Pitching rules: double back swing and no "presenting"

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Jan 24, 2009
617
18
When brought to the attention of the UMP

In all the years of being around the game, I have never EVER seen anything fruitful come from 'bringing an illegal pitch/motion, etc to the attention of the ump.' No matter how correct you may be bucketmom...
 
Oct 22, 2009
1,781
0
What I am reading is she stands with hands separated then swings back (double pump) then swings up over her head--hands still separated, then swings back down again (double pump) then proceeds with the pitch. Right?

Illegal.
 
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
What is funny is everyone used to quote the 2006 ASA rules that someone scanned and put on the Internet. I see a lot less of that now.
 
Mar 23, 2014
621
18
SoCal
This has been helpful.......

When "bringing it up to them UMP" I specifically stated that I wasn't looking for him to call an IP but to educate the coach and have it corrected. But, I suppose, it would have better to tell team to not get into the box until pitcher paused or something else.

I know umps have a tough job and chatter from the stands don't help. I'm always respectful even when I completely disagree. It's hard to watch when blatant issues go unaddressed.

Go to download the rules now......

DFP to the rescue again.......
 
May 7, 2008
8,506
48
Tucson
2013 ASA umpires manual

rule 6 sec. 1 E preliminaries

The pitcher shall bring the hands together for not less than 1 second and not more than 10 seconds, before releasing the ball.
 
Mar 26, 2013
1,934
0
My question would be what exactly do you mean by "presenting the ball"? The reason I ask is that the term "present the ball" doesn't appear in the rule book, thus has no definition under the playing rules. What movement or action do you think the pitcher was missing that is required by the rules?
OP still hasn't answered this. Even though the term "present the ball" doesn't appear in the ASA rule book, I've heard it comes from the slow pitch rules (i.e. requirement to pause with the ball in front of the body). The closest equivalent in FP is having the hands separated while at least appearing to take a signal, although the ball could be held in either the hand or glove.

The double backswing is definitely illegal. Once the arm goes back the first time, when it comes forward again the pitcher is required complete the pitch. What you describe would be considered as a reversal of the pitching motion.

Bretman beat me to it, nothing in the rules requires the pitcher to "present" the ball. Also, nothing in the rules requires the pitcher to pause after the hands come together (except IFS), the hands may be in motion when they come together and may remain in motion. And as stated, the double arm backswing is illegal.
Isn't the double arm backswing only illegal if both are done after bringing the hands together?
 
Last edited:
Mar 23, 2014
621
18
SoCal
Perhaps "present" is not the right term. Pitcher never brought her hands together while on the rubber before the pitch. She took the rubber, hands apart and went into her motion.
 

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