- May 25, 2010
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I think the NCAA will change the rule and allow both feet to be airborne withing a specified distance from the pitching rubber just like International rules have been modified.
It is the right answer otherwise there is always going to be someone on the fence yelling at the umpire because a pitcher got her toe off the ground a 1/16th of an inch for a inch length.
Laugh as you will at what I said, but a 1/16th of an inch above the ground is illegal by the rules as written. Read what the purist are writing here and on other sites. If you don't call it at a 1/16th of an inch do you call it at an 1/8th, 1/4, 1/2? Does the length airborne need to be 1", 6" , 12"? Is there a time limit on being airborne (milsec). Do you leave it to the judgment of the umpire or do you use instant replay and have the coach drop a flag? Leave it to the judgement of the umpire ?...... remember they were able to use judgement to the point of getting an unfair advantage but that is no longer valid?
Between the hot composite bats and illegal pitching, the sport is in trouble.
BTW It was my impression that the only reason the leap rule was put in was because of a somewhat sexist study that was used as the basis. Someone said if a woman got airborne they could not handle the strain on their body but they would allow it for the men.
What's with everyone demanding we reinvent the wheel? What have been called wheels on this wagon have been square shaped for years. How about we get back to round, circular wheels feel like on this wagon before we decide they need to be re-engineered. That was perhaps to clever for my own good.
This might come across as blunt, but it's not my intent. I just want to make sure my point is clearly communicated.
The rules are not broken.
Some of the players are. A small portion of them if you look closely.
Lets fix the broken players in the minority before we change the rules forcing EVERYONE to change because a FEW were doing it wrong.
Once the rules are properly enforced and providing the level playing field they were intended to provide it would be time to see if the rules are having the desired effect. If the rules properly enforced and adhered to do not provide a fair field of contest, THEN would be the time to contemplate changing some rules.
There is no way to determine the effectiveness of the rules until the rules are consistently enforced for the full season. It sure wouldn't hurt to have all the coaches and players striving FOR compliance instead of a chunck of them striving AGAINST compliance with the rules.
(taken from another site)
Additionally, under the ASA Rulebook Pitching Regulations for Fast Pitch Softball:
"Pushing off and dragging the pivot foot in contact with the ground is required. If a hole has been created, the pivot foot may drag no higher than the level plane of the ground."
And then there's this umpire's statement from earlier in the thread:
Besides, even IF you are correct that the umps are missing some, it is probably because it is not their top priority at the time. As much as people like to think the umps are out gunning for the pitchers, they have other duties. If there is a runner in a stealing position, the ump is going to focus on the runner leaving early, and probably only catch the pitch out of the corner of his/her eye. Now, once the runners have no where to go, or if there are no runners on, you are more likely to see the IP called.