What is the Hybrid Pitching Stance?
For years NFHS High School Pitching Rules have attempted to curb the use of a hybrid stance by the pitcher. This hybrid, by rule, did not conform to either definition of pitching positions.
The major difference is the Hybrid puts the pivot foot on an angle on the rubber. The front foot was out also in front of the rubber. Rules required that in a Set position the pivot foot be parallel to and touching the rubber. The Stretch position required that the pivot foot be perpendicular to the rubber with the free foot to the side or behind the rubber. Neither a Set or Stretch position matched the “Hybrid”.
The Stretch vs The Windup
The Stretch or Windup Position are the only two legal pitching positions in the NFHS rulebook. The hybrid position gives the pitcher an advantage over the base runner and batter. Why? The offense would not know what the requirements were for the pitcher, because they cannot easily determine their stance. For example, the batters timing could be affected if they were expecting a windup, but the pitcher came straight to the plate. Same for a base runner attempting to steal.
The first attempt to clarify this for high school was to dictate where and how each foot must be placed. In 2023 the rule was changed to eliminate reference to the free foot by forcing compliance with the pivot foot. The pivot foot is the one actually on the rubber. Its position relative to the pitching plate is now the defining factor.
The New Rule
Here’s the NFHS Baseball Comments on the Rules for 2023: Modified the pitching rule with the elimination of the relevance of the non-pivot foot. The pivot foot will be the determining factor to decide if the pitcher is in the wind-up or set pitching position (6-1-1, 2, 3) — In reference to the high school pitching rule, the position of both the pivot and non-pivot foot was the determining factor to deem if a pitcher was pitching from the windup position or the set position. The game has evolved throughout high school baseball for the pitcher to pitch with the pivot foot in a windup description with the non-pivot foot in a set description. This “hybrid” position was previously illegal by NFHS rule. What is important is that umpires, coaches and players know what position the pitcher is using so they know which part of Rule 6 is in play. Deleting the use of the non-pivot foot does no damage to the existing pitching position rule and having only the pivot foot determine makes it clean and easily discernible for all involved.
The NFHS Rule Interpretation for 2023 states it simply : To be in the SET position, the Pitcher must be contacting and parallel to the pitchers plate with the pivot foot. Anything else and Pitcher is assumed to be in the windup.
Much Simpler! Thank You NFHS and FHSAA. Note: Now this and the NCAA rule are very similar.
