Illegal pitch or no pitch.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by CecilOne

I (a stubborn person) am still not convinced that we can say the IP caused the runner to leave early, when the runner left during the pitching motion.

When the IP is not releasing the ball when it appears you are going to (as in the OP) ... then the IP DEFINITELY caused the runner to leave early ... had the pitcher not IP'd, the runner would not have LE'd.

(IF the IP was something else... say, a 24" violation, and the runner left before the pitch - you would have LE, dead ball, no IP (as the ball was dead before the violation)).