making a big leap (wasn't taught it) but she was clearly not in contact either. Not sure if these were umps with high school eyes on (IHSA state tournament starts next week) or if we'll see tighter calls this summer too.

Now we're wondering what to do with her exactly....it's tough to change a style just as we're starting the season.

 

[softball_chic_12]

i don't think umpires call it unless its a really bad hop like the last girl or even most of the girls in the video

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Rich, I would suggest not pitching #1, until she changes. She can practice her motion in the house, all night long and it won't take her long to get the drag correct. It will only get worse as the season goes on.

I have girls drop out of lessons all of the time, because I won't teach them movement pitches until their mechanics are correct. I don't want a girl leaping and someone asking who her pitching coach is and they tell them me.

 

[Lozza]

Sluggers, if the days "of the big leap" are over, what's next? The little leap? An actual drag? Less dynamic step off the mound? What would you recommend as a corrective?

Teach them to drag their foot the whole times. Its not that hard.

 

[BoardMember]

Whether or not you think "leaping" and "crow hopping" should be legal is besides the point. You either teach the players to play within the rules or you don't. There is absolutely no excuse for a pitcher who is pitching illegally. I don't know how coaches, parents, and players can justify allowing their pitchers to continue to pitch illegally? Its either pure ignorance of the rules or they know its wrong and they continue to let it happen. I have said it before, but I firmly believe that pitchers have an extra level of responsibility to the game that other positions might not have.

Yep, all of that........It's still a useless rule that serves no purpose........Except to cause "controvesy"........

 

[Bishop]

Saw missouri valley championship Saturday. Creighton pitcher has an extreme crow hop every pitch. Other conference teams said that in late march she was called on illegal pitches dozens of times for about two weeks, then umps (after report of a letter from conference) stopped calling any illegal pitches.

The tragic note on that one is all the Creighton fans who think she's now legal because she's not getting called anymore. 3 or 4 time confrence pitcher of the year that's thrown fewer legal pitches per year than the home run leader has put over the fence. It's a disgrace to the game.

 

[Texarkana]

My only question is how you drag your foot down into and back out of the "crater" that forms in front of the rubber? ASA rules state that "If a hole has been created, the pivot foot may drag no higher than the level plane of the ground."

I like that, but can't find any similar wording in USSSA rules.

 

[Lozza]

Any decent diamond won't have a huge crater.

 

[redhotcoach]

The tragic note on that one is all the Creighton fans who think she's now legal because she's not getting called anymore. 3 or 4 time confrence pitcher of the year that's thrown fewer legal pitches per year than the home run leader has put over the fence. It's a disgrace to the game.

Should be interesting to see what happens this weekend at the NCAA championships.

 

[SoCalSoftballdad]

My only question is how you drag your foot down into and back out of the "crater" that forms in front of the rubber? ASA rules state that "If a hole has been created, the pivot foot may drag no higher than the level plane of the ground."

Most illegal pitching has nothing to do with the "crater" that might be created in front of the pitching plate. These pitchers would be illegal on flat, level ground because they have been practicing and playing for years using illegal mechanics. I applaud the governing bodies / umpires for cracking down on illegal pitches. Reward the pitchers who took the time to prepare properly for the positon. The irony is that leaping and crow-hopping probably hurt the pitchers' performance more than helps them anyways.