How Pitching Illegally Comes Back to Haunt You

[Vertigo]

Watched a few conference playoff games where illegal pitches were being called like crazy. Read an article where one of the coaches complained about it (both teams’ pitchers were being called for it) and she was frustrated by it being called. In another game, the pitcher couldn’t even get through one inning because it was being called almost every pitch. What I don’t get is why keep recruiting the pitchers that obviously pitch illegally then? Just FYI - this was replanting, not leaping - as I know it keeps being said the rule will eventually change to allow for leaping in the NCAA.

This is what happens when these players are allowed to do it from a young age and no one calls them on it until they are on the big stage. I also feel that in the one game I watched it potentially contributed to that team’s loss which knocked them out of the playoffs.

I wonder if these pitchers ever were called on it at the youth level?

 

[radness]

Watched a few conference playoff games where illegal pitches were being called like crazy. Read an article where one of the coaches complained about it (both teams’ pitchers were being called for it) and she was frustrated by it being called.

Here is a comment toward the coach complaining.
*Acknowledging that in the past there have been
*Rule changes that came from
the coaches directional influence on the people who create/change or alter rulesets.

(Like the big blow up a few years ago about catcher obstruction at the plate...
And that rule being amended/ applied.)

Because for a chunk of years
The batters have been given a heck of a lot more performance assistance than the pitchers have. SO NOW the batter's have tremendous force in the game and are overpowering most pitchers.
Can imagine more rule change/amendments to accommodate the pitchers is going to come from the coaches influential direction on this.

In basic form the coaches want less restrictions on pitchers. Because hitters have been given more leeway.

Changes For the hitters~
~Move pitcher back 3 feet.
~Hit by pitch without having to make an attempt to move out of the way.
Awarded first base.
( took away inside pitch locations)
~Rocket yellow ball.
~BAT technology.
~Defensive rulesets like obstruction defensive player can't directly go for the ball if it's crossing the path of the runner. To make the play.
( a rule that favors the offense)
~ also a batter hitting an illegal pitch has the option of how the offense wants the rule set to be applied.
( a rule that favors the offense)
~ batters hitting tons tons of more home runs then even professional players. With the assistance of equipment and the rule sets, but no adjustment to the home run fence.
( another situation that favors the offense)

There has always been squabbling about different rule sets. Along the way rules have been manipulated changed and amended. If people were familiar with watching softball before these changes happened, would recognize how much more dominant hitters are in the game now.

Even with the dominance of the batters, can see people want the pitchers to be restricted (because of rules that they say should be applied)
but remember in the past
* rules were amended to purposely adjust what's happening in the game!
Batters got a lot in their favor!
Cannot just look at the pitchers, have to look at what's happening in the entire game.

imo, the game will go to more leeway for the pitchers (needed) And some balance will be brought back to the game.




*Far far way too many blowout/run-rule games in college divisions!

 

[Vertigo]

So - again - do coaches recruit these pitchers hoping: 1) They won’t get called on being illegal, 2) The rule will change at some point while the pitcher is on their team so it won’t come into play?

To me it just seems like taking a gamble on a pitcher with how the current rule set is. Changing the rules in a year or two or three won’t help the pitcher now who is getting called on it during playoffs. Actually, because this was replanting, it wouldn’t make a difference anyway if leaping becomes legal in NCAA.

 

[radness]

imo
The coaches dictate the direction the game will go.

Obviously they recruit these players. Many of the programs have outstanding pitching coaches. It would be silly to think the coaches at their programs are ignorantly doing this.

Agree that if there was consistency amongst umpires. Plus consistent rules in all the different venues
Usssa , rec, pgf, the players would learn to be more consistent because they would have to.
But that's never happened, that's never been the case.

Oh plus this other restriction they put on pitchers
* where they have to stay in their forward Lane and cannot step to the sides.
Restrict can equal inhibit.

 

[Vertigo]

Obviously they recruit these players. Many of the programs have outstanding pitching coaches. It would be silly to think the coaches at their programs are ignorantly doing this.

So is the thinking then that they can fix the pitcher once they are in the program? Very difficult to fix years of muscle memory. I’m sure it can be done - but it’s not an overnight thing.

 

[radness]

So is the thinking then that they can fix the pitcher once they are in the program? Very difficult to fix years of muscle memory. I’m sure it can be done - but it’s not an overnight thing.

Hmmm appears you are only looking at the pitchers feet
and not looking at the entire game.
* how it has evolved.

Was trying to explain the evolution of the game comes from the college coaches influence and what they are doing on the field.

(If we took this exact same concept of mechanics and talked about what batters are doing...
there are plenty of coaches that pick up batters and rework their entire hitting mechanics. If coaches wanted to do that with pitchers they would.
(With that, could be coaches possibly teaching the pitchers to gain more ground , for the most part going to say 90% of players that are recruited the coaches know what they're getting. Including what their feet are doing.
At this point in the season they know exactly what's in the circle)

History has proven itself in what I'm sharing.

 

[Vertigo]

RAD, you totally took this and ran with it in a completely different direction. My post was sparked by the fact that a while back some people argued with me against umpires enforcing the rule at the youth level - eg 12U or below (when it was a rule at that level). My argument then was that it should be pointed out and corrected because if it is allowed to continue, what I posted above can be the eventual outcome be it the big stage in college or in a HS game. Then the players, parents, coaches don’t understand why it is an issue now because “It was never called before.”

 

[Vertigo]

Just to add - I wasn’t focused on the pitcher’s feet at all (the article I had read and the announcers during the game mentioned she was replanting). I was just watching the game thinking how difficult it was to watch because nearly every pitch was called IP. I felt bad for the pitcher and her team because she obviously couldn’t fix it. She wasn’t one of those pitchers who obviously knew she was doing it and could change her mechanics mid-game to make the pitches legal. It’s obvious it’s how she’s pitched all along. I do give her credit for remaining stoic on the mound while it was being called. I definitely would not have had that amount of restraint.

I was wondering if anywhere along the line prior to college she was told about it?

 

[radness]

RAD, you totally took this and ran with it in a completely different direction. My post was sparked by the fact that a while back some people argued with me against umpires enforcing the rule at the youth level - eg 12U or below (when it was a rule at that level). My argument then was that it should be pointed out and corrected because if it is allowed to continue, what I posted above can be the eventual outcome be it the big stage in college or in a HS game. Then the players, parents, coaches don’t understand why it is an issue now because “It was never called before.”

Here is some reality
This topic has been going on for 50 years or more. Btw i did comment about the inconsistency of umpires and about the inconsistency of rule applications to the different softball venues.
They are not consistent rulesets and umpires will never be consistent.
Pitchers have never been consistent with their feet, never ever!

Beyond those things~
is a bigger picture now and that is what is happening at the top levels in college.
What the coaches are doing and what they're putting in the circle is not by ignorace.

To an extent it would be silly for anybody to assume that what the college coaches are doing at that level is out of ignorance. They know the influence they are trying to put into the game.

 

[radness]

Just to add - I wasn’t focused on the pitcher’s feet at all (the article I had read and the announcers during the game mentioned she was replanting). I was just watching the game thinking how difficult it was to watch because nearly every pitch was called IP. I felt bad for the pitcher and her team because she obviously couldn’t fix it. She wasn’t one of those pitchers who obviously knew she was doing it and could change her mechanics mid-game to make the pitches legal. It’s obvious it’s how she’s pitched all along. I do give her credit for remaining stoic on the mound while it was being called. I definitely would not have had that amount of restraint.

I was wondering if anywhere along the line prior to college she was told about it?

Okay you were sympathizing for the pitcher in a predicament. However were talking about players in college conference game right? In college conference the end of the season the coach knows exactly what they put in the circle. And the pitcher herself knows what she's doing, right, wrong or by mistake.