What IS and what IS NOT a pitching advantage (Physics, NOT rules, here please)

[RubberBiscuit]

OK - take out all the convoluted rules that have got us all wrapped around the axel..

From my perspective these are things that provide an advantage:
1. A Replant - by my definition this is when the push-foot has already pushed off its original rubber location, and before the ball is released, the shoe STOPS making horizontal drag movement to the ground, cleats dig in, and a new force is imparted from this new pushing origin.
2. Starting with your pushfoot heel on the rubber and in the act of pushing forward your push-origin ends up being the front ball of your foot which could give a 12 inch closer advantage to a pitcher.
3. Pitching where your stride foot can land outside the lane. This obviously gives the pitcher more angle to launch a spin.


These do NOT provide an advantage:
1. Leap - for the life of me I can define a physics force advantage of this move where both feet are off the ground at the same time.


I welcome a good debate on anything you see differently.

 

[marriard]

These do NOT provide an advantage:
1. Leap - for the life of me I can define a physics force advantage of this move where both feet are off the ground at the same time.

I struggled with figuring out if there was an advantage until I was told by a baseball pitching coach that every foot closer to the batter is worth about 3mph. If the 'leap' means you can now release the ball 1' closer to the batter that is a major advantage. Watching ISA - especially mens games - this is clearly one of the advantages of allowing leaping.

I am opposed to making leaping legal because all it does is swap one argument to another - if you ever get involved in ISA softball, they spend all their time arguing about replanting - and leaping makes replanting a lot easier. Visually it looks like you delay your arm circle until your second push.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

For my DD (who was never called for it), the leap took away that "anchor" of having a foot drag. The girls that dig a trench with that back foot, are slowing themselves down.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

Leap? If I was able to leap off a baseball mound, and close the distance by another foot, that would have been a huge advantage.

 

[RubberBiscuit]

I think I see what yer all saying about leaping provides a means to getting closer to the "dish".

But an argument I might suggest (with fragile confidence) is that when a pitcher leaps that they get such a forward body lean (relatively) that they can't transfer the power from the plant of the stride foot through the throwing arm as well as a dragger that keeps from leaning forward in their torso.

I have only seen a couple dramatic leapers and both I thought had compromised ball-release speed due to this.

Whaddaya think?

 

[Greenmonsters]

The rule book establishes a common framework within which all teams are to play the game. Physical advantage or not, when one team is allowed to play by a different set of rules (or certain rules are selectively enforced/overlooked) then the playing field is no longer even and results in an advantage.

 

[NEF]

Let the pitchers pitch, physics of changes to the game (the bat/the ball/the distance).

The following is from a feb 2011 ESPN article by graham hays

2. What's with all the offense?

The final game of the Women's College World Series featured 24 runs and took more than three hours to play, a pace that would make even the Red Sox and Yankees glance impatiently at their watches.

These are new times in college softball.


The pace of an evolutionary process that began years ago when the NCAA changed to a yellow ball that was easier for hitters to see and then moved the pitching rubber back from 40 to 43 feet has accelerated over the past few seasons. It has accelerated right along with the exit speed of the bats now available through the good graces of modern technology.

"I think as a sport, we're very exciting to watch and the parity across the country is outstanding," Northwestern coach Kate Drohan said. "I think that's what has helped us to grow nationally, but I think we certainly have some things we need to address. I don't think anybody wants to see a game that lasts 3 hours and 45 minutes. So I think it's time for us, as a sport, to really take a good look at that and see what we can do about it."

In 2002, no team from a major conference averaged more than 5.55 runs per game. In 2010, 18 teams from major conferences matched or exceeded 5.55 runs per game, including five teams that averaged better than seven runs per game: Hawaii, Florida, Arizona, Michigan and Alabama. In 2002, only seven teams from top conferences averaged more than five runs per games. In 2010, five runs per game didn't even put a team in the top 50 nationally.

How are those runs being scored? At a trot. Using 2002 as a comparison point again, only two teams averaged more than a home run per game, led by UCLA at 1.39 per game. Last season, 32 teams averaged more than a home run per game, including the 2.39 Hawaii averaged on its way to an NCAA record 158 home runs, breaking Arizona's record that lasted all of one season.

Better training, better scouting and a host of other factors almost assuredly influence the booming home run totals, but the topic that generates the most discussion is bat technology.

"I always think in any sport it should be about the coaching and the athletes; it should never be about the equipment," LSU coach Yvette Girouard said. "I think it's a problem when you see a slapper check-swing and the ball goes over the scoreboard. I don't think that's anybody's hitting coach."

An NCAA memo last fall acknowledged that of 24 postseason bats tested, only seven met the organization's standards for legal use (the illegal bats registered an exit speed -- the speed of a ball leaving the bat -- greater than the 98 mph threshold in laboratory testing). Most of the rule changes for this season involve the use of illegal bats, changes made in conjunction with a new NCAA list of approved bats and new in-season bat-testing procedures. Conferences are also acting; SEC coaches voted 11-0 to begin additional testing before each conference series.

Only time will tell if the right balance has been struck. Namely, the time it takes to play a game or trot around the bases.

"Any time you're putting runs on the board, it's an exciting game," Stanford coach John Rittman said. "And I think you still have your spectacular pitching performances. That's a huge part of the game. I think [the game] is in a good place. I think the thing we really have to get through is this technology component, where there is a balance between too live of a bat and a bat that's fair for everybody, pitchers and hitters."

 

[marriard]

I think I see what yer all saying about leaping provides a means to getting closer to the "dish".

But an argument I might suggest (with fragile confidence) is that when a pitcher leaps that they get such a forward body lean (relatively) that they can't transfer the power from the plant of the stride foot through the throwing arm as well as a dragger that keeps from leaning forward in their torso.

I have only seen a couple dramatic leapers and both I thought had compromised ball-release speed due to this.

Whaddaya think?

The 'leapers' pitch speed yesterday didn't seem compromised. And again, if you watch the men's game or ISA the speeds certainly don't seem compromised. It might be small contact with the ground for most but any back foot drag is going to slow you some what - and once you push off that is it for leg energy - so a max energy for a 'dragger' and a 'leaper' are the same and as long as your arm circle timing is good, effect should be negligible. I also didn't see any real difference in body lean or body position for either.

 

[Bucketrider]

As a Bucketrider, I will say unequivocally, my DD's pitches are dramatically slower when she leaps. Been fighting this for years now, but when she keeps her weight back, the fast ball is faster and snaps the glove. Leaping does get her closer admitted, but until she hits 60 mph, I doubt there is an advantage. Oops, in fear of losing my "Dad of a Pitcher Status", She already throws a CU like 90....

 

[GOINGDEEP]

I think I see what yer all saying about leaping provides a means to getting closer to the "dish".

But an argument I might suggest (with fragile confidence) is that when a pitcher leaps that they get such a forward body lean (relatively) that they can't transfer the power from the plant of the stride foot through the throwing arm as well as a dragger that keeps from leaning forward in their torso.

I have only seen a couple dramatic leapers and both I thought had compromised ball-release speed due to this.

Whaddaya think?

Perhaps.

The ones who are leaping, aren't doing it to be rebellious to the rules, they are doing it because it either does give them a physical advantage or they think it gives them an advantage ( mental game ).

I going to "assume" ( perhaps someone wiser with more FP experience can help me ) that the leap rule itself is not there because of the advantage, but it makes it easier on the ump to detect a replant? And makes it harder on the pitcher to replant, when she must drag thru?