How would you handle this?
 

SP, either ASA or USSSA

Batter starts his turn at bat and hits the first pitch foul and out of play. The batter, not paying attention, does not see the new ball get thrown to the pitcher. The batter gets set again, but the pitcher is holding an empty glove in front of the body and towards home plate, asking for the umpire to throw in a new ball. The pitcher, however, already HAS the new ball, and is hiding it behind the glove. This position is held for a couple of seconds (for the sake of argument, only 3 seconds). The batter, believing the pitcher needs a ball thrown in, takes a step out of the batter's box. A split second before the batter does so, the pitcher had started his delivery. The pitcher, seeing the batter has stepped out, continues the pitch, but rolls it on the ground.

What would you do as the PU?

If we are talking slow pitch I would use rule 6, section 7 Quick Pitch.

The pitcher shall not attempt a quick return of the ball before the batter has taken a position in the batters box or when the batter is off balance.

And since the pitcher cause it.... No Pitch and a warning to the pitcher.

Speaking ASA

The pitch is illegal and the ball is dead the moment it touches the ground.

The only possible call is a ball on the batter.

Don't think it was a quick pitch since the batter wasn't "off balance". There is no rule forbidding the batter from stepping out of the box at any time. The batter made a voluntary, controlled move. I don't call that off balance.

But let's say you are correct. Your call is not. A QP in SP is an IP, not a NP.

So speaking ASA, you wouldn't kill it when the pitcher asks for the ball, even though he's holding the ball behind the glove?

This is what you get when you change a play from it's original presentation (though on another board).:rolleyes:

This is why a ball being put in play should always come through the umpire.:cool:

Given this case where (unposted) the base coach supplies a new ball, no, I would not. They make stupid rules, they live with stupid play.;)

If I (the umpire) am handling the task of putting the new ball into play, yes, I would kill it since I must now perform an umpire duty not related to the calling of a play.

Yes, I did change the posting from the other board. The posting over there, in my opinion, left too much open (was the ball being thrown in even legal?). When I have the plate, I inspect each ball that comes in, even if it is a rec league where you "hit your own." Those .47 CORs seem to try to slip their way in now and again. :rolleyes:

But back to my OP... I would kill the play. The reason is that now, the pitcher is directly addressing me and asking for a ball, which is something he already has.