Set Position

[Guest Pitching Coach]

Had an umpire tell my pitcher the other day that when he is working out of the set, that his entire pivot foot had to be in contact with the rubber.  He is a junior and has been pitching this way as long as he has been with me (3 years), and this is the first that anyone has ever said anything to him.  The umpire told him to change it or he would start calling a balk on him, so he did for the remainder of the game.  Next game we played, I asked the umpires doing the games what they thought, and their response was who cares.  Is this something new or what is the deal?    

[udbrky]

Looks like this is HS? So it would be Fed rules. 6-1-3 says that he has to have his whole pivot foot in contact with the rubber. 

[ALStripes17]

Had an umpire tell my pitcher the other day that when he is working out of the set, that his entire pivot foot had to be in contact with the rubber.  He is a junior and has been pitching this way as long as he has been with me (3 years), and this is the first that anyone has ever said anything to him.  The umpire told him to change it or he would start calling a balk on him, so he did for the remainder of the game.  Next game we played, I asked the umpires doing the games what they thought, and their response was who cares.  Is this something new or what is the deal?    

This was a point of emphasis in Spring 2013 in order to clarify that the 'hybrid position' was illegal in HS.

By black and white rule, your pitchers pivot foot (while in the stretch) must be COMPLETELY in front of the 24" of the pitcher's plate. Most associations, I imagine, have taught a preventive umpiring way of handling this (get the catcher to tell him, fix him during warm ups)... But most HS umpires just don't care because it's not a major aspect to the playing rules in their eyes.

Honestly, I'm not gonna be nit-picky. If a toe or heel is an inch or three off the rubber, I can just claim that it's a non- issue. I normally say something when it's obvious the pitcher's foot is extended past the rubber (half of the foot or so).

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[noumpere]

The umpire is correct and this should be strictly, strictly enforced.  It's one of the main reasons the base umpire brushes off the rubber between innings.

[ZebraStripes]

8 minutes ago, noumpere said:

The umpire is correct and this should be strictly, strictly enforced.  It's one of the main reasons the base umpire brushes off the rubber between innings.

I just about sprayed my monitor with HI-C.  

[maven]

18 minutes ago, noumpere said:

The umpire is correct and this should be strictly, strictly enforced.  It's one of the main reasons the base umpire brushes off the rubber between innings.

Yeah, it's all fun and games today, but this will stick to you tomorrow!

[ZebraStripes]

5 minutes ago, maven said:

Yeah, it's all fun and games today, but this will stick to you tomorrow!

closet ASA umpire

[maven]

1 hour ago, ZebraStripes said:

closet ASA umpire

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

(Does that bit still play in the era of marriage equality?)

[ZebraStripes]

1 hour ago, maven said:

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

(Does that bit still play in the era of marriage equality?)

Someone is offending by anything you say these days, so who knows.

 

Swinging strike three...."He didn't mean to go"

[ElkOil]

7 hours ago, udbrky said:

Looks like this is HS? So it would be Fed rules. 6-1-3 says that he has to have his whole pivot foot in contact with the rubber. 

6-1-3 says "his entire pivot foot in contact with or directly in front of and parallel to the pitcher's plate." So the side of his foot can be up against the front edge of the rubber and he'd be fine.

[udbrky]

4 hours ago, ElkOil said:

6-1-3 says "his entire pivot foot in contact with or directly in front of and parallel to the pitcher's plate." So the side of his foot can be up against the front edge of the rubber and he'd be fine.

Yeah. I didn't edit that in, I almost did.

[Mr_Chairman]

On 4/1/2016 at 8:50 AM, noumpere said:

"...the base umpire brushes off the rubber between innings."