New Albany Tournament (07/18 - 07/20)

[mysticwaters95]

Our U10 team is playing in the New Albany tournament this weekend. Our first game was today. The team we where playing their pitcher was doing illegal pitching. Our Coach pointed it out to the ump and the head coach of the team. After 2 innings the ump never did anything about it.

We went and got the director of the tournament and what he told us. Was he didn't care cause it's U10 and they do illegal pitches all the time. He seemed pissed that he was bother by this. I'm sure if our team was a elite team then something probably would have happened.

I'm sorry but why is there "different" rules for U10 than the older teams. They all should have the same rules.

 

[FastBat]

Sorry to hear this. The director was probably having a bad day, which doesn't help your team. Pitchers should always pitch legally, regardless of age, same as other positions. I feel the ump should give a verbal warning, after the first inning with the coach present, to the illegal pitcher. Then it isn't just shaking up a 10 year old player. But, they shouldn't be allowed to continue all game. I have never witnessed that.

 

[SonicMojo]

The next time I see an illegal pitch called in a 10U game it will be the first time.

 

[LADY_KNIGHTS]

Just curious as to what was illegal about this pitcher?

 

[FastBat]

In 10u, I have seen pitchers called for, 1) not presenting the ball 2) taking signs off the mound 3) having an illegal glove 4) quick pitching

 

[Pacerdad57]

Might as well learn the correct way to pitch now. They will be calling it next season if they move to 12u, and if you learn it the right way to begin with, you never have that problem. The coach should probably be a bit more.concern3d with teaching his players the regs 5 hey will need to continue. 10u is supposed to be about learning the game.
I've seen a bunch of these calls in 14u this seaaon....

 

[martinsoftball]

12U umpires were not very good either. After calling two of our girls out for leaving base early I went to have a talk with him only to find out that he didn't realize the girls could leave on release of the ball. He honestly thought that they had to wait till the ball hit the catchers mitt before they could leave base

 

[FastBat]

12U umpires were not very good either. After calling two of our girls out for leaving base early I went to have a talk with him only to find out that he didn't realize the girls could leave on release of the ball. He honestly thought that they had to wait till the ball hit the catchers mitt before they could leave base

Ouch! That's rough!

 

[BretMan2]

In 10u, I have seen pitchers called for, 1) not presenting the ball 2) taking signs off the mound 3) having an illegal glove 4) quick pitching

Wow. Not doubting that you've seen these called before, but...

1) There's no such rule as "presenting the ball".

2) Taking a signal off the pitcher's plate is NOT illegal.

3) The penalty for an illegal glove is NOT an illegal pitch.

4) A quick pitch is a "no pitch", not an illegal pitch.

Your umpires are 0 for 4!

 

[Relax - Its just a game]

Are you kidding me? Your complaining about illegal pitches in U10? I'm sure the "illegal pitches" were the reason your team lost. I'm impressed with any pitcher at this age that can get it near the plate with any type of accuracy regardless of the method. At this age, we should be happy the girls are out there playing, learning, working hard and having fun, building a passion for a great sport and not sitting in front of the TV, playing video games, or screwing around all day. These girls will have enough stress put on them as they get older. Your complaining and bothering a tournament director about illegal pitches for a U10 game? I would of blew you off too!

If you had problems with the tournament, officials, umpires, directors, then why not stay home and send your daughter with someone else on the team?

 

[crystlemc]

Getting an illegal pitch called EVER almost requires an act of God. Just worry about hitting the ball. Then the IP's won't matter.

 

[wvanalmsick]

The UNWRITTEN (but very wise) softball rule about trying to get the umpire to call illegal pitching by the opposing Pitcher:

Before you step out of the dugout to talk to the umpire about illegal pitching, KNOW THE RULE BOOK!!! Is she gaining an advantage by the illegal pitching? Kindly bring it up in a conversation with the base umpire during a break in play. Notice if the base umpire watches the pitcher. If he is watching and doesn't call anything, then drop the issue. He is not going to call it. If he calls it, then you win the battle..... but maybe not the war. Be careful about what you want to go to war over with the umpire, it could bite you in the biscuits.

If you are working with just one umpire, don't even bring it up. One umpire behind the plate is working on priority #1, calling balls and strikes. It is very hard and practically impossible to look for an illegal pitch from behind the plate.

I am not an umpire but I have learned this from many years along the baselines.

 

[FastBat]

Before starting the delivery (pitch), the pitcher shall comply with the following:
a) The pitcher shall take a position with both feet on the ground and in
contact with the pitching plate. The hands shall be separated with the
ball being held in either the glove or pitching hand. (Presentation)
b) While in this position, the pitcher shall take, or simulate taking, a
signal from the catcher. (Signals)

 

[FastBat]

d) The pitcher shall not be considered in the pitching position, unless the
catcher is in position to receive the pitch. (Quick)

These are what I've seen pitchers called for, talked to by umps or otherwise somehow spoke to, in 10u. Along with the glove thing, that has to not have optic green/yellow.

Also, I could care less if my team would ever have an illegal pitch called against the opposing team. 1) My team should be to busy trying hard to beat the other team. 2) I wouldn't want to win that way, just play the game.

 

[BretMan2]

Before starting the delivery (pitch), the pitcher shall comply with the following:*
a) The pitcher shall take a position with both feet on the ground and in*
*contact with the pitching plate. The hands shall be separated with the*
*ball being held in either the glove or pitching hand. (Presentation)
b) While in this position, the pitcher shall take, or simulate taking, a*
*signal from the catcher. (Signals)

d) The pitcher shall not be considered in the pitching position, unless the*
*catcher is in position to receive the pitch. (Quick)

"Presentation" is the word you're using. That word doesn't appear in the rule book. So, if you say the pitcher didn't "present the ball", that phrase has no meaning under the rules. There are a host of requirements that the pitcher must meet before pitching, but they don't really have anything to do with "presenting" the ball.

Pitchers may take their signal while standing anywhere they want to. Once the plate is engaged, they may take OR SIMULATE TAKING a signal. All this requirement is intended for is to ensure that the pitcher pauses before pitching. She can't step onto the plate and immediately roll right through with the pitch. But there is no rule prohibiting the pitcher from receiving her signal before stepping on the plate, and no rule that requires her to actually take one once she's on the plate.

If the catcher isn't in the catcher's box, then the umpire should not allow a pitch to even be thrown. If one is, then it is "no pitch". A quick pitch is when the pitcher pitches while the batter is not ready (still off balance from the previous pitch, not yet set in the box, etc.)

If a pitcher has an illegal glove (size, color) there's no penalty other than having her change it.

In any event, none of these are illegal pitch violations.

 

[mysticwaters95]

Don't need to get nasty. The girl was crow hoping before pitching. So instead of throwing the ball from 35ft it was 32ft. The 2 other teams playing after us both coaches saw and also said it was illegal pitching.

That exact same team played another team and used the same pitcher had a different ump than us. And that ump gave her a warning the first time. After that he called her pitches illegal.

So apparently we weren't the only ones having issues with her pitches.

Are you kidding me? Your complaining about illegal pitches in U10? I'm sure the "illegal pitches" were the reason your team lost. I'm impressed with any pitcher at this age that can get it near the plate with any type of accuracy regardless of the method. At this age, we should be happy the girls are out there playing, learning, working hard and having fun, building a passion for a great sport and not sitting in front of the TV, playing video games, or screwing around all day. These girls will have enough stress put on them as they get older. Your complaining and bothering a tournament director about illegal pitches for a U10 game? I would of blew you off too!

If you had problems with the tournament, officials, umpires, directors, then why not stay home and send your daughter with someone else on the team?

 

[BretMan2]

The girl was crow hoping before pitching...

So...she was standing on the pitcher's plate with her hands joined, then stepped forward, sliding her pivot foot ahead and off of the plate, then separated her hands, then stepped forward with her stride foot and delivered the pitch?

You don't see too many 10 year olds that can pull that off!

 

[cobb_of_fury]

Are you kidding me? Your complaining about illegal pitches in U10? I'm sure the "illegal pitches" were the reason your team lost. I'm impressed with any pitcher at this age that can get it near the plate with any type of accuracy regardless of the method. At this age, we should be happy the girls are out there playing, learning, working hard and having fun, building a passion for a great sport and not sitting in front of the TV, playing video games, or screwing around all day. These girls will have enough stress put on them as they get older. Your complaining and bothering a tournament director about illegal pitches for a U10 game? I would of blew you off too!

If you had problems with the tournament, officials, umpires, directors, then why not stay home and send your daughter with someone else on the team?

Relax - there Relax.. -
The OP is just asking what he needs to do when faced with this situation.

The TD's Job is to answer these type of questions if the Umpires don't. And yes hard as it is to believe the rules should be followed in 10U just like 18U.
If in fact she was illegal the ump should have explained what she was doing wrong so she could correct it. If she wasn't then Ump should have explained that she wasn't, not just blown the Coach off.

10U teams pay the entry fee just like 18's and should get respect just the same.

 

[FastBat]

"Presentation" is the word you're using. That word doesn't appear in the rule book. So, if you say the pitcher didn't "present the ball", that phrase has no meaning under the rules. There are a host of requirements that the pitcher must meet before pitching, but they don't really have anything to do with "presenting" the ball.

Pitchers may take their signal while standing anywhere they want to. Once the plate is engaged, they may take OR SIMULATE TAKING a signal. All this requirement is intended for is to ensure that the pitcher pauses before pitching. She can't step onto the plate and immediately roll right through with the pitch. But there is no rule prohibiting the pitcher from receiving her signal before stepping on the plate, and no rule that requires her to actually take one once she's on the plate.

If the catcher isn't in the catcher's box, then the umpire should not allow a pitch to even be thrown. If one is, then it is "no pitch". A quick pitch is when the pitcher pitches while the batter is not ready (still off balance from the previous pitch, not yet set in the box, etc.)

If a pitcher has an illegal glove (size, color) there's no penalty other than having her change it.

In any event, none of these are illegal pitch violations.

I didn't say, "Illegal Pitch" just silly stuff 10u's tend to do, that get the ump involved somehow. And it can shake up the 10u pitcher, if done, at the wrong time.
But, 10u is about learning so, it should be pointed out...usually it tends to be the ump doing it.

 

[FastBat]

My interpretation of crow hopping is- any pitch where the push off foot, fails to maintain contact with the ground, before the ball is released. Could allow for a second push-off with the drag foot, which is illegal. Could it give an advantage, who knows?? But in 10u, I bet the ump would talk to the pitcher and coach together and say stop doing that; that is my experience.