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Ron Wolforth takes on USSSA

BOFBOF10,000+ posts
Apparently USSSA decided to try to change the rules to 3 warm up pitches and it exploded in their face. Go get um Ron!

Update from Webball:

As promised last week, we have jumped into the controversy between Ron Wolforth and the USSSA over the limited number of warm-up pitches allowed at the Elite 32 tournament.

It's introduced on the home page and then the full story expands here... http://www.webball.com/cms/page7415.cfm.

I'm really counting on the WebBall community to come through with comments, votes, and action.

Current plans are to keep the survey posted for 2-3 weeks unless anything new breaks, like a reversal of the USSSA suspension, or a decision to NEVER again give umpires the discretion to limit pitches.

(I have coached for 22 years and never seen an umpire who would not do anything he could to shorten a game - not for the sake of the game or its players or fans, but for his own benefit.)

Part 2 of this whole debate - maybe the more important part - will start after the topic settles down. Because no one I know of has done this, WebBall intends to try and determine if those warm-up pitches do affect game pitch performance. It's going to be an on-going study - stay tuned.

My next regular WebBall Insider newsletter will be coming on or after Labor Day.

- Richard Todd, Head Coach, WebBall
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trojan-skippertrojan-skipper1,000+ posts
quote:
(I have coached for 22 years and never seen an umpire who would not do anything he could to shorten a game - not for the sake of the game or its players or fans, but for his own benefit.)[QUOTE]


That is a ridiculous comment. I've seen many, many umps that care a great deal for the game and call a ball a ball or a safe a safe when they know it will keep them there for much longer.
Last edited by trojan-skipper
M MTS100+ posts
Pitchers need to get used to the mound and find their zone. They face various risks from twisting an ankle or knee to throwing with bad form causing shoulder or elbow problems. Not giving a pitcher their warm-up tosses could actually increase the number of pitches that they would need to throw in an inning and even extend the time of the game...contrary to what the umpires were trying to accomplish.
D dawgduck10+ posts
Yeah, I can't imagine a pitcher coming into the dugout and having a long 1/2 inning and then when he goes back out there, he's supposed to be warm in 3 pitches? Let's see how many more stupid rules they can come up with...how about First basemen and outfielders won't be allowed to take a ball out between innings either. It's just a crazy idea
BW Bob Williams500+ posts
Love Summer Ball;

Shortstops should pitch. The arm angle is different and when the shortstop pitches then the #2 SS plays and he is not prepared to keep the pitch count down.

Each coach should know in advance if the position position will be needed to pitch. Then between innings have him warm up in the bull pen.

Yes, when we travel to Australia our pitchers continue to keep warm between innings, however the Australian do not have "3 pitch rule".

Question: is this 3 pitches that cross the plate.
What about the warm up pitch that is thrown to the backstop. The rule is wrong!!!!!

Bob Williams
jerseydadjerseydad1,000+ posts
Ridiculous, how much time are they really saving anyway?

If the USSSA is trying to speed up the game, keep the hitters in the batters box between pitches and put a clock on the pitchers between each pitch. Even then I don't know that it would help. Baseball is not a game that was necessarily intended to be completed in 1:45 min.

It sounds like this might not be their normal policy however if they want keep teams entering into their tournaments they better find a way of not putting the pitchers in harms way. (spoken like a true parent of a pitcher Smile)
Last edited by jerseydad

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