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Originally Posted by teebob21
Personally, I'm OK with this. The rationale was that (1) it's hard for umpires to see if the stride foot is "toed up" to the plate, and; (2) the change will "provide pitchers with greater balance and take into account their variances in sizes and strengths without creating any type of unfair advantage" which is very similar to the NFHS rationale.
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I understand that the rationale was so that the pitcher doesn't receive the signal while not in contact with the plate, and then walk onto the plate and immediately start the delivery. That, to me, is a weak rationale to counter umpires who weren't enforcing the two-second rule. Regardless, now the pitcher must be in contact to receive signals, either with one or both feet. If she's not in contact when she receives them, it's an Illegal Pitch.
Quote:
Originally Posted by teebob21
Now I put on my "conspiracy theorist" hat: Is this a change made to benefit USA NCAA pitching in preparation for Olympics 2020? The new pitching rule has a lot in common with the international rule, and I sure didn't see this rule change listed on the postseason rules survey. Maybe I missed it.
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I don't think this change was proposed in the survey either, if memory serves. As for your conspiracy theory, I have no opinion.
I'm not sure we're going to see much change in how pitchers take a signal from the plate. If a pitcher used to get onto the plate with both feet, with her hands separated, looked in the dugout or at the catcher to receive the signal, and then put her hands together, I don't see why she would suddenly change by putting her stride foot behind the plate.
The real change will be to those pitchers who would take the signal while not in contact, and then walk onto the plate with both feet and abide by the two-second rule. Now, they have to be in contact with the plate.