Jordyn Bahl

[JayW]

I am with @Westwind above. I don’t care about the rule. I just hate how it disrupts the flow of the game. Rather than officiating the game, the umps have to waste time on this small detail. Coaches have to come out on the field and stop play to argue the call. Fans keep yelling “She’s leaping!”. You never know when the umps are going to start enforcing the rule - maybe in the 7th inning of an SEC tournament game? I would rather not have the rule or just toss the pitcher if it happens 3 times (pick a number). It’s no fun for anyone.

 

[Rolling Hard]

I got an idea!!!!! CHANGE THE RULE! Not in two years but TODAY! Call an emergency meeting and make an announcement. Problem fixed!

 

[El Oso]

I got an idea!!!!! CHANGE THE RULE! Not in two years but TODAY! Call an emergency meeting and make an announcement. Problem fixed!

Lot easier to fix the problem by saying "I've got an idea, change the way you pitch! Today! Problem fixed!"

A handful of rule breakers and you want to change the rule to fit them. Changing rules that 800 pitchers (a guess) have ZERO problems following for the benefit of probably 10 pitchers is dumb. That would be like raising the speed limit for the benefit of Speedy Gonzales (Westwind) instead of having him adjust to the rules that everyone has no problem in following. The 10 rule breakers are the ones that need to make the changes.

 

[El Oso]

So what is the advantage in mph gained? 0-3, 3-5, 5-7, more? I’m not looking for a statistical study. Just anecdotally, what evidence can you supply from your kid, or students, or teammates, or yourself?

My kid tried leaping for two weeks last summer and lost 2 mph. Threw about 800 pitches that way in August. Said she felt too up, not enough out. Hence my skepticism. But maybe she’s the outlier. Would not be the first time.


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The better question is, how much speed does a leaper LOSE by not leaping. Not how much does a non-leaper gain. It's as much about a pitcher having to change the way they have done something for 10 years as it is anything else. The simple physics of a foot drag slowing your drive down aside..................

 

[Shiloh]

That’s my point. Rather than celebrate or try to learn from the athlete, we have 100 plus posts celebrating a rule whose utility is apparently “impossible” to substantiate with actual evidence. Any evidence. Even anecdotal evidence from Susy L on someone’s 14u team who picked up 3 mph from keeping her toe off the ground. And then we have people piling on by knocking the kid’s family for defending her.

Not to overstate the obvious, but the coefficient of drag for air << dirt.
Maybe a certain aerospace engineering professor might be able to tell us something more about that.
@pattar

Also - what does comparing 14U pitchers to one of the the best pitchers in college softball get you? Why would someone even rely on that?

The plural of anecdote is not data.

 

[Shiloh]

I am with @Westwind above. I don’t care about the rule. I just hate how it disrupts the flow of the game. Rather than officiating the game, the umps have to waste time on this small detail. Coaches have to come out on the field and stop play to argue the call. Fans keep yelling “She’s leaping!”. You never know when the umps are going to start enforcing the rule - maybe in the 7th inning of an SEC tournament game? I would rather not have the rule or just toss the pitcher if it happens 3 times (pick a number). It’s no fun for anyone.

100%

If JB and KB had been called for illegally pitching at younger ages we wouldn't have the spectacle of on-field confusion and delays that we have today.
Doesn't help the game at all.
Either change the rule or enforce it, every time.

Love the 3 violations idea.

 

[JayW]

Ima

100%

If JB and KB had been called for illegally pitching at younger ages we wouldn't have the spectacle of on-field confusion and delays that we have today.
Doesn't help the game at all.
Either change the rule or enforce it, every time.

Love the 3 violations idea.

Imagine how fast pitchers would correct if they could be removed from the game. Still think it is a hard call to make without ignoring other things an ump has to watch, like balls and strikes, slappers out of the box and runners leaving early.

 

[Shiloh]

Ima

Imagine how fast pitchers would correct if they could be removed from the game. Still think it is a hard call to make without ignoring other things an ump has to watch, like balls and strikes, slappers out of the box and runners leaving early.

It's not unprecedented - one or two false starts, depending on the sport, result in disqualification.

 

[Top_Notch]

To me, it appears she is out of the pitching lane and leaping. I'd love to see a better camera view. That being said, she really wings that ball.

 

[Hillhouse]

Lot easier to fix the problem by saying "I've got an idea, change the way you pitch! Today! Problem fixed!"

While true, that would be an awful message the NCAA would send. They'd basically be allowing the inmates to run the asylum. I do think the rule should be changed but, I don't think it should be done because people are refusing to abide by it.