Would you call this illegal pitch

[radness]

I was annoyed that the umpire didn't call it.

here's more Talent level feedback

All rules not being equal because~
...there are some umpires who justify how they apply officiating games by the Talent level on the field.
And
...there are some umpires who have less of Their Own Talent level to apply while they're on the field.

 

[The Man In Blue]

This is a high school pitcher for a softball team during the day with bright sunshine. The ball is still in the pitcher's hand - just before release.

My point: IMO, the wrist is (well) outside the elbow and this should have been called an illegal pitch. This was just one example - sometimes it was closer and other times it was farther away from her leg. At times, it was almost a sidearm throw with a hard wrist flip. If I were the umpire, I would have called everyone of her pitches illegal.

My apologies for the quality. It was a picture from the press box zoomed in through 2 fences that I tried to capture discretely. In all reality, it is easier to see in person than what this picture shows. In the future, I'll walk up to the fence in front of the parents/fans and make sure it is obvious to all that I am filming the you lady out there so I get a crystal clear picture for your professional opinion.

Damn. That was snippy.

[editing out my snark]

I did make a joke about parents being able to see everything much better through the fence in the bleachers than umpires on the field in the game.

 

[MoJo]

I was annoyed that the umpire didn't call it.

For the pitcher - just disappointed for her. At some point, some umpire is going to call it. The longer it takes for her to realize she needs to fix it, the harder it will be to fix it.

Wonder how many IPs are called over a year for that infraction at any level?
I am going with about never. Looks really minor in that picture. With the speed of windmill pitching and everything else going on the field, that isn't on the 'to do' list.

 

[Agcy]

Wonder how many IPs are called over a year for that infraction at any level?
I am going with about never. Looks really minor in that picture. With the speed of windmill pitching and everything else going on the field, that isn't on the 'to do' list.

It was obvious to me from the press box. I umpired a 14U preseason scrimmage where the pitcher was doin it - not that hard to see, the question is if you are going to call it. At the time, I told the coach that it was illegal and she would need to fix it but since it was a intra-squad scrimmage I wouldn’t call it

if I were the umpire at a sanctioned HS game, I would so,play warn the coach during warmups that it was illegal and I’m going to call it that way. The pitcher can either fix it or she can get another pitcher in to replace her.

We had a pitcher once that would slide her foot back off the rubber (when that was illegal). The coach asked her about it and the pitcher said she could switch to a legal delivery if any umpire called her on it. No one ever did And she just used it to her advantage all season.

 

[EdLovrich]

It was obvious to me from the press box. I umpired a 14U preseason scrimmage where the pitcher was doin it - not that hard to see, the question is if you are going to call it. At the time, I told the coach that it was illegal and she would need to fix it but since it was a intra-squad scrimmage I wouldn’t call it

if I were the umpire at a sanctioned HS game, I would so,play warn the coach during warmups that it was illegal and I’m going to call it that way. The pitcher can either fix it or she can get another pitcher in to replace her.

We had a pitcher once that would slide her foot back off the rubber (when that was illegal). The coach asked her about it and the pitcher said she could switch to a legal delivery if any umpire called her on it. No one ever did And she just used it to her advantage all season.

HS PITCHER: "Hey coach, I am using spider tack on the ball so I get better rev rates. I can change back to something legal at any point, if I get caught, but until then I am going to keep on breaking the rules."

HSHC: "OK, that sounds great, I approve of that behavior and know that I teaching you how to get ahead in life in the best way possible."


(umpire climbs off his soap box and remembers that every player in every game is on the brink of making it into a P5 program and being set for life)

 

[El Oso]

The umpires in this thread still haven't answered the original question so I'll repeat it for the original poster hoping that someone might answer his question because I am curious as well.

"For the umpires out there, would you call this an illegal pitch?"

 

[EdLovrich]

"For the umpires out there, would you call this an illegal pitch?"

In a HS game, yes. If the delivery is as egregious as the still frame makes it appear, I would call the delivery an IP.

 

[The Man In Blue]

It was obvious to me from the press box. I umpired a 14U preseason scrimmage where the pitcher was doin it - not that hard to see, the question is if you are going to call it. At the time, I told the coach that it was illegal and she would need to fix it but since it was a intra-squad scrimmage I wouldn’t call it

if I were the umpire at a sanctioned HS game, I would so,play warn the coach during warmups that it was illegal and I’m going to call it that way. The pitcher can either fix it or she can get another pitcher in to replace her.

We had a pitcher once that would slide her foot back off the rubber (when that was illegal). The coach asked her about it and the pitcher said she could switch to a legal delivery if any umpire called her on it. No one ever did And she just used it to her advantage all season.

Never warn anybody of anything when they are warming up. That may be an exercise and not how they actually pitch. When watching warm ups (which you should always do) note the players' proclivities. Be ready to call it in the game, but don't coach during warm ups. Don't ever coach.

 

[The Man In Blue]

The umpires in this thread still haven't answered the original question so I'll repeat it for the original poster hoping that someone might answer his question because I am curious as well.

"For the umpires out there, would you call this an illegal pitch?"

No. I called it a still photo.

Would you call this bigfoot?

 

[Hillhouse]

I was annoyed that the umpire didn't call it.

For the pitcher - just disappointed for her. At some point, some umpire is going to call it. The longer it takes for her to realize she needs to fix it, the harder it will be to fix it.

You should direct that disappointment at the pitching coach who is NOT correcting this with her, and/or the parents who are paying for the lessons. ...assuming she's actually seeing a PC.