NCAA Armband rule clarification

[IRISHMAFIA]

IMO, this entire issue has gotten way out of any level of control or intelligence.

[CecilOne]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

IMO, this entire issue has gotten way out of any level of control or intelligence.

Not just YO !

How about:
"The pitcher may not simply step into the pitching position, put her hands together and start the pitching motion. There must be timing consistent with
taking the signal from an arm band or catcher." ?

Or,:
"The pitcher may not simply step into the pitching position, put her hands together and start the pitching motion. There must be a batter-discernible pause." ?

[Crabby_Bob]

There was a 2 second pause. What was wrong with that?

[EsqUmp]

Originally Posted by Crabby_Bob

There was a 2 second pause. What was wrong with that?

The complaint was it wasn’t enforced.

[EsqUmp]

I pointed out this inconsistency in SEPTEMBER. At least they fixed part of it. As long as a signal wasn’t provided before she looks she’d be fine.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by Crabby_Bob

There was a 2 second pause. What was wrong with that?

Nothing except the whining when an umpire enforced it

[CecilOne]

I reread this part:
" However, the pitcher may not look at the signal arm band until she is in the pitching position."

Might be the dumbest and least practical rule in history.

[teebob21]

Originally Posted by CecilOne

I reread this part:
" However, the pitcher may not look at the signal arm band until she is in the pitching position."

Might be the dumbest and least practical rule in history.

The rationale was to align with the international rule, which was my tinfoil-hat suggestion when the survey came out.

77% of head coaches and 82% of umpires surveyed voted in favor of this change.

[AtlUmpSteve]

Here's how this went down.

After the rules committee stated rules language, the Coordinators meeting in Indianapolis in mid-August discussed this at length. We left that meeting with a black-and-white version, pitchers could take NOTHING from coaches or catchers before setting in the pitching position. We referenced baseball, no options, NOTHING legal off the pitching plate, immediate balk there. So why not so black and white for softball?

Well, we started the fall that way; then coaches started looking for the loopholes, and convinced Rules Committee members that some signals are defensive signals, like first-and-third, pitchouts, pickoffs, and that they HAD to be able to give those signals before the pitcher started the pitching routine. So, backed off a bit.

Now, the coach can call signals from the dugout without the pitcher "engaged", but if the pitcher looks at the armband, we KNOW it was a pitching signal, not a defensive scheme, so illegal pitch. Same thing with a signal from the catcher; if C is standing up and out, we can safely accept it is a defensive signal; if she's in a crouch giving signals and the pitcher is off the pitcher's plate, that was a pitching signal, and an illegal pitch.