Pitching Motiong

[nickdangerME]

Joel - you are not missing anything with respect to the separation of the hands and return of the ball to the glove. That's an illegal pitch, period.

However, ASSUMING that the pitcher eliminated that infraction, my question instead goes to the LL rules about the pitching motion not beginning until the hands separate and prohibiting stopping forward motion after the hands have separated. With those definitions/rules in place, it would seem this pitcher could do a backswing and begin her windmill and stride (hands still together) and then stop without violating any rule. All because the pitching motion is by definition tied to the separation of the hands. That seems nonsensical to me and I'm wondering if someone has a different reading of the rules.

As for what kids should or shouldn't know by the 9-10 State tourney, I also agree with your sentiment, but we worked with what we had - in the interests of making something resembling a game that ended before nightfall. In the winner's bracket games (which tend to include the districts with a higher population base to draw upon and better-coached kids), it would be unlikely the pitchers would have attempted the "show the ball" separation and rejoinder and no way would the PU or I have let that illegal motion go uncalled. No doubt we would have had the opposing manager squawking at us too if we did let it slide.

Nick

"There are more things in heaven and earth, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."