I don't understand how Capps' hop is legal

[Stotle]

There is no logic to defending one hop and replanting of the back foot and not defending multiple hops as well.

This is ''blatantly'' illegal. It is equally as illegal as if a batter hopped during a swing and his front foot landed in front of the batter's box.

So is not touching second base when turning a double-play. We should change that too, right? The middle-infielders are acting in a blatantly illegal manner.

Look, if MLB wants to come out and ban what Capps is doing I'm fine with that. I don't have an issue with the league deciding his motion does not comport with regulations. I also believe if the league is going to permit it then MLB should be explicit as to what is permitted and what is not permitted, and enforce those guidelines consistently.

Based on what I have seen/heard/read the league is generally okay with the foot breaking contact with the rubber and the body moving forward as part of his throwing motion provided it constitutes his drive towards home. To pretend like he's not gaining any advantage would be disingenuous -- I'm not claiming that at all. But the extent to which he is benefitting is negligible, in my opinion, and I don't see the issue as something worth getting fired-up about. Force him to maneuver within specific guidelines if it looks like he's pushing the line more and more and call an illegal pitch when he doesn't abide by those guidelines. If a wave of future hop-throwers does indeed wash over the land, change the rule then. But personally I think it's a silly thing to get upset about.

Is the delivery textbook, letter of the law kosher? No. But baseball allows for rule bending, scheming for an edge, and just general quirkiness/variance from the norm. So long as the benefit being conferred isn't egregious, I'd prefer to keep the variance in the game. I don't believe adding a foot of reach at release will make a bad pitcher good or a good pitcher dominant (although the Phillies would probably disagree).

[El Gordo]

Just an exaggeration of the Jordon Walden hop

[video=youtube;lb1MQEJ35Es]

[Number5]

Just an exaggeration of the Jordon Walden hop

[video=youtube;lb1MQEJ35Es]

[video=youtube;U3KjDpvmtwU]

[Il BuonO]

Can we teach Tommy Hunter to jump twice before releasing the ball?

I somehow think it should remain as simple as possible for 'ol Tom. Now Matusz otoh....

[Superbee83]

So is not touching second base when turning a double-play. We should change that too, right? The middle-infielders are acting in a blatantly illegal manner.

Look, if MLB wants to come out and ban what Capps is doing I'm fine with that. I don't have an issue with the league deciding his motion does not comport with regulations. I also believe if the league is going to permit it then MLB should be explicit as to what is permitted and what is not permitted, and enforce those guidelines consistently.

Based on what I have seen/heard/read the league is generally okay with the foot breaking contact with the rubber and the body moving forward as part of his throwing motion provided it constitutes his drive towards home. To pretend like he's not gaining any advantage would be disingenuous -- I'm not claiming that at all. But the extent to which he is benefitting is negligible, in my opinion, and I don't see the issue as something worth getting fired-up about. Force him to maneuver within specific guidelines if it looks like he's pushing the line more and more and call an illegal pitch when he doesn't abide by those guidelines. If a wave of future hop-throwers does indeed wash over the land, change the rule then. But personally I think it's a silly thing to get upset about.

Is the delivery textbook, letter of the law kosher? No. But baseball allows for rule bending, scheming for an edge, and just general quirkiness/variance from the norm. So long as the benefit being conferred isn't egregious, I'd prefer to keep the variance in the game. I don't believe adding a foot of reach at release will make a bad pitcher good or a good pitcher dominant (although the Phillies would probably disagree).

Great points.

I think the issue with Capps' delivery is that to the naked eye it is not egregious. When you slow it down, he is getting more than a foot at his release point. Further, the guy throws upper 90's while he is doing this. MLB has apparently asked him to display a a more standard "foot drag". You're right, the culture of baseball does encourage getting any edge. IMO, he will not change his delivery until he is forced to by the league.

[tntoriole]

I believe it is an "egregious" benefit that should be banned. Amazing to me that MLB will ban a player for eight games because he has a bit of tar to make the ball tacky so it doesn't slip out of his hand, but will deem it perfectly ok for a guy to hop two feet to home plate before throwing a pitch. Completely arbitrary.

[Redskins Rick]

[Beef Supreme]

It's not blatantly illegal. If it was MLB would ban it. It is ambiguous. If you watch the motion of a power pitcher like Chapman you will see that his stride takes him closer to the plate than most pitchers and his back foot comes off the rubber and drags for about 8" to a foot. So it is not that much different than Capps. The difference would be if Capps clearly replanted his back foot after it cane off the rubber and pushed off again before throwing. He doesn't quite do this. It is a grey area.

Capps is replanting the back foot. If he were not, he would lose power. His velocity would drop 20 mph or more.

MLB will ban his motion very soon, I predict.

If not, there will be a wave of hopping pitchers succeeding by pushing off from a distance 3-4% closer to home plate than is the rubber.

We should judge this on its merits only rather than confuse the issue by comparing it to other actions of questionable legality.

[AdamK]

I believe it is an "egregious" benefit that should be banned. Amazing to me that MLB will ban a player for eight games because he has a bit of tar to make the ball tacky so it doesn't slip out of his hand, but will deem it perfectly ok for a guy to hop two feet to home plate before throwing a pitch. Completely arbitrary.

How would you feel if I told you Capps also wore tacky sunscreen?

[bobmc]

How would you feel if I told you Capps also wore tacky sunscreen?

:scratchchinhmm: Tacky as in sticky or as in sartorially unpleasant? :laughlol:

[Beef Supreme]

[video=youtube;U3KjDpvmtwU]

Walden does not replant the back foot. Chapman does not replant the back foot.

Capps replants the back foot.

Therein lies all the difference.

[Stotle]

Just an exaggeration of the Jordon Walden hop

[video=youtube;lb1MQEJ35Es]

Agreed. I don't see there being a huge danger that a new wave of hopping pitchers are going to take the league by storm and neutralize all offense, but if it happens change the rule then.

[Stotle]

I believe it is an "egregious" benefit that should be banned. Amazing to me that MLB will ban a player for eight games because he has a bit of tar to make the ball tacky so it doesn't slip out of his hand, but will deem it perfectly ok for a guy to hop two feet to home plate before throwing a pitch. Completely arbitrary.

If that's actually the case I am sure the league will let us know. My guess is that any further action will be focused on setting guidelines for what Capps needs to do in order to be able to effect his motion generally how he currently operates. I think fans are a lot more fired-up than anyone in the game over this.

[Stotle]

Walden does not replant the back foot. Chapman does not replant the back foot.

Capps replants the back foot.

Therein lies all the difference.

But it's a stabilizing plant and not creating a new drive-off point -- his lead leg is already extended.

[El Gordo]

But it's a stabilizing plant and not creating a new drive-off point -- his lead leg is already extended.

It's subtle but I believe he does drive a few more inches off the back foot before the front foot is planted. No big deal IMO.