Definition of 'hybrid" w.r.t pitching position
 

The NFHS 2016 Baseball Rules book does not define the word "hybrid" which it uses in questions 56 and 57 of the Part 2 2016 Baseball Exam. I think know what the word means, but can anyone tell me where I might have seen the word defined in any Federation materials?

Many thanks!

Hancock Blue

It's been used extensively in NFHS rules presentations, which include some helpful pics and visual aids for various legal and illegal pitching feet positions. But oddly enough, the word 'hybrid' does not appear anywhere in either the rule book or the case.

Ah, Fed...

Is this any help? NFHS Situations 5-7 regarding hybrid pitching stances.

SITUATION 5: The pitcher places his pivot foot on the pitching plate with the toe of the pivot foot in front of a line through the front edge of the plate and the heel of his pivot foot behind the back edge. His non-pivot foot is in front of the line extending through the front edge of the pitching plate. The pitcher attempted to pick-off the runner at second base. RULING: This is an illegal pitching position. When the pitcher moved in his pick-off attempt, he made an illegal pitch and a balk would be enforced. (6-1-2 Penalty)

SITUATION 6: The pitcher places his entire pivot foot on top of and parallel to the pitching plate. No part of his pivot foot is on or in front of the front edge of the pitching plate. His entire non-pivot foot is in a line with the pivot foot, on top of the pitching plate with no part of the non-pivot on or in front of the line of the front edge of the pitching plate.RULING: While this appears to be an unusual and a non-functional pitching stance, it is a legal wind-up position. (6-1-2)

SITUATION 7: The pitcher places his non-pivot foot on top of the pitching plate at a 45-degree angle with one-third of his pivot foot in front of the front edge of the pitching plate and the heel of his pivot foot behind the back edge of the pitching plate. His non-pivot foot is entirely in front of the front edge of the pitching plate. Without making any other movement, the pitcher places his pivot foot entirely behind the pitching plate. RULING: The pitcher initially assumed an illegal pitching position. Since he made no other movement, he is allowed to step back off of the pitching plate with his pivot foot and correct his illegal position. (6-1-2, 3)

A tip of the hat to Scrounge and Benchcoach! Your correct answers to my question about "hybrid" asssure me that I am not going senile before my time.

Thank you!

Hancock Blue

If I'm interpreting this properly, I would not see this as illegal if there was a large ditch in front of the pitcher's plate. I would see this as a legal adaptation necessary to pick off to second base if the assumed RHP intended to spin left without stepping off. If he were to follow the rule, he could break his ankle due to poor field/mound conditions.

This is what has been referred to as the "hybrid" position. in #5 the pitcher has assumed the windup position, and in HS it is illegal to attempt a pickoff from the windup. The only thing you can do from the windup is pitch, or step back with the pivot foot and disengage.

Unfortunately the pitching rules don't change because there's "a large ditch in front of home plate". Fixing the rules is a little harder than fixing the mound.

Coach:

If F1 wants to pitch from the Set Position then he must start with his Non-Pivot foot completely in front of the Pitcher's Plate, and his Pivot foot: 1) must be parallel to the Pitcher's Plate, 2) must not extend past either edge of the Pitcher's Plate (unless F1's feet are more that 24 inches long), and 3) must be entirely in contact with the Pitcher's plate.

See NFHS Baseball Rules R6-S1-A3. But this discussion is moot as far as you are concerned because I thought that high school baseball in Massachusetts was played under OBR which allows the "Hybrid Pitching Position".

MTD, Sr.

It is my understanding that FED is prohibiting hybrid pitching positions while OBR and NCAA are not. The reason given for FED declaring the hybrid illegal is... "The problem is with the position (referring to the hybrid) of the pivot foot – it is engaged to the rubber, but is not entirely in contact with the rubber, nor is it parallel to the rubber. Of course, while the high school (FED) rule book uses the word "parallel" in defining the set position, neither OBR nor NCAA rules use that word."

Saw a D-I pitcher last night that used the hybrid for his windup. It was so bad, that I couldn't tell (before he started his motion) whether he was in the windup or set position.

He only used the hybrid with bases empty. With R3, he went from an obvious set position.