Arizona vs FSU

[oppool]

Just finish watching the end of the game went 11 inning. Great game the PU in the game Harley is my FP UIC was interesting watching him work the game. I thought he did a good job but was a little inconsistit on his strike zone late in the game but guess that happens in long intense ball game like that. The games I have watched the Blues have seemed to have done a pretty good job a couple of bangers that I thought could of gone the other way but overall from what I have seen they have looked pretty good


Anybody watching out there??

Don

[Ron Ross]

Just finished watching the college softball series, however, maybe I'm 'naive' to the "crow-hop" and "leap" calls in college level. It seemed the Arizona pitcher really had a lot of 'air' under their release foot when delivering the pitch. I've umpired LL Junior,Senior, and big league softball, and called the "leap" and "crow hop", with the disapproval of the manager. Help....

[Steve M]

Don,
You're probably right - long game & all that. Don't forget, though that we do not have a straight on tv shot - the camera is always off to the side. So the looks may have been deceiving.

Something I did notice over the course of the series, many - all but 1 I think - are using a double wide plate stance. If you want to see it done, watch these guys.

Ron,
Yes, you are very naive about college-level ball. Pretty much, forget everything that LL ever taught you. NCAA used to use the ASA rule book with some specific modifications. Now they have their own book - a few rules split and a whole lot of verbiage. For the most part, pitching is not watched that closely for leaps - from what I saw there were no crow hops and any leaps were questionable as to whether they happened or not.

There was a discussion a couple of weeks ago about the Nebraska pitcher and her illegal delivery. I finally got to see her pitch the other night and agree that she was definitely way outside the width of the pitching plate. The point I made then was that only PU has the position/angle to call this and he's got other priorities - neither 1BU nor 3BU have the angle to call this unless in the B position. And if they are in the B position, they have other priorities. What I have seen is that there are a number of runners who have been called out for leaving too early - this is the major other priority for the base folks. I have not seen any look-back violations this year. Is this because it's been called the past few years and had an impact so coaches & players are very aware of what they are doing?

Steve M

[Del-Blue]

Steve,

I have to dissagree with you. One of the priorities for the base umpire is to watch for the illegal pitch. I watched the Nebraska game and she indeed was illegal. I also think the plate umpire can and has to call this.

JMOO
Bob

[Bandit]

I see why all the talk about the pitching and I have to agree with the notion that we may have much different view witht the cameras but what about the force play at second that the TV announcers called bad. Runner on first, ball hit to shortstop ball not handled cleanly...player on knees...holds ball in left hand...touches base with empty glove prior to runners arrival...blue calls out...announcers said defensive player had to be touching base with ball, runner should have been safe...did I miss something or does college have a different view of a force out??

[alabamabluezebra]

I watched nearly every game of the WCWS and I thought a majority of the pitchers were leaping. It was hard to tell from the CF camera angle but it was really evident the few times they showed a side angle shot. The worst offender was the pitcher named Peaches from Nebraska and the next worst was the pitcher from Arizona State (the big one). It's very flustrating to see the NCAA pitchers throwing illegal and not being called. I only call Dixie Softball but I hear it from the coaches every year that illegal pitches are not being called in HS or college. I catch grief every time I call an illegal pitch either because other umpires are not calling it or "they pitch that way in HS and college". Unfortunately, they are correct.

[Steve M]

Bandit,
Just like baseball or any other game on tv - being a skilled player does not make for being an announcer who knows the rules of the game. Naturally, I can't think of the examples right now, but I remember watching the games and groaning 'cuz the announcers blew another explanation - 'course, when you think a popup to the shortstop is another hard hit ball, whaddya want?

Steve M

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally posted by Steve M
Bandit,
Just like baseball or any other game on tv - being a skilled player does not make for being an announcer who knows the rules of the game. Naturally, I can't think of the examples right now, but I remember watching the games and groaning 'cuz the announcers blew another explanation - 'course, when you think a popup to the shortstop is another hard hit ball, whaddya want?

Steve M

Hell, according to the announcers, even the pop-up to the kid in the 3rd row was "hard hit". Maybe she meant to say, "hardly hit".

[kono]

Originally posted by IRISHMAFIA
Hell, according to the announcers, even the pop-up to the kid in the 3rd row was "hard hit". Maybe she meant to say, "hardly hit".

I didn't see many of the games, but my wife & daughter thought the announcers were terrible. My wife they talked so much about stuff that had nothing to do with the game, that they seemed to lose track of what was going on in the game.

-Kono

[Skahtboi]

Originally posted by Bandit
...announcers said defensive player had to be touching base with ball, runner should have been safe...did I miss something or does college have a different view of a force out??

Just another blown call....by the announcers. BU made the right call.

Scott

[Elaine "Lady Blue"]

I just wanted to say how proud I am of FSU and their courageous battle through 11 innings against Finch!! I would have never imagined a Southeastern Conference or ACC conference team coming in 3rd in the CWS. Maybe one of my
Ga teams will make it next year! After all, Georgia beat UCLA in the regions.

[oppool]

I did see the umps using the extra wide stance as you have mention and there was one ump a tall guy stance that was the widest I have ever seen his right foot on a right handed batter went all the way over to even with the left hand batter's box and the left foot was all the way to the end of the right handed batter's box. So I estimated that to be about 65 inches or 5 1/2ft almost. I am lucky to get my right foot line up with the middle of the plate and my left about half way into the right handed batter's box.

As for the announcers guy's and ladies I would suggest you do what I do when watching sports on TV and that is turn the sound down and dont listen to them unless I missed something when I had to get up. The announcers in all sports have become annoying and unknowing on what is actually going on that it is not worth listening to them anymore


JMO

Don

[Ron Ross]

Originally posted by Steve M
Don,
You're probably right - long game & all that. Don't forget, though that we do not have a straight on tv shot - the camera is always off to the side. So the looks may have been deceiving.

Something I did notice over the course of the series, many - all but 1 I think - are using a double wide plate stance. If you want to see it done, watch these guys.

Ron,
Yes, you are very naive about college-level ball. Pretty much, forget everything that LL ever taught you. NCAA used to use the ASA rule book with some specific modifications. Now they have their own book - a few rules split and a whole lot of verbiage. For the most part, pitching is not watched that closely for leaps - from what I saw there were no crow hops and any leaps were questionable as to whether they happened or not.

There was a discussion a couple of weeks ago about the Nebraska pitcher and her illegal delivery. I finally got to see her pitch the other night and agree that she was definitely way outside the width of the pitching plate. The point I made then was that only PU has the position/angle to call this and he's got other priorities - neither 1BU nor 3BU have the angle to call this unless in the B position. And if they are in the B position, they have other priorities. What I have seen is that there are a number of runners who have been called out for leaving too early - this is the major other priority for the base folks. I have not seen any look-back violations this year. Is this because it's been called the past few years and had an impact so coaches & players are very aware of what they are doing?

Steve M

Steve M, Thanks for the reply. I appreciate the insight.

[Steve M]

[i]Originally posted by Ron Ross
Steve M, Thanks for the reply. I appreciate the insight.

Ron,
Glad to offer it - most of us here will.

Don,
Yeah, I saw him too. That's a lot wider than my stance. 'Course, then there was the one ump who looked like she didn't have to drop much at all to get into position.

Steve M