At What Point Does A Pitch Begin?

[AtlUmpSteve]

Originally Posted by ntxblue

Preseason NFHS clinic instructions received at the Texas state meeting:

"If the pitcher steps on the pitcher's plate with the hands together, she can NEVER be legal."


Preseason ASA clinic instructions received at the Dallas meeting:

"If the pitcher steps on the pitcher's plate with the hands together, she can NEVER be legal."

I don't disagree; if the pitcher continues. She is, however, not yet illegal, as she has the legal option to step back off until she separates her hands (in ASA) or starts a motion that is part of her windup (in NFHS).

[ntxblue]

Originally Posted by AtlUmpSteve

I don't disagree; if the pitcher continues. She is, however, not yet illegal, as she has the legal option to step back off until she separates her hands (in ASA) or starts a motion that is part of her windup (in NFHS).

Steve,

Walt stressed the NEVER part . . . even if she backed off of the pitcher's plate.



Scott,

Yes, we were at the same meetings, just different sessions. We literally bumped into each other in the hall! Looking forward to seeing you in Austin for the championships. Hope we get to work together.


Gary

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by ntxblue

Steve,

Walt stressed the NEVER part . . . even if she backed off of the pitcher's plate.

Speaking ASA

I cannot find anything which forbids the pitcher from stepping on the plate with the hands together, nor anything stating they cannot back off the PP.

[Dakota]

In ASA, rules 6-1-D, 6-2, and 6-3-A in combination make the double touch illegal, and stepping on the plate with the hands together is one "touch." However, in ASA, the action does not become illegal until she separates the hands for the signals, at which point she has separated the hands and did not immediatly pitch the ball OR until she does NOT separate the hands for the signals.

NFHS, by contrast, specifically says the pitcher must step onto the plate with the hands separated (6-1-1-a), so once this happens, the pitch is illegal.

So, in ASA, the pitcher has the option of stepping back off the plate before the pitch becomes illegal; in NFHS, she does not.