Pitching mechanics question
 

I had the plate. Senior night big crowd for both teams. Home pitcher was a freshman, good pitcher, lefthanded with some movement. Anyway, right before she releases, her pivot foot lifts maybe an inch or two off the rubber. I had the same team in previous game (I was in the field) and I noticed it then and asked the plate ump about it and he said he wouldn't call anything since she wasn't really gaining an advantage. Before this game I noticed it when she was warming up, and I asked the coach if anyone had called her on it. He said no (yes I know he would say that, but he seemed sincere). I let it go.

Bottom of the 7th, score tied 1-1, same pitcher is on 2nd, 1 out, batter bunts, runner on 2nd tries to score after the out at first and is out by a mile, and injures herself sliding (she slid head first and probably seperated her shoulder, non pitching arm). Top of the 8th, the girl comes out to pitch, she can't hardly raise her arm but she's game and can still pitch. Visiting coach calls time before the first batter steps in and guess what she wants me to call? Yep, she wants me to call illegal pitch when she lifts her foot. I told her I wasn't going to, that she would have had a legitimate complaint in the first inning but not in the 8th. She grumbled something about writing me up, and left.

Girl strikes out the side in the 8th, home team scores in the bottom and wins. I take the long way around to my car to avoid visiting dugout.

Comments?

I don't like the "no advantage" excuse. While you're correct that when you decided to ignore it early in the game, that decision should stand for the entire game, that doens't really address the question of whether this was truely an IP.

A better explanation to give:

"Coach, the pitcher is allowed to lift her foot slightly to clear her cleats."

From your description, it sounds very marginal. I'd probably ignore it, too, unless she was actually leaping.

There is no advantage criteria in softball.
That belongs in basketball and soccer.

I agree with not calling late if not called early.

If lifted before the stride foot lands, it is a leap although marginal and can be called as such. If you don't mind being redlined. :(

As the PU you can see her lift her foot an inch off the ground? That's pretty good. I do agree with you on the premise that if you didn't call it in the first inning - you shouldn't call it in the 8th.

Couple of things....

You stated that in your previous game where you were on the bases, you noticed the pitcher's foot lifting, but ultimately decided not to make any call. No problem, your judgement.

As a general rule of thumb, most actions with the pitchers feet are the call of the BU. The PU has too much other stuff (such as the pitch) to watch as well as having a bad angle on the pitcher's feet.

On your plate game, when the coach came out, I would have directed her to the BU for that game, Evidently, your BU made the judgement that the pitcher was not illegal in that game since you don't mention any illegal pitch calls in your post.

By telling the coach that her complaint may have been legitimate in the first inning, but not the eighth, you have sent the message that you know the pitcher is illegal, but you are choosing to ignore it because you now have a close game in the eighth inning.

If you do need to respond to the coach, a better repsonse may be: Coach, I have watched the pitcher throughout this game, and in my judgement, she is legal.