Pitching and Pitchers Discussion Crow Hopping

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The only bad thing about questioning the pitching of the other team is that your pitcher will be looked at as well. In another thread it was said that the skill of a great pitcher is to know the rules and see what you can get away with.

It is the same as the lead off batter in MLB scuffing out the back line in the batters box.

 

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I keep reading this post and similar posts in the past. To my knowledge I believe we are really talking about a leap not a crow hop. A crow hop invloves replanting and pushing off again. Its clear in the video. Am I wrong?

On that note if any has any of the Michelle Smith pitching videos, you will see a leap, althoughslight.

Personally I dont see a pitcher gaining an advantage by leaping slightly.. Crow hop is a different story.

Slight leaping doesnt really bother me. There are a ton of rules that dont get much attention and some do and some dont make sense.

I saw more than a few slappers out of the box this weeknd.
One regulating body limits in between inning pitches to 8 I think.
One even says coaches must where matching shirts.

Who is to say how we enforce

 

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A few years back, I was watching an opposing JV pitcher warm up. She was clearly leaping. He drag foot came off of the ground by six to ten inches on each pitch. I walked over to the base ump who was also watching her toss her warm up pitches and said, "I'm a little unclear on the difference between a leap and a crow hop, which one is she doing?" He graciously answered that she was leaping. I went to my coaching box and when the first pitch was thrown, he called an illegal pitch. And he didn't call it again that day. When I asked him about it after the game, he said "coach, how long did you want to be here today?"

 

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I feel there is a battle between wanting our pitchers to excel and wanting our batters to excel. There are far more batters than pitchers. So it is easy for batters (and their parents and coaches) to say, "These are the rules... pitchers need to follow them." But, the pressure on the pitchers is huge to perform. Shorter pitchers have to find a way to create spin. NO, I am not saying they cheat. They create spin in a different way than a taller pitcher. Therefore, they fall under observation. After they strike out a few batters, the opposing coaches begin to chirp. I am not saying they should be allowed to crow hop. Pitchers are out there trying the best they can, as are our hitters. But the magnifying glass is on the pitchers. Just for everyone... my daughter is not a pitcher. Thank heavens !! The pressure is huge for our pitchers to perform.

 

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Watched a game this weekend. Tidalwaves vs Lake Erie wave? Saw 2 very good pitchers and both had a small leap. No one said a thing. Saw another game, The team losing was getting a bit whiney about other pitchers slight leap. Actually they called it a crow hop which it wasnt. Funny how losing team with less knowledgeble coaches seem to look for the most minor infractions.