Wind-up position

[jdmara]

I've been pondering this situation for a few weeks and wonder what you all think of this windup position.

I was doing a men's league game (modified FED rules) and the starting pitcher steps up for throw the first pitch of the game, places his pivot foot's heal against the front edge of the rubber, and places his non-pivot foot about 8-12" in front of the rubber (see diagram). He they came set and delivered his pitch.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jdmara/2533214737/

I believe it's an illegal position since "The pitcher's non-pivot foot shall be in any position on or behind a line extending through the front edge of the pitcher's plate." Since his non-pivot foot is entirely (not even close to being near) the front edge of the rubber that would be an illegal position, correct?

(FYI, this league is extremely relaxed (most of the time) and they don't worry about non-advantageous things, such as this. Therefore, I didn't worry about it.)

As I know this pitcher happen to be a college stud and played a bit of MiLB, I thought I would look up the MLB rules on foot positioning in the windup. (OBR 8.01a) "The pitcher shall stand facing the batter, his pivot foot in contact with the pitcher’s plate and the other foot free." I'm reading that as a legal position for MLB but not FED. Seems odd. Any thoughts?

-Josh

[thumpferee]

I have seen more and more of this wind-up this year. Might I say "coaching"?

Maybe too much TV watching the BIGS! It is a legal position there. In FED it would be considered a "set position", but in our association we have not been enforcing it. Maybe things will change next year, either FED will change the definition of the wind-up (doubt it), or we will start enforcing the rule.

I personally don't see the advantage/disadvantage.

I have also seen some pitchers mounds though, if you take a step back, you might fall off!

[waltjp]

Technically it's illegal under FED rules. If there are no complaints I'd probably let this slide in a men's league. Any advantage to pitch velocity would be negligible. There might be a slight advantage for a left-handed pitcher but that's probably negated because the pitcher had to disengage from the rubber to throw to first when in the windup (FED Rules).

[jdmara]

There is no way I wouldn't let it slide in this league. However, I could see it coming back to bite if there was a runner on third and he sets up the same way. The runner might interpret that as a stretch position It was just something I haven't seen. I don't see the advantage/reason to windup that way either. But, once again, I wasn't a semi-pro ball player who thinks I'm hot shtuff.

-Josh

[bossman72]

Originally Posted by jdmara

I've been pondering this situation for a few weeks and wonder what you all think of this windup position.

I was doing a men's league game (modified FED rules) and the starting pitcher steps up for throw the first pitch of the game, places his pivot foot's heal against the front edge of the rubber, and places his non-pivot foot about 8-12" in front of the rubber (see diagram). He they came set and delivered his pitch.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jdmara/2533214737/

I believe it's an illegal position since "The pitcher's non-pivot foot shall be in any position on or behind a line extending through the front edge of the pitcher's plate." Since his non-pivot foot is entirely (not even close to being near) the front edge of the rubber that would be an illegal position, correct?

(FYI, this league is extremely relaxed (most of the time) and they don't worry about non-advantageous things, such as this. Therefore, I didn't worry about it.)

As I know this pitcher happen to be a college stud and played a bit of MiLB, I thought I would look up the MLB rules on foot positioning in the windup. (OBR 8.01a) "The pitcher shall stand facing the batter, his pivot foot in contact with the pitcher’s plate and the other foot free." I'm reading that as a legal position for MLB but not FED. Seems odd. Any thoughts?

-Josh

Was the move something like this:

https://www.eofficials.com/ESO_Repos...tin%20%204.swf


I would call that a set position myself...

[jdmara]

The pitcher's feet were pointed towards the plate though

[zebra2955]

Its not which way they are pointing that matters, its the relationship to the pitchers plate(rubber) that matters.

[umpjim]

In FED you can't pick from the windup so you should enforce the foot position. In OBR you can pick and with no current restriction on free foot position that windup from what looks like the the set can be legal depending on how the pitcher does it.