Hi Manny, glad to see you here at umpireforum. How have you been?
This is one of my pet peeves, this shoulder-turn business. Here in my area, it seems all the umpires know is that a turn of the shoulders is a balk. That's all they seem to know. So they wait, and when they see the tiniest bit of movement, they're right there to call that balk.
Your assessment of why the shoulder-turn is a balk is correct. It can constitute a feint or fake to first.
But the turn must be significant. Simply an incidental turn of the shoulder as the pitcher looks over at first base is not a balk. Sadly, that's what the guys in my area call a balk - this little incidental shoulder-turn.
If the pitcher turns a considerable amount, and then turns back, he has balked.
If the pitcher turns rapidly or uses jerky movements, he has balked.
But if his shoulders turn just a little bit, then that ain't a balk. There is no requirement that the pitcher remain absolutely still.
Sincerely,
Jim Porter
P.S. It doesn't matter which way the pitcher turns to look. A feint or a fake is a feint or a fake.
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