Quote:
Originally posted by joemoore
I was hoping for a rule reference, authoritative opinion, or at least an explanation of why it is considered deception.
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First of all, the balk rule is designed to prevent pitchers from taking unfair advantage of the runners. Although some of the balk rules are there to prevent illegal deception (on or astride without the ball), some are penal (quick-pitching), and others are mechanical just like the one you're asking about.
No other rules have gone through such drastic changes as pitching rules throughout the history of baseball. At one time, pitchers threw underhand. At another time, pitchers were allowed a running start. Windmill wind-ups, legal spitballers, and freak deliveries of every kind have seen their days in our National Pasttime.
Around the turn of the 20th Century, and again in the 1920's, rulesmakers sought to conventionalize pitching mechanics. They wanted to end those freak deliveries and sly, underhanded moves. As a result, there are rules today that are purely mechanical in nature. The one you're referring to simply requires the pitcher to step back with his pivot foot to legally disengage from the rubber. It sets a convention that can be expected by the offense every time a pitcher disengages. Without such a convention, pitchers would disengage in many different ways, and runners would be stumped.