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Originally Posted by rei
Errrrrrr....As I recall, you may only disengage from the rubber by stepping BACKWARDS from it. Otherwise, the rule is pretty clear that his non-pivot foot must step directly towards the bag as the first move.
So, he can step BACK, but not sideways with the pivot foot.
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Don't have a rule book handy with me, but I do believe it to be quite specific on how a pitcher is supposed to disengage the rubber. Our rules guy is very, very good and has never demonstrated what Tim C. has described as the "Maddox Move". If your talking balks in MLB, they are lenient with some pitchers and their moves. I will on occasion see a variation to the move, but it is more of a spin on the pivot foot, step and throw to the base. I never hear any complaints and consider it a move from the rubber.
Heck if you can balk by taking signs off the rubber in FED, a move such as this would surely constitute a balk.