Dropped Pitch

[AtlUmpSteve]

Originally Posted by outathm

A pitcher is in mid-windup, and drops the ball before completing the pitch to the catcher. If the ball goes forward, towards home plate, what is the ruling? If the ball goes backward, what is the ruling? Does it matter whether the ball remains in the circle or not?

You have been listening to baseball umpires, haven't you? (Bill Hohn probably doesn't know what a softball game is. In fact, I had to google just to find out who Bill Hohn is.) Absolutely no part of this makes any difference in softball.

If the pitch has started (in ASA and NCAA, hands have separated, in NFHS, either hands have separated OR the pitcher makes any motion that is part of the windup after the hands are brought together), it is a pitch; no more, no less. Not illegal, just a pitch. Unless the batter attempts to hit it, we can assume 100% of umpires would call it a ball.

If the pitch hasn't started (hands not yet brought together; yes, the pitcher can windup prior to that point; now refer to prior paragraph for rules differences), it is simply a live ball; pitcher no longer in possession, so LBR doesn't apply. Not a pitch, not a ball, not an illegal pitch.