Quote:
Originally posted by Prince
When, from the Windup Position, the pitcher starting (a) with glove hand up in front of his boddy and pithcing hand at his side, (b) both hand together up in front of his body, or (c) both hands at his side, my start his motion to deliver without interuption.
My understanding of 8.01(a) is that it is a balk, with runners on base, if in (a) above the pitching hand comes up to the glove hand and motion stops before continuing to pitch, or if in (c) above both hands come up to in front of the body and motion stops before continuing to pitch.
In (a) and (c), the pitching motion has started once the hand(s) start to move up. Am I wrong?
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Yes you are wrong, Prince, as you will see from the following quote from OBR 8.01(a)Comment:
If a pitcher holds the ball with both hands in front of the body, with the entire pivot foot on or in front of and touching but not off the end of the pitcher's plate, and the other foot free, the pitcher will be considered in the Wind-up Position.{my underline}
The way I read that, the Wind-up position is not even
reached UNTIL the hands come together in front of the body. It is only AFTER reaching this position that "
any natural motion associated with the delivery of the ball to the batter commits the pitcher to pitch without interruption or alteration."
So the hand motion you describe in coming INTO the Wind-up position DOES NOT in and of itself constitute "
any natural motion associated with the delivery of the ball to the batter". It would only be AFTER the hands have come together that you could look for the start of the delivery motion, and yes that could be both hands moving up together AFTER reaching the wind-up position. A pause before starting the delivery motion is
permitted, but not
required as it is for the SET position.
As aadog has correctly noted, adjustments to the ball in the glove are also permitted. That means that you might actually NEED to see a stop, even though one is not required when pitching from the Wind-up, in order to be able to discern between ball adjustments and the actual start of the pitching motion.
Best thing to look for is the combined upward motion of BOTH hands
after they have come together AND/OR a backward step with the free foot, BUT the combined upward motion of BOTH hands
after they have come together may be enough by itself
in your judgement. To recap:
- The movement of the hands in first coming together is NOT necessarily the start of the pitching motion
- The movement of the hands in making adjustments to the position of the ball in the glove is NOT the start of the pitching motion
- The first UPWARD movement of BOTH hands after they have come together would represent the start of the pitching motion.
- A pause following either A or B would NOT constitute a balk.
- A pause following C WOULD definitely constitute a balk.
Hope this helps.
Cheers