Pitching Rule?

[banzai williams]

My daughter is a freshman in college and she called me yesterday saying that she got called for 6 illegal pitches becuase she takes the sign off the rubber and then gets on the rubber and pitches. I'm assuming they thought she was quick pitching, but is there a rule that you have to take the signs on the rubber?

[ontheblack]

Yes, or at least appear to do so.

[jonriv]

Where are the coaches in all of this?

[PDad]

Yes, or at least appear to do so.

ASA and NFHS have the same requirement. Here's the NCAA rule:

10.2 Taking the Signal from the Catcher
10.2.1 Before starting a pitch, the pitcher must comply with the following:
10.2.1.1 Both feet must be on the ground in contact with the pitcher’s plate
...
10.2.2 While in this position, the pitcher must take (or simulate taking) a signal from the catcher.
EFFECT—(10.2.1 to 10.2.2)—Illegal pitch. (See Rule 10.8).

She just needs to pause after stepping on the pitcher's plate.

[Comp]

I have been seeing more and more of this over the past 2-3 years. Pitchers standing just behind the pitching plate taking the signal, then engaging and immediatly bringing the hands together. No one around here is calling it, but I repeatedly warn every coach of a pitcher doing it that sooner or later they are going to run into an umpire calling it. I really do not understand why pitchers have started doing this. They are standing right behind the plate taking the signal, why not engage the plate and then take the signal?

[Crabby_Bob]

They play the way they practice.

[MTR]

Where are the coaches in all of this?

That is the real question. A pitcher has reached the collegiate level and still doesn't know what is and isn't legal in her delivery. And the coaches know and choose to ignore the pitcher's shortcomings in the delivery process. If the coach is the "once they call it, we will address it" type, well, IMO, not much of a real coach and I certainly wouldn't want my DD's softball career in his/her hands.

It isn't as if the different rule sets have different requirements, in this aspect, they are all the same. They must all step into contact with the pitcher's plate with their hands separated, hesitate using whatever reasoning (i.e. simulating taking a signal) and then start their delivery routine.

The different organizations may have different manners or levels of contact with the PP (contact, on top, one foot, both feet, etc.), but none permit the initiation of that contact to be simultaneous or part of the pitcher's delivery.

[Bretman]

I have been seeing more and more of this over the past 2-3 years. Pitchers standing just behind the pitching plate taking the signal, then engaging and immediatly bringing the hands together.

For whatever reason, I've seen a rash of this pitching "technique" in my area also. I've been calling it. When I do, I get incredulous glares from pitchers and coaches accompanied by the inevitable, "But she's never been called for that before", arguments.

My daughter is a freshman in college and she called me yesterday saying that she got called for 6 illegal pitches becuase she takes the sign off the rubber and then gets on the rubber and pitches. I'm assuming they thought she was quick pitching, but is there a rule that you have to take the signs on the rubber?

I wonder why, after having this action create a negative outcome for her team, a pitcher would do it five more times?

And I hope that the umpires weren't judging this as a quick pitch. A quick pitch is an immediate dead ball and a "no pitch", not an illegal pitch. Rather than "quickly pitching to catch an off-balance batter by surprise", if the batter was set and ready they must have been IP'ing this for bringing the hands together without the required pause coming first.

[Battle]

Where are the coaches in all of this?

That is the real question. A pitcher has reached the collegiate level and still doesn't know what is and isn't legal in her delivery. And the coaches know and choose to ignore the pitcher's shortcomings in the delivery process.

You could blame the coaches but where were the umps? How does a girl go that long without getting called?

[MTR]

Where are the coaches in all of this?

That is the real question. A pitcher has reached the collegiate level and still doesn't know what is and isn't legal in her delivery. And the coaches know and choose to ignore the pitcher's shortcomings in the delivery process.

You could blame the coaches but where were the umps? How does a girl go that long without getting called?

The coaches have them long before the umpires. I agree, the umpires should call it.
How many of the tournaments these kids play in are friendlies or showcases where umpires are routinely told to take it easy or just ignore the IPs?

But I don't buy all the complaints that they are not. Often when it is that way, the umpires have been told to be lenient or just get tired of hearing the constant whining and just take the path of least resistance.

When the umpires do call it, they are obviously wrong because that pitcher has never been called their entire life. Been seeing this for years, even at the collegiate level. Pitcher and coach tells a reporter that she hasn't been called all year and people eat it up when all it takes is less than 2 minutes to check NCAA stats to find the pitcher has it called more than a couple dozen times that year.

If I had my druthers, the PP would be moved back to 46' and let the pitchers do anything they want as long as they stay within the circle (10' radius)