Bending the rules

[Jake80]

Had a situation the other night I would like to hear comments on. Pitcher's mound not kept up very well. Fairly deep hole in front of the center of the rubber. I let pitcher stand with his non pivot foot to the side of the rubber in the windup and the back portion of the pivot foot off the end of the rubber in the set. I know this is technically not a legal position but I allow it due to the hole in front of the rubber. Would you allow it? Any difference if opposing coach complains?

[Jerry]

Why couldn't the hole be filled in? Just curious.

Anyhow . . . allow whatever is necessary to keep the players as safe as possible. What you've got is a "non-regulation" field; no protests are allowed because of that. Tell the complaining coach to worry about his own team.

On the flip side; if F1 is taking advantage of your generosity and picking off or holding runners on their bases; put him back where he's supposed to be.

"It's better to not call a technical balk than to call a phanthom one."

[Jake80]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Jerry
[B]Why couldn't the hole be filled in? Just curious.

That's a good question. There are several games per day at this field and the people responsible for the field don't always get a chance to do maintenance between games. At least that's what I'm told.

[Lonewolf986]

hahaha, yeah, I've run into some "ground crews" from our Parks and Recreation Department. Last month they put some fresh dirt on top of the field, and luckily I got there early to "walk the field." What I thought was a solid and awesome looking field, was a great illusion. By my third step, I was standing in 3inches of mud on a freshly lined field. Needless to say the Pitcher's mound was a slip-n-slide, so I had them play the game at another field across the park.

But yeah, we've got holes too...and plenty of them at some fields...