Short answer, basically the pitcher is allowed to lift his non-pivot foot to pitch or step and throw to a base (or fake a throw if it's second or third). Since bringing his leg up doesn't in and of itself doesn't commit him to do either, until he makes another movement that commits his to pitch or throw to a base he is legal. As long as he doesn't pause.
Quote:
Originally posted by Matthew F
OBR 8.05 (b) The Set Position... From such Set Position he may deliver the ball to the batter, throw to a base or step backward off the pitcher's plate with his pivot foot... (c) At any time during the pitcher's preliminary movements and until his natural pitching motion commits him to the pitch, he may throw to any base provided he steps directly toward such base before making the throw. The pitcher shall step "ahead of the throw." A snap throw followed by the step directly toward the base is a balk.
If a pitcher disengages the rubber by stepping slow, high and exaggerated in one motion, why is that illegal and deceptive when a LHP can step slow, high and exaggerated (when attempting a pickoff at 1B) and that is not considered illegal and deceptive?
I understand the interpretation that the high step is not considered "backward". Why isn't the LHP high step interpreted the same way when the rules specifically say "toward"? Heck, the rule even uses an adverb (directly) for clarification when no such consideration is given to clarify the backward step to disengage the mound?!?
I'm trying to wrap my head around this, so any thoughtful responses are welcome.
|
__________________
Well I am certainly wiser than this man. It is only too likely that neither of us has any knowledge to boast of; but he thinks that he knows something which he does not know, whereas I am quite conscious of my ignorance. At any rate it seems that I am wiser than he is to this small extent, that I do not think that I know what I do not know. ~Socrates
|