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Altering Field

Rule question? Get it answered here.

by msbdg1401 » Fri Apr 07, 2017 3:51 pm

Watched a high school game yesterday, where the whole team, help the pitcher, dig out at least a one foot hole in front of the pitchers mound. Was told this pitcher does this every game. The opposing pitcher had to spend most of warm-up time filling the hole back in every inning. Isn't there a rule that the pitching area has to be level, with the rest of the ground.
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by PDad » Sat Apr 08, 2017 12:33 pm

msbdg1401 wrote:Watched a high school game yesterday, where the whole team, help the pitcher, dig out at least a one foot hole in front of the pitchers mound. Was told this pitcher does this every game. The opposing pitcher had to spend most of warm-up time filling the hole back in every inning. Isn't there a rule that the pitching area has to be level, with the rest of the ground.

Rules only say the field is supposed to be level (e.g. no mound). There are rules against intentionally erasing lines on the field, however nothing against batters or pitchers digging holes.

Some sanctions' pitching rules specifically deal with holes/depressions by saying pitcher's pivot foot doesn't have to maintain contact with ground in them, just not be higher than the ground around it.
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by msbdg1401 » Mon Apr 10, 2017 11:43 am

No, this hole was one that when the girl stepped in it with both feet, it was almost knee deep. It wasn't a hole from her dragging or anything, it was a hole, she dug out, so, she would not throw her pitches high.
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by eddiez577 » Mon Apr 10, 2017 2:50 pm

msbdg1401 wrote:No, this hole was one that when the girl stepped in it with both feet, it was almost knee deep. It wasn't a hole from her dragging or anything, it was a hole, she dug out, so, she would not throw her pitches high.

If you ain't cheatin' you ain't tryin' :lol:
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by jonriv » Mon Apr 10, 2017 5:18 pm

Why teach a better release when you can just dig a hole :o
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by Comp » Tue Apr 11, 2017 5:32 am

I cant remember if it was an ASA Gold national championship I was watching or a college game, but saw the same thing happening. The entire infield would descend on the pitching circle every half inning and tear it up, then the next half inning they would have to call the grounds crew to fill in the huge hole and repack the ground for the other pitcher. As I recall, they finally ruled after a couple of innings only the pitcher could mess with the circle and they started strictly enforcing the 1 minute between innings on the girl who kept tearing up the circle.
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by Dugout Dad » Tue Apr 11, 2017 8:33 pm

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by UmpSteve » Tue Apr 11, 2017 9:21 pm

Comp wrote:I cant remember if it was an ASA Gold national championship I was watching or a college game, but saw the same thing happening. The entire infield would descend on the pitching circle every half inning and tear it up, then the next half inning they would have to call the grounds crew to fill in the huge hole and repack the ground for the other pitcher. As I recall, they finally ruled after a couple of innings only the pitcher could mess with the circle and they started strictly enforcing the 1 minute between innings on the girl who kept tearing up the circle.


Based on what you say, it could not have been a college game; which has the "however long the team coming out on defense wants" between innings rule.

OK, there is an experimental rule this year in the P5 conference games only. But that obviously wasn't what you saw, either, as no major conference pitcher would do this.
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by msbdg1401 » Wed Apr 19, 2017 11:21 am

If any of you are in the South Bay area of Los Angeles (Torrnace). This occurred at South High School during a JV game.
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by jonriv » Wed Apr 19, 2017 6:31 pm

Is the South High team known as the "Miners"?
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