College Pitching Violations

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I've been watching the college softball games on the Big Ten Network and am amazed at the number of pitchers who are pitching illegally. I saw it last night in the Illinois vs Illinois State game...I believe it was Illinois State's third pitcher. She was stepping so far outside the pitching lane to the right that every pitch came across her body and looked like a "curve". During one of the Michigan games, the pitcher kept stepping off the mound before she even started her motion. It was called like two times early on, but then not for the rest of the game. It's no wonder umps don't call it in HS....I mean, it certainly doesn't matter when you get to college. :-?

JMHO

 

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Re: ?College Pitching Violations

In the Arizona vs. Team USA game the other night, it looked to me like the Arizona pitcher was stepping 1/2 way to first base , I thought it may have been camera angle.

 

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Re:  College Pitching Violations

I was at a college pitching camp this summer that the pitching coach was teaching this to throw a curve or screw ball. I asked about the 24 inch rule and he didn't know what I was talking about. You have to wonder .

 

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I am seeing this more and more. It would appear that its pretty common now. Why not just let them crow hop and replant too. It cannot be good for the mechanics of the arm throwing at that angle.

Elliott.

 

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Elliot,

All sanctions should just listen to Doug N. and widen the pitching rubber.

 

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I watched a game between UK and Indiana where I am guessing the two pitchers were called a combined 15 to 20 times for being illegal. Mostly the re-plant. Guess it depends on the umpire.

 

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CShilt,

SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. He may hear you and show up on here.

Then we would have to submit to the peel drop conversation ALL OVER AGAIN ad Nauseum. ;D

Elliott.

 

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I saw that Arizona game and that Mohat does step way out there. I assumed they are trying to get around for a screwball but she was doing it every pitch

 

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As long as umpires allow it why would pitchers ever stop throwing illegal pitches. If you are watching the games on tv you know there is no way illegal pitches will be called. $$$ is involved and sponsors dont want umpires ruining a game with silly rules.

 

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This is not an issue in baseball where its called a balk. Why? Because they start calling balks at the youngest age levels, they start with the big or major balks. And as they boys move up in age they call smaller and smaller balks, by the time boys are in the 14u divisions they dont balk very much in the year. THEY KNOW WHAT BALKS ARE, AND SO DOES EVERYONE ELSE.

I always hear stuipd reasons for not calling them (illeagal pitches). Illeagal pitches are there for a reason, to keep the pitcher from having all the advantages. Have umpires watched how many strike outs there are in games even at the top level (D1 college). Pitchers do not need more advantages, on average a seven inning softball game has more strikeouts (in highschool), then a nine inning pro baseball game.

If an umpire will not call it then the pitcher wont learn whats wrong and try to fix it. PLUS not to mention to many teams only have one or two good pitchers, and if the umpire calls all there balls illegal then they might lose.

 

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I cringe when my DD see's Mowhat and her unorthodox style. I hope she does'nt pick up any more bad habits!

 

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I'm not privy to the inner workings of the Umpires Guild, but my guess would be they don't call illegal pitches because strikes make the games go faster and they get paid by the game, not by the hour. ?Maybe if we changed how they are paid, they would call illegal pitches. ?I think this is the same reason referees don't call fouls in girls basketball.

 

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Re:  College Pitching Violations

Well it also a heck of alot easier to pick up illegal pitches on TV then it is live. That and alot of people think they see an illegal pitch even when its not there. Cat was accused of crow hopping for years, but when you see her in slo mo 95% of the time her push foot never left the ground, 5% of the time she was airborne, that makes its really tough on umps to make that call.

 

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watching on the tube the other night Jennie F looked like she was replanting big time ---But I'm no pitching guru . Is she normally legal ? Or known for replanting? MD

 

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just watched Georgia play tonight , both girls they pitched looked like they were violating the 24 inch rule towards the 1st base side. interesting. anyone else notice ? MD

 

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thats the first thing i saw has to be way out on first base side.

 

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When you watch these top teams play, you see many of the pitchers bend the rules quite a bit. ?Maybe that is what makes them good pitchers -- just like finding out where the ump's strike zone is, they see how far outside the mound they can move or how much leap they can get away with.

If I knew all this back when my kid first started pitching seriously, I would have her be competent both legally and illegally. ?Those of you with younger pitchers should consider it.

 

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I was at a college pitching camp this summer that the pitching coach was teaching this to throw a curve or screw ball. I asked about the 24 inch rule and he didn't know what I was talking about. ? You have to wonder .

i believe at the college level its 28 inches

 

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Re:  College Pitching Violations

http://downloads.asasoftball.com/umpires/pdf/2008ASA-NCAA-NFHS-RuleDifferences.pdf

Sorry but it is not 28 inches. Here is the rules and you can see each explained beteeen NCAA.. High School and ASA. DIFFERENCES ONLY.. very good site .

 

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Re:  College Pitching Violations

MD I saw that as well in the georgia vs. UCLA game. I noticed it bigtime on the Georgia pitcher but i did not see the same thing from Jelly. maybe it was just not as noticable but it was VERY noticable from the Georgia pitcher. Three things I definately noticed about her style was this: 1) it was so obvious that I can only assume that the umpires do not know this rule. 2) She finished in an akward position after her pitch and would have a tough time fielding her position when the ball was hit (or bunted up the 1B line). 3) it was not veyr effective vs. UCLA because they hammered her.


One final note: I am not sure why but suddenly I am seeing more and more of this. It seems like it would eventually cause some problems and it is not easy to duplicate time after time. Maybe that whys the georgia pitcher ended up with 8 walks in 5 innings.