Cannonball wrote:Then, what you are all saying is that the "Point of Emphasis" for this year, namely illegal pitches, as presented at our state rules meeting was so much hot air. What you are also saying is that coaches should just accept the fact that no illegal pitch is going to be called. You further suggest that the base umpire has no responsibility to enforce illegal pitches. Ironically, I know coaches that count on that.
I don't believe anyone was saying that. But for me to call the lane violation, it has to be very obvious to me. Not to the coaches, not to the players. Try focusing on an object moving at you at 50-60 mph, and then tell me what else you can see. The primary focus is to call the pitch (ball or strike). Have I called a lane violation? I certainly have. But they are always the extremely obvious ones.
Now, as to calling the other IP's, that is a little easier to do. As the PU, I am watching the pitcher the entire time, so I am going to notice something like a double touch, as there is nothing else requiring my primary focus. As a BU, it is easy to call leaps, hops...etc. as again that IS my primary focus when no runners are on.
If you want to see how difficult it can be focusing on a pitch, borrow an umpire's gear and try it for a few pitches. You will see that it is not that we don't want to call every violation, but that sometimes there is something else a little more important to focus on.