Slingshot pitching

[marina_ramsey]

I have a question about what constitutes a slingslot pitch in modified fast pitch league.

The 2005 ASA rule book states (among other things):

Rule 6 Pitching Regulations (Modified Pitch)

Section E: The pitcher must not use a windmill or a slingshot-type pitch or make
a complete revolution in the delivery.

Now, as you may imagine, in our league we have a wide variety of ideas about what
constitutes a "slingshot-type" pitch.

The rule book does not define this term although I have seen it defined in other places as
"bending the elbow AND rotating the body significantly towards first or third base. "

We have a right hand pitcher in our league who has her arm bent at the elbow on the back swing ball our to the side.
On the top of her back swing her elbow is parallel with her shoulder and the hand is up above her head
with the ball facing toward the outfield. On her delivery her elbow is tucked into her body and her
forearm is extended toward the 3rd base line. She kind of "flings" the ball into the plate to finish her delivery as her
hand curls up at toward her body.

I hope that makes some sense. Anyway, one of our umpires has said she throw "borderline" slingshot, another says she's
legal, another says she can't do that "fling" thing.

My team is wondering who is closest to correct.

So if you can't comment on this particular pitching style, could you comment on what is meant by slingshot-type pitch or
perhaps just comment on legal or illegal modified pitching.

[chuck chopper]

I don't have my rule book with me to refer to. Do you play
"altered" fast pitch, or true "MODIFIED". I would thing a slingshot is one where there ball is delivered with a locked elbow, but a twist of the hips or turning of the shoulders is allowed.

[marina_ramsey]

It's supposed to really be MODIFIED fast pitch not altered fast pitch.

[greymule]

In the women's modified I do, the hand/arm cannot go back above the shoulder, and the hips and shoulders have to be squared to the plate on the delivery. The body can't be sideways. These rules are fairly easy to follow and enforce, and no one is able to throw too hard.

Whether this covers the definition of slingshot, I do not know.

[marina_ramsey]

That was how our league was in previous years - this year the restriction on the backswing was eliminated.

So the waters have become quite muddied this season.

It also doesn't help that we have had 7 different umpires teams with differing interpretations.

[greymule]

I have filled in in various modified leagues in which the players claimed:

1. The body to the side was OK, just no high arm (this facilitated very fast pitches)

2. Pitches could have no more than 3 inches of arc (!)

3. Only a runner on 3B could tag up on a fly; any other runner off a base could be put out on appeal

So you never know what you're going to find.

[chuck chopper]

I ump a ton of altered fast pitch leagues. They all want a straight arm delivery, instead of a windmill. In the original message Marina mentions the delivery where the ball is held outside the wrist. This allows the pitcher to snap her wrist & get a bit more speed & action on the ball. That should not be allowed.

[marina_ramsey]

I suppose I should have asked this question earlier but what is the difference between altered fast pitch and modified fast pitch? Altered fast pitch is new term for me.

The leagues that I play in are termed Modified. And while they all have their weird local rule exceptions the biggest area of complaint is the pitching or what is permitted to be a legal pitch.

I like the phrase straight arm delivery. I think that it makes it clearer that all that wrist and elbow action I describer earlier should not be allowed.

So in this straight arm delivery, is the pitcher allowed to bring her arm up above shoulder height?

Part of my coming here to talk with you officials is to
a) get educated
b) get some better idea of how to bring this up at the next org meeting


Thanks.