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Old Tue Apr 26, 2005, 05:00pm
thepainguy thepainguy is offline
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Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 3
Thanks to all who have replied. This does make things clearer.

Some replies to specific comments...

1. IMHO 9-10 is too young to start introducing stealing. My guys still have too much to work on (e.g. pitching consistently). As a result, in this league we are at the point where a single is effectively a triple (which is why I posted here and what I am trying to deal with).

2. From what I could tell, the pro pivoted on his heel. If he pivoted in the ball of his foot, his heel would have ended up on top of the robber. This wasn't the case. His entire pivot foot was on dirt. Maybe he jump turned (very slightly)?

3. My comment about the legality of the spin move comes from MLB ROB 8.01(b)...

"The Set Position. Set Position shall be indicated by the pitcher when he stands facing the batter with his entire pivot foot on, or in front of, and in contact with, and not off the end of the pitcher's plate, and his other foot in front of the pitcher's plate, holding the ball in both hands in front of his body and coming to a complete stop."

It's the line "with his entire pivot foot on, or in front of, and in contact with" that made me wonder if this is a legal move. If the "entire" side of the foot is no longer in contact with the rubber, then hasn't the pitcher effectively disengaged the rubber? Isn't the only way the pitcher can disengage the rubber by stepping back? Therefore, isn't this move illegal?

Of course, this may be a rule that can't be practically enforced because it may be hard to see whether the pitcher is in contact with the rubber. Maybe over the years an inch of wiggle room has morphed into six inches of wiggle room.
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