UMPIRE FEEDBACK NEEDED

[FridayMainEvent]

I noticed a young lady pitching last night who at no time brought her hands together prior to delivery. The rulebook I have says the hands must come together for at least 1 second and no more than 10 seconds. The home plate umpire apparently heard me discussing this with my wife and came over to the fence in between innings and told me I was incorrect. He said that because she was trapping the ball on her throwing hip, this was the same as bringing the hands together. I have never heard this. Is he correct? Keep in mind that at no point in the girls delivery or pre-delivery did the hands come together.

[MRTN]

I noticed a young lady pitching last night who at no time brought her hands together prior to delivery. The rulebook I have says the hands must come together for at least 1 second and no more than 10 seconds. The home plate umpire apparently heard me discussing this with my wife and came over to the fence in between innings and told me I was incorrect. He said that because she was trapping the ball on her throwing hip, this was the same as bringing the hands together. I have never heard this. Is he correct? Keep in mind that at no point in the girls delivery or pre-delivery did the hands come together.

 

 

This falls under the column of the umpires decision to make the call. The rule in the book is correct you must bring the hands together to start the pitch. The seconds are to keep the pitcher from quick pitching a batter. The same goes true for crow hopping it is in the book but the umpire must make the call.

[MrNoitAll]

This falls under the column of the umpires decision to make the call. The rule in the book is correct you must bring the hands together to start the pitch. The seconds are to keep the pitcher from quick pitching a batter. The same goes true for crow hopping it is in the book but the umpire must make the call.

 

 

 

Why are you surprise Cascade11? They HATE to make the crow hop call, and sounds like they hated to make this call as well! /flower.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":flower:" border="0" alt="flower.gif" />

[utility3]

Ok what about getting the signals?? I watched a game recently where the pitcher was not on the rubber when she received her signs. I was always told you had to be on the rubber, receive the signal, then 'present' the ball (hands together) before delivering the pitch. Any thoughts on this? Has that rule changed

[FridayMainEvent]

Ok what about getting the signals?? I watched a game recently where the pitcher was not on the rubber when she received her signs. I was always told you had to be on the rubber, receive the signal, then 'present' the ball (hands together) before delivering the pitch. Any thoughts on this? Has that rule changed

 

 

I believe rules are VERY loosely inforced in high school ball, or not at all. That is what hurts a lot of these girls when they go to travel ball in the summer and fall. The umpires for travel ball WILL inforce the rules and some girls who have been doing it wrong all spring have trouble correcting these issues. You don't want to call something to an umpires attention when your team is winning by double digits because you come across as a poor sport. It would be nice if rules were inforced and the umpires actually knew the rules without someone telling them. I also wish the umpires would inforce the rule stating a batter must attempt to avoid the ball instead of automatically awarding a base to a girl who hugs the plate with her knees hovering over the inside of the plate and refuses to move. If you aren't going to inforce a rule, get rid of it. The "look back" rule is another rule that often isn't inforced in high school, but that's another topic.

[jtk]

Why are you surprise Cascade11? They HATE to make the crow hop call, and sounds like they hated to make this call as well! /flower.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":flower:" border="0" alt="flower.gif" />

 

At the 2006 State tournament the umpire waited until the 6th inning to call this on us. This rule is rarely enforced.

[catsbackr]

At the 2006 State tournament the umpire waited until the 6th inning to call this on us. This rule is rarely enforced.

 

But apparently the rule is very often violated.

 

Why would a HS coach allow their pitcher to violate a written rule all year long?

[stlbrd]

But apparently the rule is very often violated.

 

Why would a HS coach allow their pitcher to violate a written rule all year long?

 

It's to their pitcher's advantage and the umpires never call it.

 

How many girls in travel ball and college have you ever seen "step back" or "rock"? It happens EVERY game in high school, but this is known as the TSSAA rule......it's allowed!

[Old Warhorse]

It's to their pitcher's advantage and the umpires never call it.

 

How many girls in travel ball and college have you ever seen "step back" or "rock"? It happens EVERY game in high school, but this is known as the TSSAA rule......it's allowed

 

The rocking motion or steping back is allowed by National Federation rules. This is different from ASA where both feet must be in contact with the pitching rubber until forward motion starts. The consistency of "travel ball" umpires is as bad or worse than high school officials. One needs to remember that most pitchers take some type of lessons. These pitching coaches teach and reinforce techniques that are illegal. Most umpires that I know will not call illegal pitches unless it is creating some type of advantage. Right or wrong there needs to be a fundamental change in the enforcement of the pitching rules. Maybe it is time to back the pitching distance up and enforce fewer rules.

[stlbrd]

Well what do you know, another rule that TSSAA uses that does not reinforce those used in college, pitch from 40', rock, crow-hop, double plant who cares, most of the umpires don't have the guts to call it.

[zachsdad]

We had an umpire use the no advantage quote on us a couple of weeks ago. The others teams pitcher was stepping up 6-8 inches off of the rubber on every pitch in the first inning. He was asked to watch it. She was not crowhopping, literally walking off the rubber on every pitch in her wind up and throwing from there. When he was asked about it he said "she is not gaining any advantage." He was then asked if our pitcher who had no trouble keeping in contact with the rubber could start off 6-8 inches in front of the rubber. You can imagine what kind of response we were given.

 

And before you ask, the mound was in perfect condition, no holes, no ruts, no reason that she couldn't stay on. When the other coach heard us talking to the umpire, she gave her pitcher some instruction and for the rest of the game she was only illegal on half of her pitches. The umpire probably thought he was being kind to a young pitcher, but actually he was doing her harm.

[stlbrd]

We had an umpire use the no advantage quote on us a couple of weeks ago. The others teams pitcher was stepping up 6-8 inches off of the rubber on every pitch in the first inning. He was asked to watch it. She was not crowhopping, literally walking off the rubber on every pitch in her wind up and throwing from there. When he was asked about it he said "she is not gaining any advantage." He was then asked if our pitcher who had no trouble keeping in contact with the rubber could start off 6-8 inches in front of the rubber. You can imagine what kind of response we were given.

 

And before you ask, the mound was in perfect condition, no holes, no ruts, no reason that she couldn't stay on. When the other coach heard us talking to the umpire, she gave her pitcher some instruction and for the rest of the game she was only illegal on half of her pitches. The umpire probably thought he was being kind to a young pitcher, but actually he was doing her harm.

 

"Double-planting", of course there is no advantage to their pitcher pitching from 39' and yours pitching from 40'. Trust me, I have seen it alot worse than that. How about the pitchers who double plant and then crow hop? There are a lot of them in high school ball.

 

By the way, I have never seen a "reputable" pitching instructor, teach a girl to step back. If you watch closely enough, they do not start stepping back until they get in high school.