Fastpitch question
 

Saw this today. I was not one of the umpires.

Pitcher toes the plate with her free foot. The pivot foot is behind the plate. She takes the sign. She then steps on the plate with her pivot foot, immediately puts her hands together, and starts her pitch.

What do you have?

Rita

What I don't have is an complete stop, so I have a stretched left arm and a call (DDB and a IP)

But you knew that already, didn't you?

ip

IP all day.

Or night. :D

Glad we all agree.

It wasn't being called. One of the things I noticed is that the first thing she did when she came out to warm up, was cover the plate with dirt. But from first and third it should have been seen and called.

I also noticed that PU was putting the ball in play with her pivot foot behind the plate.

OOPS!

Rita

Ball in Play
 

Wasn't it just recently that they re-wrote the rule to require contact with the plate to put the ball in play?

To be honest, I can't remember ever paying attention to that requirement.

Also, if I remember correctly (and I'm thinking HS wording), even now, "contact" with the plate is required. That does not necessarily mean both feet in contact...

Where else are the PU's feet supposed to be? :rolleyes:

Rita, I believe that's only a requirement in LL Softball (I assume that's what you're talking about, since you didn't mention it). I don't think there's a requirement in other organizations for the pitcher to "toe the plate" in order for the umpire to say "Play Ball."

OK, wise guy, which of the PU's feet is her pivot foot? :cool:

I would think it would be the one she pivots on. :D

2011 NFHS 5-1-4
Like I said, I believe this was a recent change, but cant look up older versions of the rule right now.

Okay, I guess it exists in FED ball. I just couldn't find anything in the ASA book.

And even the FED rule you quote doesn't say the pitcher must have her pivot foot on the plate. :)

Correct. As long as she has not moved either foot after getting possession of the ball, either foot can become the pivot foot. Once she moves one foot, the other foot becomes the pivot foot - until and unless she passes the ball or begins dribbling.

I don't think I said anything about pivot foot.
It was those other guys.
I also don't remember anyone paying attention... Contact or not.

But I am curious if anyone remembers that it was worded differently and changed around 2010.

She'd better wipe off after she begins dribbling.

Didn't we have a long discussion about this last year, most of us thinking it was a mstake?

The rule or the discussion?

Or the spelling of mistake?

Just one little note from me... AND does not imply sequence - it just means both things had to happen for the ball to be live. A AND B could mean B happens and then A happens, as you are assuming... but it could also mean A happens, and then when B happens, the ball is live.

Could be, but I don't remember it.

But I would wonder if it was a mistake, why did it appear in both the 2011 and 2012 books.

And also the part that I keep thinking was changed, I remember as reading something like, "the pitcher is in the circle (or in position, or ready to pitch)" and the umpire says play ball (or whatever).

(That is the way I see the ball being put back in play most of the time anyway - despite the wording of the rule).....

Isn't that obvious? The one behind the plate!!! :D

Hmmmm.....he's alive!!!

I rarely "declare" the ball ready for play. For that matter, I never say play ball (what else are you there for?) and if I say "play", it is my indicator to both teams that the other team and the umpires are ready, so they better get their tail in gear or the umpire may start without them.

I Found It
 

I realize I am the only one who gives a sh1t, but up until 2009, the NFHS rule read:

the 2010 is the first to use
now I can sleep.

BTW, I admit to not really paying attention to whether or not she is in contact with the plate. As a matter of fact, I admit to being rather lax about even putting the ball in play in a lot of situations......:o and when I do, its always with the single word, "PLAY"

That was one of those things I noticed when I began umpiring softball here five or six years ago. I started my umpiring career in LL Baseball, and they preached to us that we HAD to put the ball in play after every dead ball situation. That's probably because everyone had to understand exactly when the ball was made live again so that pitchers could make pickoff attempts of runners, defense could make appeals, etc.

But when I started doing softball, my clinic instructors never put any emphasis on that requirement. And my seasoned veteran partners would never actively put the ball in play. Basically, when the PU put the mask on and got behind the catcher, everyone understood that the ball was live.

With no leadoffs, you've eliminated 99% of the cases where this matters.

For the other 1%, usually it's rather obvious. A ball goes out of play, someone misses a base and the defense sees it - the whole team is screaming for the appeal, and pitcher wants the ball. In THAT scenario, I will say play so they can make their appeal.

(And 1% is probably a high guestimate --- if this happens once a year, I'm surprised).

A dead ball appeal wouldn't work?

Not it you want to get the runner out who, once the ball is declared dead, must be given the opportunity to complete all running tasks including returning to a base missed or left early on a caught fly ball before any further action, including an appeal, is allowed.

And, in that case, a live ball appeal wouldn't work either. :p

Also, don't forget that dead ball appeals aren't allowed in all softball organizations. LL Softball, which in many ways mirrors LL Baseball, does not recognize the dead ball appeal.

and well, and on vacation. :cool:

OK, I guess 2 weeks was long for me. :)

As part of an evaluation for NFHS, I was told to always put the ball in play by utilizing at least a hand signal. Even with no runners on base, we're supposed to do this, which seems unnecessary. I was told it was a matter of consistency. And I watched several of our top-rated "AA" officials that didn't do this.

I attended the NUS in CT this spring and asked a question about this subject. I was told by several instructors that the only time they declare "Play" was at the start of the game. I admit that I do it at the start of each half-inning, if not verbally, at least a hand signal.

As lonh as one notied I'm aliv, I berttre say I acn spell much berrtr tan I can ytpo. :D

Ditto on the grammar as well. :cool:

I believe that technically, we need to "time in" after any "time", "dead ball", inning change, etc.; but we do not say "time in", we say "play" or maybe "play ball".

Long ago, I think for college, I learned to say "let's play" for those sitch. I say that pretty often; after time, some dead ball plays, starting an inning, after umpire duties, etc and preceding dropping my hand for a held pitcher.

Don't find it tiring or confusing for players.

FWIW:

I only say "play ball" to start a game. I only say "play" to let the teams know I am over waiting, and timing rules are now being applied (similar to the baseball taught hand clap, meaning "let's go!"), or if there has been a lengthy delay; I start an inning by saying "Batter up"!!. I only point to a pitcher to start play if I have been stopping/holding that pitcher; otherwise, me taking my position means I am ready, so play is live, no matter what killed play prior to that.

I can't remember having seen the phrase "Time in" associated with softball....
Can't remember "Time out" for that matter, either.

Perhaps this is regional

Also, as I have been taught, current college mechanics do not have a mechanic for putting the ball in play. Only at the beginning of a game and perhaps the inning....

I used quotes for those phrases as meaning, not something said;
and then I said "we say "play" or maybe "play ball". "

And of course, "Time" is said for a time out.