Illegal pitching

[MandM]

Straight from the rule book

"The pitcher shall bring the hands together for not less than one second and
not more than 10 seconds before releasing it,"

Rule 6, Section 1, Sub E

So the way I read this is that the pitcher must pause for at least 1 second and no more than 10.

Technically speaking, the first thing that happens when the pitcher steps on the rubber is that she should appear to take the sign from the catcher, this occurs with the hands separated. There is not time specified for this action. Then once the pitcher brings her hands together she has a specified time before the pitch is initiated (that is hands separate). That is my interpretation. Literally, there is no rule that says there is a one second pause "once the pitcher steps on the rubber". The rules are more complicated.

It is a tangled web they weave (ASA)

 

[ms244]

So what stops a pitcher from walking or running up to the rubber and pitching without stopping/pausing? I mean literally pitch as a walk-thru pitch? I take the ruling as the pitcher must pause for a minimum of 1 second and a max of 10.

 

[MandM]

I have come to see that this whole IP thing is like the strike zone. We know what it is supposed to be, but truthfully all that matters is what that umpires strike zone is for that game. While you can point out to the umpire a pitching style that is inconsistent with the written rules- it will only matter what they think, and that is just the way it is

 

[MandM]

So what stops a pitcher from walking or running up to the rubber and pitching without stopping/pausing? I mean literally pitch as a walk-thru pitch? I take the ruling as the pitcher must pause for a minimum of 1 second and a max of 10.[/

You are right- but it is two steps- taking the sign, then bringing the hands together etc. I just meant the literal rule actually defines something more specific. Also, the pitcher cannot start until she receives go ahead from the ump.

Now of course- these are the 2008 rules, so maybe they have changed.

 

[RubberBiscuit]

I lost energy on this thread at page 6. Not because I haven't poured emotion into this topic either.

Bottom line is bad rules drive bad outcomes. This one is like arguing Less Filling vs Tastes Great.......

 

[MTR]

Funny because when I asked the umpire after one of our games he said that a pause was required. Otherwise it is considered a modified walk through pitch.

That is correct, a pause; nothing about one second. The pitcher is required to step onto the pitcher's plate and simulate the taking of a signal. In the video, the pitcher is illegal for failing to simulate taking the sign and she is leaping.

ASA's rule concerning the crow hop has not changed. What has changed was the manner in which the umpires were directed to view it. There were a some tip offs umpires would look for in a pitcher's actions that in the long run were debunked by ASA. Umpires were reminded that a read certain indicators like a pitcher straightening a rear leg after the stride or the pivot foot coming to a stop prior to the release were not specifically against the rules and not evidence of a replant. So the umpires backed off unless the specifically saw a replant, often at the end of a leap.

However, a crow hop is also considered the pushing off from a location other than the pitcher's plate which you see more often with runners on 1st and/or 2nd base and that is coached with a 2-umpire crew. And yes, you can see it from the coaches box, dug out or lounge chair outside the fence. However, where you cannot see it is when you are the umpire standing near F4 or F6.

It should be noted that picking up a heel that was on or in contact with the pitcher's plate as the push begins without moving the foot forward is not considered a violation of this rule.

 

[BretMan]

So what stops a pitcher from walking or running up to the rubber and pitching without stopping/pausing?

A different rule. The one that says after engaging the pitcher's plate the pitcher must pause to either take, or simulate taking, a signal. There's no time restriction on the length of the pause. It's not one second or ten seconds. It's for however long it takes to, in the umpire's judgment, satisfy the requirement of taking/simulate taking a signal.

I take the ruling as the pitcher must pause for a minimum of 1 second and a max of 10.

The one to ten seconds is how long the picher's hands need to touch after the above required pause. Different rule covering a different phase of the pitching preliminaries.

Your "take" is not how the rule is to be interpreted or enforced. You're extracting a snipet from the pitching rules, ignoring the entirety of the rule, then assuming that the snipet means something completely different than is intended. Which brings me right back to where we were 50 or 60 posts ago: You seem to have some misconceptions about the pitching rules.

Funny because when I asked the umpire after one of our games he said that a pause was required. Otherwise it is considered a modified walk through pitch.

You believed something that an umpire told you?

 

[MandM]

"You believed something that an umpire told you? "

It was not my intention to poke fun at umpires, rather the rule-makers who shrowd this process in mystery. Healthy discussion about rules and their interpretation can only serve to educate those of us who do not have the benefits of the case books to help us out and can only rely on what we read and see. It is good that there can be a forum for discussion where these things can be explained-

 

[smddad]

Straight from the rule book

"The pitcher shall bring the hands together for not less than one second and
not more than 10 seconds before releasing it,"

Rule 6, Section 1, Sub E

So the way I read this is that the pitcher must pause for at least 1 second and no more than 10.

Have you seen pitchers who start their motion with arms going up in front of them, together, then a backswing, followed by the release? They don't pause while their hands are together for the 1 second. As was stated in Bret's post, it's a misconception. There is no pause requirement. They can pause if they choose.

 

[splinterpicker]

The pitching rules are pretty simple to read or at least I thought so before this thread. The only rule I wish the powers that be would do away with is the leaping rule. But they have not and every time time my dd does it she knows it could be called and illegal pitch. It does not matter if the back foot was off the ground 1 inch or 12 it is what it is. A pause is just a pause. If a pitcher wants to look silly and pause for 10 sec then get it done. Is the next thing to skew, the 20 sec rule? The pitcher has 20 sec. to pitch the ball from the time it is recieved from the catcher. Umpires calls a leap a crowhop and vice versa either way it is an illegal pitch. I would teach your kids the way MTR said and leave it at that.