Illegal Pitches.....

I agree that the rules should be inforced. But either all the umps that watched these girls all year and did not call it need firing, or the ones at the WCWS are on a mission. Like another poster stated their was more yesterday then all 8 Super Regionals combined. What is up with that? I am also wondering what yall think the affect will be on TB and other leagues this summer. The way the announcers and everyone keep saying "she has always pitched like that and never been called". Just wondering if yall think there will be a lot more called this summer?

 

Change the rule!

Here's an email I sent to several of my D1 coaching friends a few minutes ago:

It’s time to fix the pitching rules. All of the problems that occurred at the WCWS yesterday could have been avoided if leaping were legalized. The reality is almost all power pitchers leap. It’s a product of leg drive and explosion. My view is as long as this ‘explosion’ occurs from the rubber itself (not gym step or replant) then it should be legal. Otherwise, pitchers are going to have to adopt a ‘step and throw’ approach generating velocity with nothing but the arm. This increases stress on the shoulder . . . The orthopedic docs will get even richer! The batters are quickly catching up to the pitching as it is. If pitchers are force to ‘step and throw’ it will soon become ‘chuck and duck’!

I’m going to Walnut Creek this afternoon to the NC High School Championships. It will be interesting to see if any of the umps there were ‘inspired’ by their colleagues in OKC.

 

Wow!! Common sense....logic....does it have a chance?.....There was earlier mention of international rules......can someone shed a little light?

 

Interesting Blog Post from NCAA Officiating about this controversy

http://www.ncaa.com/blog/2010d1softball/2010/06/wcws-discussion.html

 

And yes, apparently the ISF has adopted basically the same position for women as the ASA Men's Fast Pitch rule: As long as the toe is pointing down, the pivot foot can be in the air.

Many think it likely that the NCAA will adopt this stance.

 

Pivot foot (toe) in contact with the ground at all times keeps the weight back and incorporates the lower body in to the pitch resulting in the arm used like a whip at release (decreases muscling the ball). See Ivy Renfroe. Ivy was clocked at 67-69 in last nights game with pivot foot in contact with the ground at all times. Pivot foot off the ground, weight forward all arm throwing, increase in lower back and arm injuries. So, not only is it illegal which ultimately hurts the team when called it is poor mechanics which hurts the pitcher in the long run. Just one rednecks humble opinion.

 

Great idea!

I just hope if they pick on a pitcher at the State, it's the one opposite from the teams I'm pulling for. If they choose to single out one, then call every single thing that could in the least bit be considered illegal. Do not single out a pitcher, ruin the game, and then be all high and mighty about a rule that probably well over half or more do not adhere to.

The hitters are good enough, this stuff does not affect them at all.

 

Are you sure . . .

. . . . Renfroe never has both feet off the ground at the same time? I agree she's 'legal' by almost any definition but if you take digital video and go frame-by-frame I think you'll see she 'flies' pretty often. That's the problem with the current rule . . . too much judgement required.

 

EVERYONE knows these pitches are illegal. It is complained about at every level that umps never enforce the pitching rules. It does not matter when they start to enforce a rule that EVERYONE knows about.

My DD started pitching 10 years ago and we knew the rules in 2000. It should be no surprise to anyone.

 

One coaches opinion

Here's a response I got today from one division 1 coach who is in OKC:

"It was a mess last night. I left my seats a bunch of times and could not watch. This is NOT what the coaches want. It is not what the NCAA Committee wants. It solely the umpires and the head umpire. I have no problem confidentially throwing them under the bus as they ruin our game on national TV. Awful....Candrea will probably get fined but I was shaking my head agreeing with him. Not on this stage, not at the college world series. Two years in a row it is more about the blue than the game. Good umpiring should be invisible."