This problem with illegal pitches seems to be becoming a bigger and bigger problem, based on this and other threads. Some have asked how it is handled in other areas, and the answers seem to vary, which further highlights the problem.
Out here in the northwest, I have faced all the quandries others have brought up. The problem is that even senior umpires and district administrators can't seem to come to agreement. And I agree, it doesn't serve the developing players and coaches to subject them to inconsistent calls or open disregard for the written rule.
But what to do if you don't have the support of higher ups in the area? The sanctioning bodies seem more concerned with standards of shirt color, pant style, bat brand, etc. than dealing with this. (End of rant.)
The last thing I want is another heavy-handed mandate from the National level. Does anyone think we, as the umpires on the line, can gently persuade the sanctioning bodies to align the rules with reality, in the best interest of the sanctioning body, so they look better?
I don't like some of the extremes I'm seeing as pitching styles, but if it is to be "o.k."; i.e. its o.k. in the national spotlight, and we don't want to give ourselves the grief of being the local 1 man pithcing rules crusade, then it would be best if the rules allow what practice has established as the norm. We allow uniforms that would have been deemed outrageous 30 years ago. Is it time to move up to modern times with the pitching rules?
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Panda Bear
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