SP Pitch

[SRW]

I'll try to explain with words what happened last night...might be hard to picture but I'll try.

ASA Coed SP game. Pitcher on the pitching plate with left foot. Takes a small step to his right with his right foot, then goes down on his right knee. So now his right foot is out to the side, and his knee is under his torso. Both his right foot and knee are on the ground. The left foot is still in contact with the pitching plate. At the moment his knee touches the ground, he releases the ball.(pitcher is right-handed).

Goofy-looking as heck, hard to describe.

Legal or Illegal pitch? And why?

[scottk_61]

Legal, why wouldn't it be?
Just because it looks weird doen't mean it is illegal.

If you are going to call IP on something because it "LOOKS" strange, you are going to be in for a long day at any Seniors Tournament.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally posted by scottk_61
Legal, why wouldn't it be?
Just because it looks weird doen't mean it is illegal.

If you are going to call IP on something because it "LOOKS" strange, you are going to be in for a long day at any Seniors Tournament.

Speaking ASA

It wouldn't be legal because the first sentence of Rule 6(SP)1.A reads:

The pitcher must take a position with both feet firmly on the ground and with one or both feet in contact with the pitcher's plate.

I believe I would find it difficult to believe someone's foot can be "firmly" on the ground if the bottom of the foot isn't in contact with it.

Okay, now we can start discussing what is meant by "firmly on the ground".

[SRW]

Originally posted by IRISHMAFIA

Speaking ASA

It wouldn't be legal because the first sentence of Rule 6(SP)1.A reads:

The pitcher must take a position with both feet firmly on the ground and with one or both feet in contact with the pitcher's plate.

I believe I would find it difficult to believe someone's foot can be "firmly" on the ground if the bottom of the foot isn't in contact with it.

Okay, now we can start discussing what is meant by "firmly on the ground".

That's why I posted it here...
To refer to 6S-1.A, he did start standing up... so both feet were "firmly on the ground" when he took position. He took a step; then his back-swing and forward-swing happened as he was dropping to one knee. His release was when the knee hit the ground.

I called an IP on the pitch... When he asked why I called the IP, I told him that he had to be on both feet when he released the ball, not on one foot and one knee. (thinking about 6S-1.A). I could have probably justified it with 6S-3.E because his step wasn't simultaneous with the release.

(BTW: he never did the knee trick again... had him for two back-to-back games.)

[scottk_61]

Originally posted by IRISHMAFIA

Speaking ASA

It wouldn't be legal because the first sentence of Rule 6(SP)1.A reads:

The pitcher must take a position with both feet firmly on the ground and with one or both feet in contact with the pitcher's plate.

I believe I would find it difficult to believe someone's foot can be "firmly" on the ground if the bottom of the foot isn't in contact with it.

Okay, now we can start discussing what is meant by "firmly on the ground".

I would normally agree but our mutual friend Henry game this specific example in many clinics and ruled it legal.
Maybe you need to take it up with the NUS.

By the description, the foot (left) is on the plate and the other foot (right) is on the ground AND the knee is on the ground too.
As decsribed, both feet are on the gound, the right is not sliding. I will bet you that you cannot take the described position without some part of the right foot being planted firmly.

Try imitating the motion described and you will find that it is legal.
REALLY AWKWARD but legal.

[Edited by scottk_61 on Aug 25th, 2005 at 05:22 PM]

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally posted by scottk_61


I would normally agree but our mutual friend Henry game this specific example in many clinics and ruled it legal.
Maybe you need to take it up with the NUS.

By the description, the foot (left) is on the plate and the other foot (right) is on the ground AND the knee is on the ground too.
As decsribed, both feet are on the gound, the right is not sliding. I will bet you that you cannot take the described position without some part of the right foot being planted firmly.

As originally described, it sounded more like the weight was on the knee and the foot was just an appendage at the end of the leg. That I would not call "firmly" on the ground. But as described in a subsequent post, the pitch seemed perfectly legal.