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Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve
David,
I was responding to mbyron's post, not any of yours. But now I must disagree with your use of the word "disengaged" in this case. Simply breaking contact is not disengaged. Not in FED, not in NCAA, not in OBR. That is why the term "break contact" is used, and is required before throwing to 1st base on the play. The pitcher is not necessarily considered off the rubber just because he feints to 3rd. He must actually, physically break contact, or else he will balk if he throws to 1st.
I also disagree with you that once he feints to 3rd from the rubber, he's not a pitcher but an infielder. No, because he did not disengage from the rubber by stepping backward with his pivot foot. That is the only proper disengagement. That is why, if from the rubber, he steps toward 3rd, throws, the ball goes into DBT, that the award is only one base. If he then subsequently breaks contact with the rubber, then he is considered an infielder, but not until.
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I probably didn't make myself clear enough.
In my view, there are THREE things that cause a pitcher to become an infielder while in contact with the rubber.
The pitcher becomes a fielder immediately after he ...
1.) Steps
BACK off the rubber
2.) Makes a play on a runner. Either a pickoff attempt or a feint.
3.) Legally delivers the ball toward the batter.
So, when I say that the pitcher becomes "disengaged" from the rubber after making a fake to 3rd, that is just my way of say, "He might as
well be disengaged," because it has the same effect as stepping BACK off the rubber.
True, it is probably a poor way of saying it.
Again, I acknowledge that FED doesn't see it this way.
Under FED rules, if the pitcher makes a fake toward 3rd, and in the process, breaks contact with the rubber, then turns toward 1st and throws the ball into dead-ball territory, the base award is
two bases. This indicates that FED considers a legal disengagement to be something
other than stepping straight back.
David Emerling
Memphis, TN