[rbmartin]

Rule 6 Section 1 ART. 3 . . . For the set position, ..... He shall go to the set position without interruption and in one continuous motion. He shall come to a complete and discernible stop (a change of direction is not considered an acceptable stop) with the ball in both hands in front of the body and his glove at or below his chin. Natural preliminary motions such as only one stretch may be made. During these preliminary motions and during the set position until a delivery motion occurs, the pitcher may turn on his pivot foot or lift it in a jump turn to step with the non-pivot foot toward a base while throwing or feinting as outlined in 6-2-4 and 2-28-5, or he may lift his pivot foot in a step backward off the pitcher's plate which must be in or partially within the 24-inch length of the pitcher's plate....


Situation: Runner on 1st. Left handed pitcher. Pitcher brings his hands together and slowly starts his preliminary motion that would normally precede coming to a pause. As he is doing this (not even close to a pause) he steps toward 1st and throws.

Legal or not?