Ruling???
 

Top of each inning, the pitcher comes out and covers the pitcher's plate with dirt.

Do you do anything about that or leave it alone as long as you are satisfied the pitcher is keeping contact with the PP?

I've got nothing on this. BU has brushed the pitcher's plate at each end of a half inning. Pitchers landscape - all the time, at every level. I see this as the same thing.

More frequently than this, I see the defense gather 'round the pitcher and they all see to kick dirt.

As long as the pitcher makes me belive she's in contact, I've got no problem with whether there's dirt on the pitcher's plate or not.

Agreed....without the exact wording in front of me, the only rule I could think of that would even remotely apply is the NCAA and FED rule about deliberately erasing lines on the playing field.

Mighty looooooooooong stretch to apply that here!

Well, you could always draw a line around the plate after you brush it off! :D

I wouldn't call any infraction with the pitcher covering the plate, but if I beleived it was to desguise an infraction (24" width or not being in contact), I might just have to "judge" the plate to be just a smidge on the small side. ;)

Ditto. If I've cleaned the PP, I've done my job. Now, if the pitcher chooses to cover the PP, I don't have a problem with that, but the pitcher better make me believe there are no violations occuring. If I think that there are (and I'm not going to look any harder than normal), I certainly will not be giving the pitcher the benefit of the doubt after deliberately covering the PP with dirt.

Help me here, please.
 

Why is the pitcher's plate brushed ?
Thanks.
mick

I saw this handled well at the NCAA D-II Nationals a couple of years ago. Pitcher was the MVP the previous year, and was playing for the defending champions. She obviously and intentionally covered the rubber with dirt right after U3 swept it. U3 called an IP on the first pitch. (BTW, I think she was right -- the back toe was probably 2-3" off.) The pitcher brushed the dirt off the rubber, brought her back foot up to a legal position, and the game went on. :cool:

I am with those who have nothing here, except for maybe a slightly smaller PP as far as any pitching infraction goes. ;)

So the BU can be evaluated on mechanics. :D

To much info, Scott!

D'oh!!!!! :eek:

Just curious, any one have a reason a pitcher would cover the pitcher's plate OTHER than to obscure an illegal pitching motion?

Though there may not be a rule that specifically addresses covering bases or plates, I would think that the rules that prescribe a relationship with the PP (both feet starting within the width of the plate, forward step being within the 24" width of the plate, etc.) would require that the umpire be able to see the PP and it would be up to the umpire to require it be cleared off if it could not be seen.

How might your reaction differ if the opposing coach objected to it?

What if it were not the pitcher but F5 or F3 that were covering her base with dirt so it could not be seen?

...So the cleates can glide easier, faster, forwarder.

Superstition and/or head games with the opponent

I taught my pitchers to do it to see if the umpires in my area (when I coached high school) would call them for starting with BOTH feet off the pitchers plate!

BTW...none of them called it, and it was obvious they were stepping AFTER both feet were off the pitchers plate.

Lunacy

I'll do it if Im in C, but most of the time just wipe the dirt off with my shoe, as opposed to bending all the way down to clean off something that will be covered in dirt before warm ups are over.

I will admit to being pretty anal about making sure home plate is clean though. Pitchers plate I dont really give a rats *** about as long as I can tell where its at.

got that right, thats the ONLY reason.

Of course that's not a problem in NCAA as the pitcher isn't required to land within the 24". I did wonder about that rule in FED and ASA. I also wondered about what would happen if the opposing coach complained about that. I know if I were coaching, I'D complain about this.

If I were the PU, I'd have nothing too - but agree with the others that say they'd have a smaller pitcher's plate. I guarantee you if you call an IP for them landing outside of the PP and tell the coach you can't see the PP, the problem will take care of itself.

I think in a "callable" IP for outside the 24", you definately know it when you see it because its so pronounced and obvious to everyone and its not affected by the status of the 18" pitcher plate within reason.

My DD played yesterday at a field with a lot of soft dirt in a couple of places, and about half the pitcher's plate was covered wtih dirt (making it look like it was 12" instead of 24").

Blue said if it looks like she is not on the plate he will call an IP so we kept it clean enough for him to see.

Funny field, 2B was the same way and would get completely covered with dirt. It became completely obscured several times and had to be cleaned off. One time a runner slid into 2B on a steal before she got up she called, "Blue, time please--I can't see the base!"

You might want to review NCAA 10.4-a. Per my 2006 book, "In the act of delivering the ball, the pitcher must push off from the pitcher's plate and take one step / stride forward toward the batter and within the 24-inch length of the pitcher's plate."