LL Softball World Series - Illegal Pitch Rant

[nickdangerME]

Did anyone see the LL World Series Softball on the tube? I chanced across a game between Oregon and Texas and in the couple innings I watched, virtually every pitch was a crowhop or a leap. Eeek! It's starting to really bug me that this doesn't get called, especially when you see a good legal pitcher that can dominate without the crowhop. Ok, end of whinging.

Nick

[BigUmpJohn]

Wow, great minds think alike. I thought I saw some shifting back. I saw some leaping, but not much. Nothing called, of course.

[bethsdad]

In little league you can start with a foot behing the rubber. You can even step back as long as your hands are together. Of course the crow hop and leap are still illegal.

[CecilOne]

Originally posted by bethsdad
step back as long as your hands are together

Unlike NFHS where any step back must be before or concurent with joining the hands.

[TruBlu]

How about the pitcher never bringing the hands together whatsoever? Is this legal in LLWS?

[WestMichBlue]

Originally posted by bethsdad: step back as long as your hands are together

Cecil: Unlike NFHS where any step back must be before or concurent with joining the hands.

TruBlu: How about the pitcher never bringing the hands together whatsoever? Is this legal in LLWS?"

It has been a few years since I've done LL (so my book is a little old). LL pitching rules have always been the same as NFHS, except they allowed 8 warmup pitches. (And if that reminds you of baseball, than note that LL used to state in two places that "there is no balk in softball!"

Unless there has been a recent change, Bethsday is incorrect; the step back is allowed, but like in NFHS, it has to start prior to hands coming together.

I am sure the hands must come together. However, at one time LL was confused, for they stated that "the pitcher had to come to a stop with ball in one hand or both hands for not less than one second nor more than 10 seconds." Then later in the rules they talked about the hands coming together. I assume that by today they have fixed that language to follow other codes.

WMB

[Panda Bear]

The relevant rules are: 8.01:
e) While on the pitching plate, the pitcher shall take the signal or appear to be taking the signal with the hands separated. The ball must remain in either the glove or pitching hand.
f) The pitcher shall hold the ball in one or both hands in front of the body for not less than one second and not more than 10 seconds before starting the delivery.
g) A backward step may be taken before or simultaneously with the hands being brought together. The pivot foot must remain in contact with the pitching plate at all times prior to the forward step.

and

j) The pitch starts when one hand is taken off the ball after the hands have been placed together.

and

m) The pitcher must not make a stop or reversal of the forward motion after separating the hands.

So, yes, the hands must come together, but the backward step is legal.

In my experience, as others have noted, the better pitchers are either also in ASA, or coached by a private coach who also works with ASA pitchers, so most learn a delivery that does not take a backward step, even though LL, up thru Juniors (14U) and Seniors, and NFHS allow it. But if ASA isn't in their plan, some do tend to use the backward step, as that allows more forward movement, and more velocity, all else equal.

And, yes, there are still multiple references to no balk in softball.

[SC Ump]

LL uses volunteer umpires. I'm not saying volunteers can't be as good as paid folks, but they usually aren't. As long as they continue with this policy, I feel they are often giving their players inferior officiating. They seem to be happy with that.

Our local LL pays during the season but post season is only volunteers. The best of our crews don't assist during post season. They seem to be happy with that.

Illegal pitches don't get called. Players, coaches, fans and TV commentators don't even see a problems. Everybody's happy and life goes on.

[Dakota]

Originally posted by SC Ump
Everybody's happy ...

Except for a few grumpy umpires!

[CecilOne]

If everyone of us called every illegal pitch we saw, this national level complaining would never happen. Well, almost never.

[SC Ump]

Originally posted by CecilOne
If everyone of us called every illegal pitch we saw...

Illegal!

Illegal!

Illegal!

(I'm just warming up for next year.)

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally posted by SC Ump

Illegal!

Illegal!

Illegal!

(I'm just warming up for next year.)

Warming up? Hell, you may need to start now just so you will be even by next July!