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I don't understand how Capps' hop is legal

Frobby

By Frobby
in Orioles Talk

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El Gordo Hangout Grand Counsel

El Gordo

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It was the conversation between MLB and Marlins/Capp after his MiLB issue. Which means it's MLB's ruling that he can pitch like that as long as his back foot is dragging and he's moving foward.

It's also not semantics. If he was hopping before he started his wind up that would be illegal as a pitcher you have to set and move towards the plate or base you are going to throw to. By going laterally towards the plate in his "hop" with his toe dragging he's making a clear move to home plate. Or so MLB thinks so.

Personally, I thought he should have been called with a balk when Jones was on. I also find his pitch motion illegal as hell because there is a massive difference betten what he's doing and Jordon Walden. Walden's arm is in motion when he does his hop. Capp is just "hopping" down the mound to release the ball at 58 feet or so. His arm isn't even in motion but still by his side/leg in that motion. When plants his front foot he starts his motion like a normal delivery.

It's an article in Fangraphs describing the issue, with quotes from Capp describing what they said. There are no quotes from the MLB ruling. What Capp is doing is in keeping with the description of the ruling according to Fangraphs, that is he is moving more horizontally towards the plate. In no way is it a balk. Because the hop doesn't interrupt his motion towards the plate
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BradyBunch All-Star

BradyBunch

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It's an article in Fangraphs describing the issue, with quotes from Capp describing what they said. There are no quotes from the MLB ruling. What Capp is doing is in keeping with the description of the ruling according to Fangraphs, that is he is moving more horizontally towards the plate. In no way is it a balk. Because the hop doesn't interrupt his motion towards the plate

That's assuming his foot is dragging all the time. Which is my point.. it doesn't drag all the time. Saw a few times he was in the air (feet on the ground).

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El Gordo Hangout Grand Counsel

El Gordo

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That's assuming his foot is dragging all the time. Which is my point.. it doesn't drag all the time. Saw a few times he was in the air (feet on the ground).
Can you produce the language of the MLB ruling that says explicitly that the foot must be dragging all the time? Unless you have the exact language you can't determine whether or not he is in keeping with their ruling. It really isn't so hard to understand is it? You are citing second hand descriptions and interpretations of what they said.
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Superbee83 Major Leaguer Cup of Coffee

Superbee83

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It was the conversation between MLB and Marlins/Capp after his MiLB issue. Which means it's MLB's ruling that he can pitch like that as long as his back foot is dragging and he's moving foward.

It's also not semantics. If he was hopping before he started his wind up that would be illegal as a pitcher you have to set and move towards the plate or base you are going to throw to. By going laterally towards the plate in his "hop" with his toe dragging he's making a clear move to home plate. Or so MLB thinks so.

Personally, I thought he should have been called with a balk when Jones was on. I also find his pitch motion illegal as hell because there is a massive difference betten what he's doing and Jordon Walden. Walden's arm is in motion when he does his hop. Capp is just "hopping" down the mound to release the ball at 58 feet or so. His arm isn't even in motion but still by his side/leg in that motion. When plants his front foot he starts his motion like a normal delivery.

www.businessinsider.com/carper-capps-pitching-motion-

I agree with all of this. I looked at the video you posted, and he pretty much re plants his foot after he slides down the mound about two feet. IMO, this is an illegal pitch. By definition, it is a balk with runners on base and the pitch is called a ball when there are no runners on. Also, I think Mr. Jennings opened up Capps to a lot more scrutiny after he had Matusz tossed for the illegal substance.I would be shocked if the Orioles did not file a complaint about Capps' delivery complete video. If I was in the dugout I would be screaming "illegal!" every time this guy threw a pitch.

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Superbee83 Major Leaguer Cup of Coffee

Superbee83

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It reminds me of softball' date=' where pitchers can hop pitch.[/quote']

It does, but it is illegal in softball as well.

I watched a game yesterday on ESPN and the pitcher for Louisiana Tech was called for four illegal pitches because she re planted her back foot.

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Superbee83 Major Leaguer Cup of Coffee

Superbee83

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Can you produce the language of the MLB ruling that says explicitly that the foot must be dragging all the time? Unless you have the exact language you can't determine whether or not he is in keeping with their ruling. It really isn't so hard to understand is it? You are citing second hand descriptions and interpretations of what they said.

www.businessinsider.com/carper-capps-pitching-motion-

An illegal pitch occurs when a quick pitch occurs or when the pitcher delivers a pitch while not in contact with the pitcher's plate. The MLB definiton is included in the article that I posted. Capps clearly is not it contact or near the rubber when he releases the pitch in the video. According to the announcers last night, MLB has asked Capps to "drag" his foot when he comes towards the plate. IMO, his delivery is illegal and he will be called for illegal pitches at the MLB level very soon.

Unfortunately, the link is not working. Here is a part of the MLB balk rule ( 8.05) that I believe is applicable to Capps. It is defined as a n illegal pitch which is a balk if there are runners on base and a ball to the batter if no one is on.

"An ILLEGAL PITCH is (1) a pitch delivered to the batter when the pitcher does not have his pivot foot in contact with the pitcher’s plate; (2) a quick return pitch. An illegal pitch when runners are on base is a balk." It is from the Business insider article that will not link up.

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EricK AA

EricK

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http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/downloads/y2015/official_baseball_rules.pdf

(1) The Windup Position

The pitcher shall stand facing the batter, his pivot foot in con- tact with the pitcher?s plate and the other foot free. From this position any natural movement associated with his delivery of the ball to the batter commits him to the pitch without interrup- tion or alteration. He shall not raise either foot from the ground, except that in his actual delivery of the ball to the bat- ter, he may take one step backward, and one step forward with his free foot.

(2) The Set Position

Set Position shall be indicated by the pitcher when he stands facing the batter with his pivot foot in contact with, and his other foot in front of, the pitcher?s plate, holding the ball in both hands in front of his body and coming to a complete stop. From such Set Position he may deliver the ball to the batter, throw to a base or step backward off the pitcher?s plate with his pivot foot.

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