Absurd

[Unchained]

This retarded illegal pitch rule in softball is costing teams games. The pitcher from Michigan called for it TWENTY NINE times in one game,7 times in 3 innings killed Arizona vs UT today. Mark it as a ball,but for God's sake don't give free bags. You make this rule after the season gets started? Geez! If you have a little girl playing folks,start working on teaching her to drag the foot. This to me is very unfair to the pitchers. If you are going to nitpick the moundfolk,then there needs to be rules to impair the hitters. This has absolutely taken the focus off the student athlete and dumped it on the rule,which is ruining the game

[pvfan]

I haven't watched any of it, what are they calling a crow hop?

[1inStripes]

When you basically jump off the mound. Its a simple enforcement that should have been done a long time ago.

[Unchained]

What we are seeing called isn't a "jump". It is a 2-3 inch lift. The rule is too harsh with the advancement of bases,and as I said before,If you are going to punish the pitcher,you need to even the field and make it rougher on the hitter (level the playing field). As for your point about it should have been called long ago,then it would be safe to say that calling this rule in after the season has began is unfair:2thumbsup:

[1inStripes]

I don't believe this is a new rule, just a point of emphasis this year.

Softball Pitching - Either We're Playing by the Rules or Not

[hoocus]

The problem is that nobody ever calls it, therefore these kids develop bad habits. Then they run up against an umpire that does call it, and there is now way they can unlearn 10 years of muscle memory during a game.

Someone showed me a picture in the KPT Times-News of one of the PV pitchers. She was three feet in front of the mound and was still at the top of her windup. That meand a 62MPH fastball from 37 feet instead of 40. Pitchers have long had the advantage, especially at the HS level where this is almost NEVER called. In all the hundreds of games I have watched I bet I haven't seen 10 illegal pitches called. If they were, these kids would get out of these bad habits before college. As it is, who can blame them. If as a pitcher you can stride four feet and not be called on it, why wouldn't you do it?

[Rocky]

ahh i think if they are going to call this then every pitcher in MLB, NCAA, and professional womens softball needs the same wind up and delivery. people have different wind ups what makes this any different. The calls i saw yesterday were when a girl raised her back leg maybe 3-4" off the ground. all that did was took power away from her pitch it gave her NO advantage.

[Counts]

The problem is that nobody ever calls it, therefore these kids develop bad habits. Then they run up against an umpire that does call it, and there is now way they can unlearn 10 years of muscle memory during a game.

Someone showed me a picture in the KPT Times-News of one of the PV pitchers. She was three feet in front of the mound and was still at the top of her windup. That meand a 62MPH fastball from 37 feet instead of 40. Pitchers have long had the advantage, especially at the HS level where this is almost NEVER called. In all the hundreds of games I have watched I bet I haven't seen 10 illegal pitches called. If they were, these kids would get out of these bad habits before college. As it is, who can blame them. If as a pitcher you can stride four feet and not be called on it, why wouldn't you do it?

IMHO the rule is valid and the games I have seen the girls are leaving the gound that being said I DO think that awarding a base to the runners is a bit lopsided I think you make the pitch a ball and go on

As far as the pitcher being closer than the rubber at the pitch this rule does not affect that at all....the pitcher just need to keep that back foot in contact with the ground (Drag).....Honistly if this has been called this tight all season then there is no reason these girls should not have adjusted by this point in the season

[centennialdawg]

I don't believe this is a new rule, just a point of emphasis this year.

Softball Pitching - Either We're Playing by the Rules or Not

This has been a long standing rule in fastpitch softball. It should be enforced though, as with the leaping motion, or the crow-hop, which is entirely different than the leap, the pitcher can(and usually does) gain an unfair advantage.

[1inStripes]

The calls i saw yesterday were when a girl raised her back leg maybe 3-4" off the ground. all that did was took power away from her pitch it gave her NO advantage.

Oh contrare. The pitcher using that technique is building a lot more power than one who stays within the rule and drags their foot instead.