FED - When to call pitch illegal?
 

FED rules last night. Runners on. Pitcher steps onto the rubber with his hands already together in the set position. He never started with the ball at his side or behind his back as required by rule. I know this is the beginning of an illegal pitch (balk) but since a balk in FED is an immediate dead ball situation, when do I call it? As soon as he steps on the rubber? When he separates his hands to pitch? Or on the pitch delivery?

I know this is a moot point sonce its gonna stop any play anyway, I just want to be sure that I call it at the right time...not too soon, not too late.

Umpire's choice
 

You should actually call it immediately (as soon as he steps on the rubber with hands together), but if you wait its no big deal.

Main thing is that you call it!

Thansk
David

In FED, F1 can step on the rubber with his hands together! But that is where his hands have to stay until he breaks them to deliver the pitch.

FED 6-1-2

ART. 2 ... For the wind-up position, the pitcher is not restricted as to how he

shall hold the ball. A pitcher assumes the windup position when his hands are:
(a) together in front of the body;
(b) both hands are at his side;
(c) either hand is in front of the body and the other hand is at his side. The pitcher's non-pivot foot shall be in any position on or behind a line extending through the front edge of the pitcher's plate..........

Ozzy,

All that is true, except blueump said the set position, not the wind-up.:)

Ah yes, so he did...... never mind!:eek:

blueump - Could you clarify the starting position ?
So far the pitcher has done nothing wrong by your description.
By rule (6-1-2;6-1-3) the BALL may be either in the pitching hand or the gloved hand. For the strecth/set the pitching HAND must be at the side or behind the back. Last time I checked it waas legal to pitch from the windup, even with runners on. Not smart maybe, but legal.

Once again, blueump said that it was the set position.

The pitcher got on, facing 3rd base, pivot foot engaged on the rubber, staring in to get signs, with both hands together (right hand inside the glove) set completely still just below the chin. The hand was never behind the back, it was never at the side. This is clearly a violation of the set position rule. He never "came to a set", he was already there!

I think in the future, I'll just call it immediately. No need to wait till the ball comes out of the glove, no need to wait till the hands separate. An illegal postion is illegal, I'm calling it.

I think if a pitcher were to place his foot parallel to the rubber and in contact with it, while both hands are together in the glove, and bring his non-pivot foot around and plant it in what looks like a set position I would consider him set as long as he made a significant pause.

I have never seen this happen and I think it would be an OOO to call a balk.

I would think that never seeing it before would be a good reason to call a balk. Why should the pitcher be able to circumvent the rule, which was included in the rule book for a good reason in this case? I think that at least Time should be called and the pitcher instructed to do it right, and then if he doesn't, ring up the balk.