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Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve
Once upon a time, in this very forum, in the not-so-distant past, there was a discussion in which it was argued quite successfully that when the rule book says "You shall" do something, it is intimating that to do otherwise is contrary to the rule.
"The pitcher shall" naturally infers that the converse of this act "shall not" be done. It means that if the pitcher is going to take a sign (which is not required, BTW), it must be done while on the rubber. It is not an option to take his signs off the rubber. That is just convoluted logic (no offense to your buddy DeNucci). Just because something isn't spelled out for you doesn't make it legal. That is why the rule is there, to prevent the pitcher from getting his sign and then stepping on and going right away, which may result in a quick pitch.
Here is the way the rule breaks down:
FED: The pitcher must take his sign from the "catcher" while on the pitcher's plate. PENALTY: ball/balk (6-1-1 Pen) Source: BRD
This actually really does mean, "The pitcher must not take his signs (if he receives any) from off the pitcher's plate." There is no need to write this down, as most intelligent human beings understand right from wrong without having to be shown every instance of it.
In OBR it is listed as a "don't do that" pitching infraction, and not subject in and of itself to a penalty. But if I see a pitcher peering in as if getting a sign while off the rubber, followed by a snap throw to first on a pickoff attempt, I'm with Garth...I'm balking this guy.
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I'm sorry, but this backward logic is nonsense. Everyone here knows that part of the intent of this rule is to prevent quickpitching. In fact, this is the rule pointed to when you balk a quick pitch. By your backward logic above (and your explicit statements that taking a sign is not required, despite the fact that the rules say the pitcher shall do exactly that), if a sign is not required, then this rule does not, in fact, prevent quick pitching. The fact that it DOES illustrates why this logic is incorrect.
A rule that states that a player shall or must do something does not automatically mean that he must not or shall not do something else. The rules do not state that it is a balk is the pitcher takes signs from off the rubber - it simply states that he must, in fact, take signs from ON the rubber.