stretch to wind up

[Mister B]

This was a LL majors game, so none of this was illegal, but I was having a hard time parsing what was happening. And how it will affect these kids at the next level. 

Out of 12 pitchers, 8 of them did a very similar action. 

Pitcher is in the stretch, taking signs, comes set, free foot then steps back towards 1B, and goes into a wind up. 

Outside of LL, this is a balk, correct?

Second question, R1 right-handed pitcher, pivots to throw to first but realizes that F3 isn't there. So he doesn't complete the throw. Is this a balk? F1 didn't step off the back of the rubber. 

[pnewton]

1: I believe this is illegal in Fed (I don't work fed games) but is legal in OBR. Pitchers must declare if they are in windup or not, but that motion itself isn't illegal.

2: It is a balk to feign to first base while in contact with the pitcher's plate, so yes, that's a balk.

[Senor Azul]

The following comments are in the 2019 Little League Rules Instruction Manual (rule 8.01)

EXAMPLE: In Major Little League (and below), the pitcher may wind-up from the Set Position.

While it is legal in the Majors and Minors for a pitcher to windup from a set position, it is a delivery that should not be taught. It will be a balk once the pitcher enters the Intermediate (50-70) Division and above.

[Jimurray]

6 hours ago, pnewton said:

1: I believe this is illegal in Fed (I don't work fed games) but is legal in OBR. Pitchers must declare if they are in windup or not, but that motion itself isn't illegal.

2: It is a balk to feign to first base while in contact with the pitcher's plate, so yes, that's a balk.

The Little League windup rule has read the same as the OBR rule except for the OBR comment clarifying where the free foot can be. So technically a LL pitcher could stand sideways and windup even in levels above Majors. And LL did not add the OBR addition of having the sideways pitcher declare but the RIM would call it a balk to windup sideways. What rule a sideways windup would violate in the LL book I don't know but in the US that delivery would be squelched as soon as the player started HS.

[Mister B]

55 minutes ago, Jimurray said:

What rule a sideways windup would violate in the LL book I don't know but in the US that delivery would be squelched as soon as the player started HS.

These kids will move up to a JBO program for Middle school, which uses FED rules. I just told both coaches to have the kids all pitch from the stretch as it will make the transition easier. 

[rzanew]

13 hours ago, Mister B said:

Second question, R1 right-handed pitcher, pivots to throw to first but realizes that F3 isn't there. So he doesn't complete the throw. Is this a balk? F1 didn't step off the back of the rubber. 

If this is still LL Majors, this is not a balk.  There are NO balks in LL Majors or Minors, regardless of the status of the pitcher.

This could be an illegal pitch for improper disengage.  I'd have to recheck the greenbook to verify.

[Jimurray]

On 10/10/2019 at 2:29 PM, rzanew said:

If this is still LL Majors, this is not a balk.  There are NO balks in LL Majors or Minors, regardless of the status of the pitcher.

This could be an illegal pitch for improper disengage.  I'd have to recheck the greenbook to verify.

There is no need to disengage to throw to any base. How could that be an illegal disengage? If it was LL Majors it would be nothing per the RIM instructions to only call an IP for violation of 8.05(e) and (g) In Majors and below with no runners on.