Presenting the ball-What is the rule?

[Crystol Owens Brown]

In a tournament game, my daughter got warned about presenting the ball twice. She was getting her plays when she was off the mound(behind it) with her hands together. As she was ready to pitch, she separated her hands and walked up to the mound. Then, brought her hand together to start the pitch. The ump called her for an illegal pitch, said she was presenting the ball twice. I am confused to what a pitcher should do or don't do to start her pitch.

 

[knightsb]

ASA 2014:
RULE 6 - PITCHING REGULATIONS (FAST PITCH)
Section 1. PRELIMINARIES.
Before starting the delivery (pitch), the pitcher shall comply with the following:
A. When taking the pitching position in contact with the pitcher's plate, the pitcher
must have their hands separated and must have the ball in either the glove
or the pitching hand.
B. The pitcher shall not be considered in the pitching position unless the catcher
is in position to receive the pitch.
C. Both feet must be on the ground within the 24-inch length of the pitcher's
plate. The shoulders shall be in line with first and third bases.
1. (Men's and JO Boys) The pitcher shall take a position with their pivot
foot in contact with the pitcher's plate and their non-pivot foot in contact
with or behind the pitcher's plate.
2. (Female) The pitcher shall take a position with both feet in contact with
the pitcher's plate.
D. While on the pitcher's plate, the pitcher shall take the signal or appear to
take a signal with the hands separated. The ball must remain in either the
glove or pitching hand.
E. . The pitcher shall bring the hands together for not less than one second and
not more than 10 seconds before releasing the ball,
1. (Men's and JO Boys) A backward step may be taken before, simultaneous
with or after the hands are brought together. The pivot foot must
remain in contact with the pitcher's plate at all times prior to the forward
step.
2. (Female) Both feet must remain in contact with the pitcher's plate at all
times prior to the forward step.
EFFECT: Any infraction of A-E is an illegal pitch.
1. If the batter hits the ball and reaches first base safely, and if all other runners
have advanced at least one base on the baited ball, the illegal pitch is
nullified. All action as a result of the baited ball stands. No option is given.
When a runner passes a base, the runner is considered to have touched
that base.
2. Otherwise the manager has the option to take the result of the play, or
the illegal pitch is enforced by awarding a ball to the baiter and advancing
all runners one base. .
3. If an illegal pitch hits the baiter out ofthe strike zone, the baiter is awarded
first base and all runners are awarded one base.

 

[Crystol Owens Brown]

Thanks for posting this. This makes me even more confused since she didn't break any of the rules mentioned above. When she walked up to the mound to take the pitching position, her hands were separated. It was prior to her pitching when she was well behind the mound and not in a pitching position. She had her hands together, took a deep breath, separated her hands and walked to the mound that got her called for an illegal pitch.

 

[Crystol Owens Brown]

I asked my daughter what the ump said, he called it as being illegal because she presented twice. She did stop and waited a few seconds before her pitch.

Out in Left Field:
I can understand where umps have a preference, but preference is just that. Something they prefer not something that is illegal. If is it an illegal pitch, I would like to know and understand what made it illegal.

 

[corlay]

The rules do not dictate anything she does *before* taking the plate.
The ump is incorrect

 

[WARRIORMIKE]

Some umps are wheenies about it. Others not so much

 

[SBmom8992]

WM, stop using such technical terms like wheenies (or is it weenies?) before someone blows a gasket.

 

[Comp]

Absolutely nothing in the rules mentions anything about "presentation". The pitcher can do just about anything they want prior to stepping onto the pitching plate. The signal can come from anywhere and is not limited to only when they take position. But, the rules do state the hands must be separated when the pitcher engages the pitching plate, and they must remain separated while the pitcher takes, or simulates taking a signal.

Over the last 3-4 years I have seen more and more pitchers taking the signal behind the pitching plate, then stepping on. I have also seen a huge increase in how many are now stepping on and then immediatly bringing the hands together.

 

[4 girl's dad]

I'm kind of a visual learner. Can any post a couple gifs of legal and illegal? I've not seen it called in my area but we have not ventured too far from our pond. Just trying to learn a little.

 

[Crystol Owens Brown]

Why is this thread getting a 1-star rating? All I am doing is asking a legitimate question concerning a pitching call from an umpire? Did I miss something here?