Jordyn Bahl

[Westwind]

I just watched the VT/FSU Sunday game. It’s a really interesting game if you have time for it.

I think it’s interesting that the pitching coach at VT is Doug Gillis. He is a very well known and experienced coach.

Danielle Lawrie’s comments are pretty interesting too.

One that stood out- Lemley hasn’t had an IP called for over a month. In fact, if I heard it right, she had not had an IP called since their first game against Wisconsin in Leesburg.

I personally thought the umpire made a really good game all about him. It was a bit much for me.

 

[radness]

I personally thought the umpire made a really good game all about him. It was a bit much for me.

At a 12u friendly last weekend watched an Umpire who normally umpires for pgf do that. Think he must have missed the grandstanding of pgf because he went way overboard with his all about him being a conductor of the entire game.

 

[Westwind]

Something I forgot, VT catcher calls pitches. And D’Amour doesn’t seem to be fussing about every little detail. Breath of fresh air.

 

[STRIKE3]

Maybe she does practice it, I'm not there. There's a lot of things I probably could say but, I don't feel comfortable doing in an open forum.

My hunch is, she practices being legal. And pitching legal is probably like figuring out the umpire's strike zone: how much can I get away with before being called? Same as throwing pitches, if I throw this drop at the knees and it's a strike, my next pitch should be lower. If that's called a strike, I'll throw it even lower. And then lower until the umpire stops calling it. Heck, I'll roll the ball to the plate if the umpire will call it!!!!! And sometimes this philosophy happens with other aspects of the game: illegal pitches is one of them. How high/far can I jump before it's called illegal?

Now it's very easy for anyone reading this to say "She shouldn't jump at all!" And there's truth to that. And my only counter point will again be, I'd be 100% ok with not jumping, going back to 2 feet on the rubber, etc. as soon as Jocylen Alo swings a wood bat and hits a cork center ball that eventually goes soft. As long as one side (hitters) are given more and more advantages: bats, balls, smaller strike zone, keeping the fields at 200', etc. pitchers will continue to find some way to counter against that. I don't think the writers of the softball rule books had polycore balls and composite bats in mind when they wrote the rules about a pitcher needing to stay grounded.

Good post as always Bill. I don't think wood bats will ever happen but the balls could maybe use a trim down.

That said........and I have posted this before.....isn't it ironic that the softball mechanics world calls it "leap and drag" yet "leaping" is illegal?

 

[STRIKE3]

I just watched the VT/FSU Sunday game. It’s a really interesting game if you have time for it.

I think it’s interesting that the pitching coach at VT is Doug Gillis. He is a very well known and experienced coach.

Danielle Lawrie’s comments are pretty interesting too.

One that stood out- Lemley hasn’t had an IP called for over a month. In fact, if I heard it right, she had not had an IP called since their first game against Wisconsin in Leesburg.

I personally thought the umpire made a really good game all about him. It was a bit much for me.

I watched the replay last night. It was disgusting!!!! YES! She was leaping no doubt! Would love to go back to all the games he umped and see if he called it before. Bet he hasn't. He had it out for some reason.....All good.....she was illegal. BUT.........so are so many pitchers. I rarely see a game without an illegal pitch. Kinda felt FSU had a hand in this or the ump was a FSU fan. Probably not....but really felt bad for her. She was completely rattled.

All that said, one of my favorites ever and one of the best that exists, Doug Gillis, went off!!! And good for him!!!! Loved it!!!!! 2 coaches were thrown and that umpire won't do another game for them I bet. Yes, he was right! He made the absolutely right call! But why now? Again, would love to see his calls in previous games because I will bet he didn't call illegal pitches on what were truly illegal pitches. Guarantee that! Just decided yesterday was the right day to do it.

As we all agree. Call it everytime or don't call it at all or change the rules.

Crazy game to watch that happen!

Peace!

S3

 

[Westwind]

I’m stuck at home so I’m watching the Saturday game right now!

I didn’t see much air from Lemley in the first inning- but with VT up 7 in the second, there were a couple IP’s and there really was a difference in the amount she was off the ground. All that said, it’s really hard to see in normal speed but looks bad in slow motion which is what happens right after every IP call.

Lemley is good.

 

[DonnyS]

I personally thought the umpire made a really good game all about him. It was a bit much for me.

I watched this game live and had the same impression. I assumed it was in response to whatever Doug Gillis said to him when he was ejected. Doesn't take a lip reading expert to see it wasn't pleasant and that was only what was caught on camera. LOL!

If I recall on the first batter every other pitch was called, and after the ejection it was every pitch.

I agree with the commentator, they are calling it correctly, but the inconsistency is frustrating to watch. The umpire dictated the outcome of the game.

 

[Westwind]

Doesn't take a lip reading expert to see it wasn't pleasant and that was only what was caught on camera. LOL!

My wife was walking through when that was on and she got it 100% right on the first try, lol!

 

[El Oso]

I agree with the commentator, they are calling it correctly, but the inconsistency is frustrating to watch. The umpire dictated the outcome of the game.

What happened to accountability? The pitcher is, by your own admission, breaking the rules. The umpire is enforcing the rules, yet HE dictated the outcome of the game? Not the player making the illegal pitches? This is fascinating. Why does the player get excused from any accountability?

If you get stopped for speeding and it makes you 15 minutes late, did the cop cause you to be late or did you cause yourself to be late?

 

[radness]

The umpire never decides the outcome of a game.


To that,
Bats usually do.
And errors can to...