Studies show that 97.2% of the time the replant and push is moot since it is proceeded by a leap. This is certainly the case with pitchers like Barnhill and Silkwood. If you fix the leap issue you can then address the other 2.8%.
The Kelly Barnhill Thread
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- Feb 7, 2013
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I don't see any real problems with moving the pitching plate back and letting them pitch like the men. If you are worried about some pitchers being able to dominate, then pinch the strike zone a little. At the younger ages, you can have a more liberal strike zone which happens anyways in rec and lower ages of travel ball. Didn't they lower the high strike a few years back from below arm pits to the sternum to address the dominate riseball pitchers? Adjusting the strike zone can and does happen all the time. They move fences back to adjust for the hot bats and better conditioned batters.
Regarding using technology, is there a need in the men's game to enforce IPs using technology? IPs don't seem to be an issue in their game, why is that? If the women switched to the men's pitching rules maybe the IP issue would be a moot point?
What about the vast majority of pitchers who will get hammered? Are you going to muck around with the zone based on who is pitching? Will it be the same for both teams? Personally I think your proposal for a dynamic zone is very problematic. Will you also change the 8 run rule since hitters will undoubtedly dominate the game like never before?
While the simplistic solution is to change the rules, one thing that people often fail to take into account is the financial cost of such a move. Moving the pitching distance from 43 to 46ft while it seems insignificant will be expensive as most facilities were built to accommodate 40ft and struggled to adapt to 43ft. Moving to 46ft for them may not be possible.
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Pandora's Box. Just enforce the rules as written and dont be a puss about it.. Some umps are scared to call it because coaches ride them about it but if they would just call it, leapin lizzards would not be in the circle and would have to change their mechanics, vs changing the whole rules to the game. Much easier to learn the proper mechanics IMO.
- May 17, 2012
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So if a player plays her entire 14 year career and the powers at be (umpires, tournament directors, coaches, governing bodies) don't (consistently) enforce a rule was it ever an actual rule?
Absolutely!!! That is the way life works. It is your job to know the rules and compete with integrity. It is not like someone spends 14 years engaged in a sport and does not know they are pitching illegally. Even if that were the case, ignorance and failure to perform basic due diligence is not an excuse.
The speed limit is 75. Can I go 78 and not get a ticket?? Sure. But I can also get pulled over and ticketed for 76.
- Feb 7, 2013
- 3,188
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How will the majority of the pitchers get hammered? You place the distance of the pitching plate based on age and level of the participants, just like is done now (currently 8U is 30 feet, 10u 35 feet, 12U 40 feet, 14U and above is 43 feet). In addition, if you allowed leaps like the men, they should have an advantage right? which would counterbalance the extra distance? Isn't this why there is a rule not to allow leaping?
Plus, we all know that the strike zone as written is up to much interpretation. How many times have we seen posts here complain that the college umpires don't call strikes above the belt? but by the rule book its should be a strike if its below the sternum and above the top of the knees. And how many times have people argued that the college strike zone got wider when they lowered the high strike. The rule book didn't change the width of the strike zone.
How many of you guys have stock in Ringor and enjoy families having to spend hundreds of dollars each year replacing the toe of cleats from being dragged along the ground like an anchor. When you step back and really think about it, it's complete insanity to drag the foot on the ground and is so unnatural a move to make in athletics. Combine that if you allowed a leap, newbie pitchers would be able to focus on the most important aspects of pitching like arm circle, arm whip and brush interference mechanics.
Simplify the game and pitching rules, we have too much competition from other sports like soccer, competitive dance, basketball, girls lacrosse, volleyball, etc. No wonder there is a drought of good, quality pitching at all levels of fastpitch. Make the sport fun, accessible and not so penal.
The reason we have a drought of good pitchers is because they are not invested in learning properly and surrounded by enablers ready to dumb down the game to the lowest common denominator. It is a slippery slope to start changing rules of a game because because people are too lazy to do it the right way. Leaping is most often cause by a mechanical defect that hinders the rest of the natural motion. IT IS A DEFECT AND NO PITCHER IN THE WOMENS GAME LEARNED THIS BY DESIGN. Granted keeping ones toe pointed straight down to keep in contact with the ground may or may not be natural. However if you actually study the pitching motion and a pitcher that opens naturally you will find that the toe stays pointed downward. It is not a forced action. Keeping the toe down should not be forced and is actually much more natural than jumping in the air and pointing your toes outward. Please explain how that is natural and mechanically efficient for a female athlete. Dumbing down the game does not help these players who suffer from what is already very poor and inefficient mechanics. At what point to the arm chair pitching coaches decide that windmill is not natural and we go back to slingshot? Or for that matter lets make the ball smaller so it is easier to hold and throw overhand.
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