Are these scenarios legal? Assuming all other preliminaries are met.

A) Hands apart; ball in hand. In one continuous motion, the pitcher brings her hands together above her head. She then, without pausing, separates her hands and delivers the ball. The hands are coming together at the top of her delivery. There is no pause after they come together. Legal or illegal?

I ruled this illegal. It was in a development league where warnings are given for the first offense. We don't enforce the illegal pitch rule at this time. For the next offense of the same type we would.

B) Same scenario, but this time at the top of her delivery when her hands come togther, there is a distinct pause of at least 1 second.

I ruled this legal.

These scenarios occured in the same game, but different pitchers (one from each team). No one argued, just wanted to know if I got it right.

Couple more questions. Does the pivot foot have to remain in contact with the plate during delivery or can they slide it along the ground? Also the rule book says that the pitcher must take a step toward the batter simultaneous with the release, however, I don't believe this is how it is called. The step is simultaneous with the delivery. I've never seen a pitcher step simultaneous with the release of the ball. They are always stepping with the forward movement of the arm. Am I being too technical with the wording?

[Edited by rwest on Apr 29th, 2005 at 10:02 AM]

Bottom first...Yes....Probably legal. Most umpire just enforce a "touch" - WMB has a way of calling (and teaching) this that I like - if the touch is inside the glove, legal; if it is merely to the outside of the glove, illegal....Legal. The hands may be in motion during the bringing of the hands together; the "pause" is not required....A drag along the ground is legal so long as the push off is from the plate...."Release" in this rule is always taken to mean a "process" not an "instant in time." IOW, the delivery, not the exact point the ball leaves the hand.

[Edited by Dakota on Apr 29th, 2005 at 11:07 AM]

Dakota:

ASA 6-1-E requires the hands together for at least 1 second. Now this doesn't have to be a distinct pause, but merely popping the ball into the glove and pulling it back out on the delivery seems it would be an illegal pitch.

...or "am I being to technical with the wording?" :)

In my view, you are being too technical. If there is no quick pitch, and if the hands are brought together, that is all that is required. Certainly, the rule does not call for a "pause" (i.e. stopping of motion).

ASA NUS, as prompted by Merle Butler, has always taught that any touch satisfies the rule. Recently ISF changes their rule to a 2 second touch, simply to force more than a minimal touch. Since both rules committees were lead by the same person, I would not enforce an IP on this unless the ASA rule was either changed or reinterpreted.