Sat Apr 09, 2005, 10:10am
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Official Forum Member
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Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Edinburg, TX
Posts: 1,212
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Quote:
Originally posted by Rich Fronheiser
Quote:
Originally posted by bob jenkins
Quote:
Originally posted by SMEngmann
If the rules committee wants to stop a pitcher from doing something specifically deceptive, they should ban that specific action, not speak in generalities.
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FED did this -- they banned the specific action of moving both hands, then stopping. Consider FED without this rule: Some coach is going to teach his kids to "abruptly" bring the hands together, in hopes of "faking" some runner into believing that was the start of a pitch. FED doesn't believe umpires can discern the difference, or doesn't want the umpires to have to discern the differenc. It's consistent with other FED rulings -- a specific action is either legal (see the "abrupt shoulder turn") or illegal without regard to "intent."
Now, since FED has the rule, we don't see the move. And, since the move wouldn't work in NCAA or pro (it would either be balked, or the runners woudn't be fooled), it's easy to tell teh difference between bringing the hans togeher and starting the pitch. So, we say that we don't need the rule. But, if we didn't have it, we'd need it.
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I don't know about that -- everyone looks for the start of the pitch as being the step back with the free foot. Matter of fact (Tee, don't read this), I know that bringing both arms up together and pausing doesn't get balked in this neck of the woods.
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Why?
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