When do we have an IP?

[DTQ_Blue]

If F1 steps onto the plate and w/o pausing, brings her hands together, do we have an IP at that point or must the pitch be delivered. I had an F1 do this, I gave DDB signal and said illegal, and she then disengaged. Coach argued there can be no IP if there was no pitch, even though she initially brought the hands together w/o a pause.

[AtlUmpSteve]

Riddle me this, then.

The pitcher receives the ball from the catcher, and immediately spits on it, steps on the pitchers's plate with hands together, separates and brings the hands back together twice, jumps up off the plate four times, fakes an overhand throw home, then steps back off the pitcher's plate. What do YOU have?

Which of these violations do you believe disappear when she steps back off? She may have disengaged, and has not thrown a legal pitch, but she sure as he!! has committed an illegal pitch in my game.

The only thing she accomplished by stepping back and disengaging was to end any wait to see if she would throw a pitch that might give the offense an option aside from the illegal pitch enforcement.

[RKBUmp]

The pitch becomes illegal the instant the pitcher commits an infraction. Once it is illegal nothing they do can change that fact. It is actually in the pitchers best interest to just disengage and not throw the pitch because the batter hitting the ball could have a far worse outcome than the illegal pitch penalty