LL Pitching Rule

Panda Bear · #1 (**permalink**) Tue May 13, 2003, 01:09pm

How are the following 2 LL pitching rules that appear to be in conflict resolved?

8.01 (s) states: "The pivot foot must remain in contact with or push off and drag away from the pitching plate prior to the front foot touching the ground, as long as the pivot foot remains in contact with the ground."

8.05 (a) states: "An Illegal Pitch is a pitch delivered to the batter when the pitcher does not have her pivot foot in contact with the pitcher's plate."

If the pivot foot is drug away from the pitching plate before the pitch is released, it is no longer in contact. Is the term "delivered" meant to refer the complete process, and not just the release?

This conflict arose involving a pitcher that is generating so much forward momentum that the trailing, drug foot is typically 8-10 inches in front of the plate by the time the pitch is released. But the foot is being drug off the plate, so I interpret it as legal, per 8.01 s, so long as the foot is drug, never lifted (that would be a leap).

Opposing opinion is based on 8.05 a. (All involved agree motion is legal in all other aspects.) What are the opinions of the experts here?

Dakota · #2 (**permalink**) Tue May 13, 2003, 03:29pm

The pitcher you described is legal.

8.05 (a) is (IMO) just being brief in the wording, rather than conflicting with 8.01 (s).

CecilOne · #3 (**permalink**) Tue May 13, 2003, 05:49pm

"8.05 (a) states: "An Illegal Pitch is a pitch delivered to the batter when the pitcher does not have her pivot foot in contact with the pitcher's plate."" sounds to me like there is a semantic problemn with the word delivered (could mean starting the pitching motion rather than releasing the ball), or like some other rule books thet edited one and not the other.

kono · #4 (**permalink**) Tue May 13, 2003, 06:11pm

If this pitcher is just dragging her foot, and not "re-planting" it, I doubt very much that you will find anyone that will call it an illegal pitch.

It's kind of hard to imagine this motion since the dragging usually doesn't occurr until after she has pushed off (which should be just about her release point)

sprivitor · #5 (**permalink**) Tue May 13, 2003, 11:51pm

Looked at these rules in the LL book. You are right, they do seem to conflict. I agree with one of the posts stated that perhaps LL just left out the wording as in 8.01 (s); however, it is stated in the rule book as such and one must abide by the book.

I would look at the word "delivered" in this conflict. In delivery of a pitch, if pitcher follows all of section 8.01, then we know that a proper "delivery" of a pitch was made. Therefore, under 8.05 (a), the sliding of the foot in 8.01 (s) is actually part of the legal "delivery" that begins with the pitcher's foot in contact with the rubber; therefore, meeting the requirement of 8.05 (a).

Just my opinion..