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Originally Posted by Tim C
IF there are runners on base and the pitcher is in contact with the pitcher's plate (matters not set or windup) and he goes to his mouth it is STILL a balk. (i.e.in Fed it is "the start of the pitching motion.")
The ONLY change FED is trying to define (and I admit freely they, YET AGAIN wrote the rule poorly) is to say if a pitcher, with no one on, goes to his mouth and does not wipe off -- it is a ball.
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It has not been explained that way here. If a pitcher is on the rubber and goes to his mouth it's a BALL, regardless of whether we have runners, or if he wipes afterward.
If he is in contact with the rubber with runner on, has his hands together and separates to go to his mouth, it's a balk, not becuase he went to his mouth but because he separated his hands after coming set.
It is clear FED wants to be more lenient with pitchers who go to their mouth, but why I don't know.