Quote:
Originally posted by PAblue87
I may be missing something, but I think you said heis in the set. If he is engageing the rubber with his hands already together, that is before he comes set, that would be a balk.
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Not quite true, PAblue87 (I lived in Lancaster County once - God's Country - gorgeous - loved it!)
The requirement of the pitcher to have one hand at his side before he engages the pitcher's plate has no prescribed penalty in the
Official Baseball Rules. The umpire should simply require the pitcher to start with one hand by his side.
Especially in this age group, when the pitcher engages the plate with his hands together, I would call, "Time," and instruct him to start with one hand at his side. It is unlikely that such a thing would happen at higher levels of baseball. Pitchers tend to know what they're doing by the time they reach 15 and up.
Quote:
Originally posted by dflynn
13U traveling teams. Our runner on 1b, RH pitcher does not stretch. Pitchers hands together at waist, RH foot on rubber. Hands slightly move up like going into wind-up, at very same time RH foot steps back and throws to first. R1 is stealing on hand movement up as coached, but is picked off by P move to first. R1 is out in run-down. No balk is called. Umpires say pitchers hands moving at same time his foot comes back off rubber is part of P move to first and no balk allowed. Is this a legal move by pitcher? If so, I want to add to my play list. thanx.
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So, for starters, dflynn's situation got off on the wrong foot. The pitcher engaged the rubber with his hands together. That should never have happened. It's no wonder everything went downhill from there.
As for the movement of the hands - if it was a slight movement, and the pivot foot disengaged at the same time, I wouldn't call a balk. For me, it would require something more substantial than, "slight." In order for a pitcher to illegally simulate the start of his motion, the movement needs to look like the start of his motion. "Slight," just doesn't cut it with me. Especially considering that the pitcher was legally disengaging at the same time!
You know, sometimes, runners just get picked off.