Illegal Pitch???

[VAUmp]

In the windup, does the pitcher have to step with his free foot first.  I did a game the other night where the pitcher would face the batter with both feet on the rubber facing forward.  Instead of stepping with his free foot first, his first movement was to place his pivot foot in front of the rubber and then would push off and deliver the pitch.  He would eventually step towards the plate with his free foot, but it was the second movement in the "windup".  I had never seen anything like it, and I was wondering about it all game.  I've looked up the windup rules, and they state that he "may" step with his free foot, but it doesn't mandate it.  The other team's coach asked me and I didn't have an answer (I HATE THAT!!!).  

 

[noumpere]

Sounds legal to me -- the usual "first step" you see was in this case just a "weight shift" onto the non-pivot foot to re-position the pivot foot.