I don't understand how Capps' hop is legal

[Superbee83]

I absolutely agree with everything you have posted in regards to this.

One other point that hasn't been brought up ... he's using some pretty interesting slight of hand to pull this off. Watch his glove hand - he throws it out towards the batter just as he hops off the mound. It gives the impression that a delivery is already being made when the ball is, in fact, still tucked in behind his right thigh. It's pretty slick.

I just hope Mr. Capps enjoys his success now, because it will be taken away from him shortly.

I agree.

My prediction is that he will be called for illegal pitches in his next outing.

Without this advantage, he'll be in Triple A.

[callahan09]

That's definitely cheating. He is not delivering the ball when his back foot lands 2 feet down the mound from the rubber. He jumps, lands, then delivers. His arm straight to the ground behind his back until he lands, then he winds up and delivers. There's no way that isn't a violation of the rules, and I don't understand how MLB could have told him it was legal unless they didn't even bother to look at it in slow motion. I admit, at full speed, before I knew what I was looking at, it has a first glance impression of looking like he's delivering the ball while he's hopping, but when you go back and watch it and analyze, it's quite clear that he isn't.

[Old#5fan]

Too bad Buck never complained about it to the crew chief. I can almost guarantee you Earl would have. And if he had and was ignored could have played the remainder of the game under protest?!

[Superbee83]

Too bad Buck never complained about it to the crew chief. I can almost guarantee you Earl would have. And if he had and was ignored could have played the remainder of the game under protest!

I would be shocked if Showalter did not mention the fact that the Marlins were using a pitcher accused of throwing illegal pitches during his conversation with the crew chief after Matusz' ejection. He was most likely told that MLB had declared the delivery legal. The seed has been planted and I would also be surprised if the Orioles do not file a complaint about Capps with MLB. Also, it's pretty hard to file a protest against an opponents pitcher after your pitcher has been caught red handed using an illegal substance. That would even be a tough one for good old Earl.

[sportsfan8703]

If he has a legal delivery than let's trade for this guy ASAP. We didn't have a chance against him last night.

[weams]

I don't know why there's such debate over every little minor point of Capps delivery, since one point remains obvious to anyone with normal eyesight, especially in the video posted above from a Braves-Marliins game: Capps jumps a foot or more in the air toward the plate before the ball is delivered. He's not dragging his foot as he is supposed to to keep his pitch legal. Last night, he wasn't dragging his foot to keep it legal on the majority of pitches. Frankly, given that Matusz was tossed for having a 'substance', Buck should've stopped the game the first pitch Capps didn't drag his foot and demand the pitch be declared illegal.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the umpires CAN tell a pitcher to correct his delivery if he wants to throw legal pitches, can't they? I am mystified that we get a pitcher tossed for a 'substance' JUST LIKE THAT whereas the Marlins pitcher can hop a foot and a half in the air toward home and not be penalized in any way.

What the hell is this game coming to? They toss Ubaldo for hitting a guy without a warning, now they todd Matusz for a 'substance,' meanwhile we get to watch a guy mow down our batters in extra-innings pitching essentially from 59 feet away. Yeah, I'm pissed.

MASN suit. They were told.

[AdamK]

Since we are talking gray area here... I think this is one of those times we can wish injury on a guy right?

Maybe a groin. Maybe an ankle?

[Frobby]

I was not defending Capps. Just rebutting someone who seemed to think the back foot had to maintain contact with the rubber until the ball was released.

I don't think Capps needs to be defended; it's the interpretation of the rule that's the problem. As I said in the OP, if that's legal, it shouldn't be.

[RayC]

It seems to me that he was playing Cricket in India!

[weams]

I don't think Capps needs to be defended; it's the interpretation of the rule that's the problem. As I said in the OP, if that's legal, it shouldn't be.

So when he gets bold and does not drag the foot as we saw it was supposed to be called a ball?

http://www.businessinsider.com/carper-capps-pitching-motion-2015-4

[Chavez Ravine]

MLB rules, their fuzziness, their mutable interpretation, and their translation into practical enforcement are fascinating. Even what constitutes an "out" is not cut and dry. They had to make a special replay exemption for the "neighborhood" play...a rule to enshrine the willful violation of another rule.

[El Gordo]

That's definitely cheating. He is not delivering the ball when his back foot lands 2 feet down the mound from the rubber. He jumps, lands, then delivers. His arm straight to the ground behind his back until he lands, then he winds up and delivers. There's no way that isn't a violation of the rules, and I don't understand how MLB could have told him it was legal unless they didn't even bother to look at it in slow motion. I admit, at full speed, before I knew what I was looking at, it has a first glance impression of looking like he's delivering the ball while he's hopping, but when you go back and watch it and analyze, it's quite clear that he isn't.

Do you know what rule it violates? What rules cover the way a pitch is to be delivered? Maybe some one has a source.

[El Gordo]

I don't think Capps needs to be defended; it's the interpretation of the rule that's the problem. As I said in the OP, if that's legal, it shouldn't be.

How many pitchers still have their back foot on the rubber at the moment they release the ball.? Does the rule say the foot can only leave the rubber after the front foot comes down?

[Can_of_corn]

Do you know what rule it violates? What rules cover the way a pitch is to be delivered? Maybe some one has a source.

Here is 8.01

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/downloads/y2014/official_baseball_rules.pdf

8.01

Legal pitching delivery. There are two legal pitching positions, the Windup

Position and the Set Position, and either position may be used at any time.

Pitchers shall take signs from the catcher while in contact with the pitcher’s plate.

Rule 8.01 Comment: Pitchers may disengage the rubber after taking their signs but may not

step quickly onto the rubber and pitch. This may be judged a quick pitch by the umpire. When the

pitcher disengages the rubber, he must drop his hands to his sides.

Pitchers will not be allowed to disengage the rubber after taking each sign.

(a) The Windup Position. The pitcher shall stand facing the batter, his pivot foot in

contact with the pitcher’s plate and the other foot free. From this position any natu-

ral movement associated with his delivery of the ball to the batter commits him to

the pitch without interruption or alteration. He shall not raise either foot from the

ground, except that in his actual delivery of the ball to the batter, he may take one

step backward, and one step forward with his free foot.

When a pitcher holds the ball with both hands in front of his body, with his pivot

foot in contact with the pitcher’s plate and his other foot free, he will be considered

in the Windup Position.

Rule 8.01(a) Comment: In the Windup Position, a pitcher is permitted to have his “free” foot

on the rubber, in front of the rubber, behind the rubber or off the side of the rubber.

From the Windup Position, the pitcher may:

(1) deliver the ball to the batter, or

(2) step and throw to a base in an attempt to pick-off a runner, or

(3) disengage the rubber (if he does he must drop his hand to his sides).

In disengaging the rubber the pitcher must step off with his pivot foot and not his free foot first.

He may not go into a set or stretch position—if he does it is a balk.

(b) 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. Before assum-

ing Set Position, the pitcher may elect to make any natural preliminary motion such

as that known as “the stretch.” But if he so elects, he shall come to Set Position

before delivering the ball to the batter. After assuming Set Position, any natural

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Rule 8.01

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motion associated with his delivery of the ball to the batter commits him to the

pitch without alteration or interruption.

Preparatory to coming to a set position, the pitcher shall have one hand on his side;

from this position he shall go to his set position as defined in Rule 8.01(b) without

interruption and in one continuous motion.

The pitcher, following his stretch, must (a) hold the ball in both hands in front of

his body and (b) come to a complete stop. This must be enforced. Umpires should

watch this closely. Pitchers are constantly attempting to “beat the rule” in their

efforts to hold runners on bases and in cases where the pitcher fails to make a com-

plete “stop” called for in the rules, the umpire should immediately call a “Balk.”

Rule 8.01(b) Comment: With no runners on base, the pitcher is not required to come to a

complete stop when using the Set Position. If, however, in the umpire’s judgment, a pitcher delivers

the ball in a deliberate effort to catch the batter off guard, this delivery shall be deemed a quick pitch,

for which the penalty is a ball. See Rule 8.05(e) Comment.

© At any time during the pitcher’s preliminary movements and until his natural pitch-

ing motion commits him to the pitch, he may throw to any base provided he steps

directly toward such base before making the throw.

Rule 8.01© Comment: The pitcher shall step “ahead of the throw.” A snap throw followed

by the step directly toward the base is a balk.

(d) If the pitcher makes an illegal pitch with the bases unoccupied, it shall be called a

ball unless the batter reaches first base on a hit, an error, a base on balls, a hit bat-

ter or otherwise.

Rule 8.01(d) Comment: A ball which slips out of a pitcher’s hand and crosses the foul line

shall be called a ball; otherwise it will be called no pitch. This would be a balk with men on base.

(e) If the pitcher removes his pivot foot from contact with the pitcher’s plate by step-

ping backward with that foot, he thereby becomes an infielder and if he makes a

wild throw from that position, it shall be considered the same as a wild throw by

any other infielder.

Rule 8.01(e) Comment: The pitcher, while off the rubber, may throw to any base. If he

makes a wild throw, such throw is the throw of an infielder and what follows is governed by the rules

covering a ball thrown by a fielder.

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(f) A pitcher must indicate visually to the umpire-in-chief, the batter and any runners

the hand with which he intends to pitch, which may be done by wearing his glove

on the other hand while touching the pitcher’s plate. The pitcher is not permitted to

pitch with the other hand until the batter is retired, the batter becomes a runner, the

inning ends, the batter is substituted for by a pinch-hitter or the pitcher incurs an

injury. In the event a pitcher switches pitching hands during an at-bat because he

has suffered an injury, the pitcher may not, for the remainder of the game, pitch

with the hand from which he has switched. The pitcher shall not be given the

opportunity to throw any preparatory pitches after switching pitching hands. Any

change of pitching hands must be indicated clearly to the umpire-in-chief.

[El Gordo]

Here is 8.01

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/downloads/y2014/official_baseball_rules.pdf

I see nothing in those rules that pertain to Capps' hop. This is the only one that might apply: rule 8.05 (g) The pitcher makes any motion naturally associated with his pitch while he is not

touching the pitcher’s plate