re: Vanderbilt pitcher windup question.

Many years ago when my son played HS baseball and pitched a visiting Houston Astro coach told him when a runner was on first to put the ball in his glove and take the signal go into a stretch and come out pitching the ball after he got his grip. This reverses the order of getting the grip and going into the stretch and is legal. The only time it is not legal is when he starts a throw to first without moving his foot touching the rubber backwards before turning. He threw out a lot of runners on first base.

The HS umpires had a lot of trouble with it, calling a balk. The HS coach sent off to the baseball rules committee. They said as long as there is a definite pick up the foot and start it backwards first before starting the turn it is legal.