NCAA - Pitcher has hands together before batter in box
 

Situation as follows: Batter has one foot in the box and is taking signs from base coach. The pitcher steps on the pitching plate, looks in to F2 to take a sign, then brings her hands together before the batter has both feet in the box. She then delivers a pitch (when the batter is ready) within 5 seconds of bringing her hands together. Rule 10.18 is the only place that I can find mention of the pitcher's responsibility to have hands apart until the batter completes her preliminaries.

In the above situation: Is this a violation by F1, and if so, is it an illegal pitch (delayed dead ball) or a violation of the timing rules (immedate dead ball per 10.18)?

Can this be handled the first time via preventative umpiring? (I think so.) If it happens again, see above....IP or timing violation?

Per Mark, Jr.:

"Per Rule 10.18 the pitcher must wait until the batter is in position before she brings her hands together.

If the pitcher is in position and the batter is still not ready, the PU should be giving the "Do Not Pitch" signal until the batter is in position.
If the batter takes longer than 10 seconds after the pitcher receives the ball to get in position, the PU should call "Time" and assess a strike on the batter.
If the pitcher brings her hands together while the PU is signaling "Do Not Pitch" or less than 2 seconds after the PU stops signaling "Do Not Pitch," the PU should signal a "Delayed Dead Ball" and announce "Illegal Pitch."

In my opinion, it is the responsibility of the PU, not the pitcher, to make sure that the pitcher, catcher, and batter are in position. If the PU is not giving the "Do Not Pitch" signal, you can't punish the pitcher for assuming that she is free to carry out a legal pitching routine."

MTD, Sr.

This is the part that I agree with, but can't find rule support for. The timing of the pitch sequence is in 10.18, which calls for an immediate dead ball + ball on the batter, but the earlier parts of the rule cover the rest of the IP + DDB situations.

I sent this in to TPTB for clarification.

By this VVK agrees with Mark, Jr. that the hands must be separated until umpire allows "ready"; she disagrees that ANOTHER two second pause must happen if hands were separated during the "time out".

In earlier interpretations, Dee stated that 10-10-5 was a step-by-step procedure that must happen in that sequence; the pitcher cannot be at step #3 (hands together) when batter/catcher/umpire haven't reached and completed step #1 (all set and ready in proper box). Not sure where I can find that now, but that was the gist of her ruling.

Thanks, Steve, that's perfect. I should remember to go to Arbiter for interps rather than always using the book alone.

I think game management can and should be used here. First time - if it doesn't hinder the batter, work with the catcher to let the pitcher know I need her to slow down. OR kill it, since I'd never put the ball in play. Work with the catcher again. Second+ time = IP via 10.2.

This gets me. What difference does it make what a pitcher does during a suspension of play as long as all the requirements are met when play resume?

Well, one of the requirements of the pitcher is to start the pitch preliminaries with hands separated...unless you were being tongue-in-cheek and I missed it.

But if the ball is dead, why does anyone care where it is located as long as the pitcher meets all the pre-pitch requirements after the umpire puts the ball back into play?