The Official Forum  

Go Back   The Official Forum > Softball
Register FAQ Community Calendar Today's Posts Search

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Rate Thread Display Modes
  #1 (permalink)  
Old Mon Oct 28, 2013, 08:40am
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,340
Illegal pitch?

Worked an entry leval tournament this weekend, 10's, 12's, and a few 14's generally C level teams, a few B level at best. Had a 12 pitcher this weekend do something I have never seen before. About 30% of the time she would step onto the pitching plate, turn her feet about 45 degrees to the pitching plate and then rotate her hips and shoulders to about in line with the SS and 1/2 way between home and 1st base. The rule states the shoulders must be in line with 1st and 3rd base, but how much if any do we allow the shoulders to be turned? And if it is illegal, is it the plate umpires or base umpires call? Its visible from the plate, but certainly much more pronounced from the field.

Talked to several of the other umpires at the complex and got mixed reviews. Some felt that as long as when she initially stepped on her shoulders were in line she was fine, others agreed it was probably illegal.
Reply With Quote
  #2 (permalink)  
Old Mon Oct 28, 2013, 09:31am
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: The Land Of The Free and The Home Of The Brave (MD/DE)
Posts: 6,425
Quote:
Originally Posted by RKBUmp View Post
Worked an entry leval tournament this weekend, 10's, 12's, and a few 14's generally C level teams, a few B level at best. Had a 12 pitcher this weekend do something I have never seen before. About 30% of the time she would step onto the pitching plate, turn her feet about 45 degrees to the pitching plate and then rotate her hips and shoulders to about in line with the SS and 1/2 way between home and 1st base. The rule states the shoulders must be in line with 1st and 3rd base, but how much if any do we allow the shoulders to be turned? And if it is illegal, is it the plate umpires or base umpires call? Its visible from the plate, but certainly much more pronounced from the field.

Talked to several of the other umpires at the complex and got mixed reviews. Some felt that as long as when she initially stepped on her shoulders were in line she was fine, others agreed it was probably illegal.
Direction of facing when "Initially stepped on" is irrelevant. "In line with 1st and 3rd base" is judgment; intended to prevent invisible sight angles.
__________________
Officiating takes more than OJT.
It's not our jobs to invent rulings to fit our personal idea of what should and should not be.
Reply With Quote
  #3 (permalink)  
Old Thu Oct 31, 2013, 02:45pm
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,241
Quote:
Originally Posted by RKBUmp View Post
Worked an entry leval tournament this weekend, 10's, 12's, and a few 14's generally C level teams, a few B level at best. Had a 12 pitcher this weekend do something I have never seen before. About 30% of the time she would step onto the pitching plate, turn her feet about 45 degrees to the pitching plate and then rotate her hips and shoulders to about in line with the SS and 1/2 way between home and 1st base. The rule states the shoulders must be in line with 1st and 3rd base, but how much if any do we allow the shoulders to be turned? And if it is illegal, is it the plate umpires or base umpires call? Its visible from the plate, but certainly much more pronounced from the field.

Talked to several of the other umpires at the complex and got mixed reviews. Some felt that as long as when she initially stepped on her shoulders were in line she was fine, others agreed it was probably illegal.
Without actually seeing this, I would consider this an illegal pitch. The reason is I feel the pitcher is in fact trying to delay (intentionally or otherwise) the sight line of the pitch for the batter, which is the intent of the rule as CecilOne pointed out. The position may also allow more rotation of the hips during the pitching motion which may increase the velocity of the pitch.

With all of that said, I still feel it is a HTBT play because without actually seeing it I really could not be 100% sure on the call.
Reply With Quote
  #4 (permalink)  
Old Fri Nov 01, 2013, 06:51am
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: NY
Posts: 763
Quote:
Originally Posted by chapmaja View Post
The reason is I feel the pitcher is in fact trying to delay (intentionally or otherwise) the sight line of the pitch for the batter, which is the intent of the rule as CecilOne pointed out. The position may also allow more rotation of the hips during the pitching motion which may increase the velocity of the pitch.
Making it difficult to see the ball and attempting to increase the velocity of the pitch are now rationales for calling illegal pitches?
__________________
Kill the Clones. Let God sort them out.
No one likes an OOJ (Over-officious jerk).
Realistic officiating does the sport good.
Reply With Quote
  #5 (permalink)  
Old Fri Nov 01, 2013, 11:37am
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: USA
Posts: 14,565
Quote:
Originally Posted by CecilOne View Post
intended to prevent invisible sight angles.
What is an invisible sight angle? It isn't like there is a rule forbidding the pitcher from hiding the ball. Rule dictates the pitch come from a certain area, so it isn't like the batter can be surprised by the location of the ball when released.

IMO, it is intended to make sure the pitcher's body is facing the batter. And even then, what difference does it make, the batter knows from where the pitch is coming. With all the restrictions on how the ball must be delivered, why would anyone ever care about the alignment of the shoulders prior to that point?

I'm still all for moving back to 46' and let them do anything they want as long as they start with 2 feet on the PP and the rotation begin prior to the push off of that plate
__________________
The bat issue in softball is as much about liability, insurance and litigation as it is about competition, inflated egos and softball.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Illegal pitch or no pitch. chapmaja Softball 25 Thu May 30, 2013 07:15am
When does an leegal pitch BECOME and illegal pitch. Illini_Ref Baseball 4 Fri Apr 23, 2004 02:06pm
Legal Pitch vs. Illegal Pitch ? Deion Softball 15 Mon Jun 30, 2003 04:24pm
illegal ball... illegal pitch? [email protected] Baseball 5 Thu Apr 17, 2003 06:57pm
Hit by pitch along with Illegal pitch Del-Blue Softball 10 Sun Mar 09, 2003 09:49pm


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:07pm.



Search Engine Friendly URLs by vBSEO 3.3.0 RC1