Can tell if the pitch is legal or not.

[CoachStephen13]

Hey guys I'm a longtime reader, but a first time poster. I couldn't find this anywhere previously so I thought I would ask. We recently played a game and the other teams pitcher had a questionable pre pitch routine. She would get on the rubber and take the sign. That's all well and good, but then she would raise her hands like she was starting her wind up. However, she would come back and stop. Then go into the same motion but this time go through the complete wind up and pitch the ball. Would this be an illegal pitch or is that allowed? I have been reading the NFHS rule book and the conclusion I come to that it was illegal, because it resembled the wind up and insinuated that the pitch was coming. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[James Smith]

2 rules from an older rule book:

No motion to pitch is made without immediately delivering the ball to the batter
The pitcher does not use a windup in which there is a stop or reversal of the forward motion

I guess you could argue the first one. As long as the pitcher consistently did the same thing I do not know that it would bother me.


Some umps will post a better anwser.

 

[Comp]

The pitch does not start until the hands have been brought together and separated. When she raises her hands the first time has she brought the hands together yet, or does she touch them together as she raises them? If she does, then what you are describing is illegal.

 

[riseball]

Like comp said the moment of separation of the glove and hand is the key. What happens prior to separation is moot. She can stand on the rubber and do the Macarena as long as she does not separate.

 

[darken]

She can stand on the rubber and do the Macarena as long as she does not separate.

<thread hijack on>
Would love to see a pitcher do that in a bottom of the 7th, 2 out, 3-2 count, winning run on base situation!
<thread hijack off/>

 

[Cobb_of_Fury]

<<END hijack<<

 

[riseball]

<thread hijack on>
Would love to see a pitcher do that in a bottom of the 7th, 2 out, 3-2 count, winning run on base situation!
<thread hijack off/>

For the sanctity of the game I will not pass that challenge on to my DD.

 

[CoachStephen13]

Her hands were apart and she put the ball into her glove to take the sign and then put her hand on the ball. She then rocked forward raising her hands. Her hands never separated. She then reset and then pitched. When I first saw it I thought illegal. The Umps in our area aren't always the best at knowing all the rules. So they told me it was legal and then after the game told me they weren't sure but they were going to check on it and let me know.

 

[smddad]

......She can stand on the rubber and do the Macarena as long as she does not separate.

So long as she pitches the ball within 10 seconds.

 

[Comp]

Her hands were apart and she put the ball into her glove to take the sign and then put her hand on the ball.

Little more clarification needed here. Had she already engaged the pitching plate with hands separated? When you say she "put the ball into her glove", was this before or after stepping onto the pitching plate?

Correct me if Im wrong, but from the way you have worded it, it sounds like she has the ball in her throwing hand, is stepping onto the pitching plate, then putting the ball into her glove and separating hands. She then takes a signal and puts her hand back into the glove for the ball. If this is what you are describing, then she is illegal for bringing the hands together and separating them without pitching the ball.