Pitcher stepping off questions.

[rwest]

Originally Posted by wadeintothem

I dont have a rule book cuz I'm at work but I'm sure you will get rule quote.. so I'll just tell ya.

The pitch does not begin at all until the hands separate after bringing them together with both feet on the plate after taking the signal/appearing to take a signal.

Simply having your hands together or bringing them together does not begin the pitch.

If she is ready to go and brings her hands together - She just steps back off the plate and there is no pitch to begin. The pitch had not begun at that point until she begins her motion to pitch by separating her hands.

I know you asked about ASA, but this is one of the many differences between ASA and FED. In FED, the pitch begins either when the hands separate or when their motion begins. In ASA, you can begin your motion and the pitch still has not begun. There is even an ASA case play that has the pitcher moving her hands to her side after the hands have come together and then the pitcher steps off the plate. The ruling is that this is allowed because the hands have not separated yet. In, FED, this would not be allowed. Once your motion begins, you have to deliver the ball to the batter.