A couple of months ago I wrote a thread on here to make sure that I was correct on my interpretations of a rule. My DD pitches (Hillhouse student) and she puts her push off heal up against the pitching rubber and her stride toe noses up to the back of the rubber when taking her pitching position. A few months ago this umpire at one of our tournaments tries to tell me that she cannot start that way and that her foot has to be up on top of the pitching rubber not in front. He said he was not going to call IPs on it in this tournament but that next time he saw her that he would if she did not correct it. Our HC saw that I was fixing to take this on and quickly jumped in stating that if he was not going to worry about it that we would address it later.
Fast forward to this past weekend, We were about to start our 8am game and my DD is warming up in the circle. I notice one of the umpires walking out to talk to my DD. (this umpire has been one of the worst ones we have had and always have problems with her calls because they are so bad on both sides) I walk out to the circle and ask what is wrong and she informs me that she cannot start with her foot in front of the rubber. I politely corrected her by saying that she could because both feet were in contact with the rubber. This is when ump #2 comes and says that she could not start that way. I then recognize him as the same ump from earlier in the summer. He informs me that he has already warned me about this. He then states that she has to push off on the rubber. I explained to them that the two rules about the pitching rubber states that 1, both feet have to be in contact with the rubber at the start of the pitch and #2 that the pitcher has to push off FROM the rubber not ON the rubber. They both said I was wrong and that they would deem it an illegal pitch if she pitched that way.
Here is my question. Neither one would listen to me and that both walked off laughing at me. What can I do as an AC to get them to have to learn the rules and follow them correctly? Other than complaining to the tournament director, is there anything else that regulates umpires when they are forcing players to change their play when it shouldn't happen? Any suggestions?
On a side note, in the semi finals we had two umps that were not calling the Look Back Rule. When questioned, the field ump said that the pitcher had to be on the pitching rubber for that to be in effect. !!!!!!!! Me and another AC almost lost it. The other AC pulled up the rule during the inning on his phone and showed him that it is in the circle not on the rubber. What is up with umpires these days?
Fast forward to this past weekend, We were about to start our 8am game and my DD is warming up in the circle. I notice one of the umpires walking out to talk to my DD. (this umpire has been one of the worst ones we have had and always have problems with her calls because they are so bad on both sides) I walk out to the circle and ask what is wrong and she informs me that she cannot start with her foot in front of the rubber. I politely corrected her by saying that she could because both feet were in contact with the rubber. This is when ump #2 comes and says that she could not start that way. I then recognize him as the same ump from earlier in the summer. He informs me that he has already warned me about this. He then states that she has to push off on the rubber. I explained to them that the two rules about the pitching rubber states that 1, both feet have to be in contact with the rubber at the start of the pitch and #2 that the pitcher has to push off FROM the rubber not ON the rubber. They both said I was wrong and that they would deem it an illegal pitch if she pitched that way.
Here is my question. Neither one would listen to me and that both walked off laughing at me. What can I do as an AC to get them to have to learn the rules and follow them correctly? Other than complaining to the tournament director, is there anything else that regulates umpires when they are forcing players to change their play when it shouldn't happen? Any suggestions?
On a side note, in the semi finals we had two umps that were not calling the Look Back Rule. When questioned, the field ump said that the pitcher had to be on the pitching rubber for that to be in effect. !!!!!!!! Me and another AC almost lost it. The other AC pulled up the rule during the inning on his phone and showed him that it is in the circle not on the rubber. What is up with umpires these days?
