Pitcher with two motions

[derwil]

Heya fellas,

Had this in a HS (NFHS) game, thought I would ask. Had a good pitcher that would vary her pitching build up - on certain pitches, she would not windmill and come directly to the plate. Others, she would windmill as normal. Was difficult to get my timing down, which I suppose is the point as the batter should have similar issues.

Anyone else ever had this? I haven't seen it from any other pitcher, can't find a mention of it in the rule book as both motions are acceptable.

Any suggestions on how to time getting into position? I started going early so that I wouldn't get caught on the "fast" pitches, but felt my timing was off the whole game.

Thanks,

Derek

[RKBUmp]

You just have to set early in case she uses the fast motion. As long as the delivery meets the rule requirements there is nothing which restricts her from using any amount of delivery styles she wants. Girl that pitched for my daughters college team had 4 delivery styles. One extremely slow motion, one that started as slow motion and then became a quick delivery, a plain quick delivery and then a normal wind up and delivery.

[chuck chopper]

I have had windmill & sling-shot same batter.

[Steve M]

Originally Posted by derwil

Heya fellas,

Had this in a HS (NFHS) game, thought I would ask. Had a good pitcher that would vary her pitching build up - on certain pitches, she would not windmill and come directly to the plate. Others, she would windmill as normal. Was difficult to get my timing down, which I suppose is the point as the batter should have similar issues.

Anyone else ever had this? I haven't seen it from any other pitcher, can't find a mention of it in the rule book as both motions are acceptable.

Any suggestions on how to time getting into position? I started going early so that I wouldn't get caught on the "fast" pitches, but felt my timing was off the whole game.

Thanks,

Derek

Drop into your set position when the hands come together - or what ever trigger you choose.
Make your priority to see the catcher catch the ball, then decide & call - your timing should now be the same with every pitch.

[CecilOne]

Originally Posted by Steve M

Drop into your set position when the hands come together - or what ever trigger you choose.
Make your priority to see the catcher catch the ball, then decide & call - your timing should now be the same with every pitch.

I was thinking hands separating, down quickly, each pitch the same.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by derwil

Anyone else ever had this? I haven't seen it from any other pitcher, can't find a mention of it in the rule book as both motions are acceptable.

I don't understand why you would think there would be a mention of this in the rule book, especially since you acknowledge both deliveries are acceptable.

I like the idea, but feel most coaches and FP lemmings would go crazy and I would bet quite a few would be screaming that is MUST be illegal

[AtlUmpSteve]

This reminds me of a FORMER member of my umpire association here; he probably left almost 20 years ago.

You all know the guy, every association has one. The guy that makes the obscure ruling every game, the one the coaches even know will come up with something so everyone knows HE was there, they just hope the call doesn't hurt THEIR team when it happens. We have a current name for it, "attention seeking behavior".

Well, one local team had a "screamer" pitcher; she yelled on (almost) every pitch on her release. Note the "almost"? Yep, he called an illegal pitch on a delivery when she DIDN'T yell, said it was because she "changed her delivery" by not yelling. Insisted that was a rule, and called it with runners on, for maximum exposure.

Didn't understand why that team/organization/coach didn't want him at any future games.

[BretMan]

Steve, that is nuts!

Back a few years ago I was working a game where two fields had their backstops right next to each other. The pitcher in my game had a loud "grunt" on her release.

The umpire on the field next to me, you could maybe say is like "that guy"...except she is a girl! You just never know what kind off the wall rulings you'll get with her.

A couple of innings into my game, "that girl" leaves her field between innings and comes over to mine, then calls me to the backstop. She wants to inform me that it is illegal for the pitcher to make any noise when releasing the ball and that I need to make her stop!

I tried the polite approach first, saying that I didn't believe that was right. She starts debating why she is right, so I'm done with polite! Told her to get her ass back on her own field and worry about her own game.

This same umpire is a high school coach and I've had her team a few times. One interesting play was when her catcher was chasing a wild throw to the backstop. The catcher slid on the ground to get the ball and when she did, some of the hooks on her shin guard got caught up in the chainlink fence.

The catcher's lying there, tangled up in the fence, unable to reach the ball, and the runners are taking their extra bases because of it. She finally frees herself and gets the ball.

Coach/umpire lady comes to me after the play and wants to know why I didn't call a dead ball. She argues that the umpire has to call a dead ball anytime that a player gets lodged in the fence!

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by BretMan

Coach/umpire lady comes to me after the play and wants to know why I didn't call a dead ball. She argues that the umpire has to call a dead ball anytime that a player gets lodged in the fence!

That's when you ASK, maybe even BEG the coach to play the game under protest

[CecilOne]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

That's when you ASK, maybe even BEG the coach to play the game under protest

[derwil]

Originally Posted by Steve M

Drop into your set position when the hands come together - or what ever trigger you choose.
Make your priority to see the catcher catch the ball, then decide & call - your timing should now be the same with every pitch.

That's what I was doing at the start, but there was such a difference in the timing I felt uncomfortable. On the "fast" pitches I found myself having a hard time picking up the ball as I was still settling in when the ball came.

Her motion was as follows:

Hands together in front of her face.
As she drops her hands, she seperates at the last second.
On a "fast" pitch, the ball comes immediately, a "slow" pitch the windmill and throw.

[derwil]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

I don't understand why you would think there would be a mention of this in the rule book, especially since you acknowledge both deliveries are acceptable.

I like the idea, but feel most coaches and FP lemmings would go crazy and I would bet quite a few would be screaming that is MUST be illegal

Post game, I checked to make sure there wasn't something in there about having to be consistent with delivery. No one said anything during the game but I wanted to be sure. Found nothing in the book to deem it illegal - if it's not illegal, it's legal.