Timeout hand toward pitcher not PU

[Dakota]

The recent world series on TV was LL. I don't have a LL rule book, but speaking ASA, the issue of holding the free hand anywhere in particular is not directly addressed in the book.

The batter needs to keep at least one foot in the box between pitches (exceptions include wild pitch, attempted play, etc). The ASA rule is 7-3C.

But my main point is your pitcher should be watching the umpire, not the batter's hands. The umpire will signal the pitcher to pitch & the umpire will hold his hand up to hold up the pitch if the batter is not ready. Once the umpire signals to pitch, your pitcher should complete the pitch regardless of what the batter does or does not do.

If you try to challenge an umpire on when he is ready or when he judges the batter is ready for the pitch, it will be a losing challenge.

The call will be NO PITCH if the umpire is trying to hold up the pitcher.

The call will be Illegal Pitch (quick pitch) if he judges it was an intentional pitch while the batter was not ready or off balance.