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Well here we go....
I was one of the four umpires that got pulled from the LCM v Montgomery 4A Regional Final Series, I worked Second Base on a 4-man crew. LCM pitcher was a re-planter and the Montgomery pitcher is a leaper, big time. In the first game of the Regional Final the Montgomery pitcher wasn't effective from the start, so she got pulled. Her replacement, while a good foot dragger, but appeared to be stepping on and bringing her hands together without simulating the taking of the signal from the catcher which was confirmed when I watched the 3rd game of the series that decided the team moving on the the State Championship, she takes the signal, steps on and in one motion brings her hands together while raising her head up to look at the catcher. To the credit of the PU on that game, she did call an illegal pitch for a quick pitch, but just one.
An earlier point someone raised, was we need to put more emphasis on calling illegal pitches at the next state/regional meeting, well, I attended the TASO State Meeting and Rules Clinics last year held in Austin and by golly, they had an entire session on calling illegal pitches and made it a point of emphasis to call the obvious illegal pitches.
All I can say is, call what you see and if you get scratched by a coach, don't get post season assignments or don't get the opportunity to work at the State Championship so be it, you've done your job. After watching what you see on an annual basis, do you really want to be associated with that system?
Last but not least, from behind 2nd base from the right-hand side of 2nd, I called an illegal pitch for stepping outside of the 24. It looked like she was stepping toward the dugout on the 1st base line. For the crew, the 3rd base umpire called the balance of the illegal pitches, all for re-planting.
I can assure you that none of the crew that got pulled from the LCM v Montgomery Series was happy, but in hindsight, the LCM coach most likely had a, "Watch what you wish for moment" .... which came back and bit her since she at least had the toe dragger. Just say'n?
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