NCAA pitching
 

What is the rational for the pitcher not touching hands together being just a ball and not an IP, as in other codes?

My guess, if the pitcher never puts her hands together, it is a violation of the 10-10-5 (well, the "5" in this case) and the penalty is only a ball on the batter.

Seems consistent that way.

Can't be an illegal pitch if it's not a pitch, can it?

Are you referring to this:

Continuing with MN Blue's reply......
or are you referring to 10.18, Time Allowed Between Pitches?

Depends on the association

Defacing the ball is typically an illegal pitch the instant it happens. No pitch need be thrown.

Throwing to a base with a foot on the pitcher's plate would be considered an IP in ASA. No pitch is thrown.

He was asking for the logic of why the NCAA rule is the way it is. I did not mean to imply my statement applied across the board or in all rulesets.

If CecilOne is referring to 10-2-3, I believe it is being interpretted incorrectly. The rule is addressing having the hands together for more than 5 seconds. If that happens, we have a dead ball and award a ball to the batter, with no IP called. The stipulation for bringing the hands together is in the NCAA rulebook and if not adhered to will result in an IP.

That was why I asked to what CecilOne was referring.

Quote:
10-2-3 After receiving the catcher's signal, the pitcher's hands must come together in view of the plate umpire for not more than five seconds.

Note: The hands do not have to come to a complete stop and, therefore, may be moving during the touch.

EFFECT—A ball is awarded to the batter.

Yes.

So, the above responses imply there is an interpretation that the effect only applies to more than 5 sec, not to "no touch" at all.

If the ref to 10-10-5 is really 10-5, it does not literally say the hands must touch, but the windup starts with the touch and not twice; so that means there can be no windup and 10-6 is the pitch starts with separation, so ther had to be a touch to separate. OK, thanks.

Still wonder why the 10.2.3 effect is different.

My limited understanding of this rule is that it is in the book to prevent F1 from taking too much time once she brings her hands together and then the batter asking for time.

Once the hands are brought together, the batter knows that F1 will deliver the ball in 5 seconds or less.

Delay of Game prevention.

I believe. :)

The reason for a different penalty is based upon the severity of the infraction. It's not that a "ball" is being called with the "advancement of runners." A ball is called because it is the inverse of what happens when the batter isn't ready in time (strike).

The pitch itself isn't illegal. The delay of game is illegal.

NCAA Rule 10.2.3 is a timing violation as in 10.18 and not an illegal pitch. The same rational is applied to a batter that has ten seconds to step into the batters box, effect a strike is called.