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Recently, I was doing an American Legion game were the pitcher stepped and feinted a throw to third, but didn't even fake the throw. He immediately pivotted around, as part of the same movement, stepped and threw to first. It was clumsy and certainly didn't deceive R-1. But,in my opinion, this maneuver didn't comply with OBR 8.05(c), case-book comments on the 3 to 1 pickoff. I balked him, and though the defensive coach was irritated by the call, he accpted it.
I also saw something else that I believe was a balk. The coach was really angrey when I told him. What had happend was that during the pitcher's pivot and step toward 1st, his pivot food slid off the rubber on the plate side. There was no legal disengaging by stepping BACK off the rubber. I told the coach that I could have called that balk as easily as the improper 3 to 1 pickoff.
The defensive coach told me that there is an exception, and that the pitcher CAN step forward off the rubber with his pivot during a 3 to 1 pickoff. He cited the last sentence in the case-book comments that says: "Of cours, if the pitcher steps off the rubber and makes such a move, it is not a balk." I explained that, though it didn't say step back off the rubber, the prescription for disengaging the rubber is very clear in 8.01 (a) & (b).
Did I blow it?
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Marty
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