Pitching Rule Violation Responsibilities
 

I am a pitching instructor and also coach a 18U Gold team and there seems to be some confusion back East on which official, the home plate or the base umpire, is responsible for which pitching violation. What pitching rule violations is the home plate umpire responsible for and what is the base umpires responsibility (assuming their is only 1 base offical). This will really help us this season. Thanks.

Simple answer, it is the responsibility of the umpire who sees the violation.

Obviously, there are some more visible to umpires in different positions, but that does not exclude another from making the call if it is clearly seen.

BTW, I think the "confusion" is yours. If you insist upon your pitcher throwing legally, what difference does it make to you who calls the violation?

If you are a good coach, you should be coaching the game based upon team talent and game situation, not what an umpire can or cannot, does or does not see. The ONLY reason I can imagine a coach seeking this info is to determine what your pitcher can get away with and when and of what she needs to be cognizant based upon the umpire's position [i]and responsibility.[/]

So, hopefully, this will be the only honest response you receive to your request.

Agree totally! Typically the base umpire calls calls the feet and the plate umpire the hands. However, any umpire can call an illegal pitch violation they see.

You just couldn't let Mike's much better, and more eloquent answer stand, could you? :rolleyes:

Here's a case where adding something only subtracted.

And the dangers of multiplication can cause division in the ranks. :cool:

To quote Lynyrd Skynyrd, "You sure got that right."

Thanks for answer.
 

Thank you gentlemen for answering the question. I have only used this site a couple times over the years and have always been impressed with this site. Not only the content and exchanges but the courtesy you extend outsiders like myself. I have been engaged in fastpitch softball for over 48 years....35 years playing the game, 7 years as a pitching instructor and a couple as a pitching coach, I am not confused over who calls a violation. The local boards up can't seem to agree on it and its not my place to correct them. I love this sport and everyone in it and for the most part have very few problems with officiating on the field, but occassionly come across a pompous ***. I tolerated them as a pitcher as I tolerate them as a coach. The question is how do you guys tolerate him? ha

Obviously I missed the rules in this forum where only one person could give an answer???? Don't see what I did wrong but I'll be more careful in the future.

Its a love hate thang. :)

As for responsibility PU has the hands, feet and 24" violation, BU has the hands, feet and when working 3man mechanics and while in the rotated position the U3 will help with the 24" also.

Personally, I WISH they'd move the rubber back to 46' :eek: and let them do whatever the h3ll they wanted to so long as they stayed within the 8' circle.. But that's just me. :D

Think of the trees we would save with the thinner rulebooks. ;)

If that's the case, simply give us the option to get the PDF version of the rule book. I've modified mine to make it easily searchable. I can drill down to the rule and sub-rule and jump through the rules quickly.

does a free laptop or PDA come with that? :D ...then we got all the fossil fuel emissions from powering them.

Hand crank, baby. Hand crank.

man.. if i had a nickel for every time someone said that to me... i'd have a nickel :D

Just you my ***! I'm been preaching this for years. :cool: