Legal pitch?

[RKBUmp]

Originally Posted by Dakota

Sure, but if (for example) you had in your association an umpire who was also a lawyer, he would point out that the pitch is illegal by the letter of the rule.

That argument does work, doesn't it?

And then you point out the very next rule says the pivot foot must remain in contact with the ground and drag away from the pitching plate. How can the foot remain in contact with the pitching plate at the time the ball is released if it is dragging away from the pitching plate?

I had this argument from a coach one time who was mad I was calling his pitcher illegal for leaping. He came out with a rule book and by this point it was almost comical so I let him do it. He pointed to the rule about the foot being in contact with the pitching plate. At that time the rest of the rule was on the next page. I said yep, now turn the page and I pointed to the next rule and told him to get back in the dugout.