Illegal Pitches.....

Eastern Randolph's #1 pitcher was called for the foot leaving the ground a bunch of times in the first couple of innings in their Friday night game against Central Davidson. She did a great job of trying to adjust, although it definitely affected her effectiveness for awhile. She was called again on it in their first championship game on Saturday (different umpires). To her credit, she handled it much better than her coach who even accused CD and the umps of collusion.

The question is, why do the pitchers who pitch this way not get corrected before the final four. NCHSAA and their umpires are ultimately to blame. If you are not going to call it all season, then don't start calling it at Walnut Creek in June. If its a rule, then either enforce the rule uniformly all the time or change the rule.

 

What about the rest of us?

 

called a lot

illegal pitch calling on the college games on TV has been a common occurrence the past week or 2.

 

....if you know that its illegal, then why wait for the ump to call it?

As a dad of a hitter, I tell her, well actually she tells me, that when at bat, no way, no way, will she let the ump determine her fate at the plate on a 2 strike count, because one ump will call one thing and the next ump might see it different.
Point is, control what you have control over. Called third strikes or driving 8 miles over the speed limit, or crow hopping, replanting,....whatever.

How many times have you gone to an Outback Steakhouse, ( no slander, just an example) and ordered your steak medium rare and it came back dry as a bone and cooked to high heavens. Do you eat it or send it back?
You have a choice and you control what you pay for....well its the same in sports.......if the ref says your foot was on the 3 point line, then you get 2 points....wow! so close! but rules are rules either you're over the line or not. Same with pitching or stepping out of the box or touching the golf ball with your putter just as the wind moves it, or one foot in or two feet in on a TD catch.......whew! I can go on and on with this one.

Dr.Fish

 

For a state championship I just wish we would have had a level playing field. As in rules enforced so no pitcher would have an advantage and literally a level playing field.

 

I would bet the back forty that if you placed a quarter sheet of paper at the front of the rubber you'd see that she would drag it forward to the heal of her front foot (or very close to the heal) illustrating constant contact.....not sure that it is judgement that is involved. It seems more the case of consistent enforcement of a clearly stated rule. I agree with Cheri Kempf though, award the batter a 'ball' do not advance the runner...