Quote:
Originally Posted by bob jenkins
(Note that I'm NOT saying that I agree with these decisions, just explaining what I think is FED's rationale.)
1) There shouldn't be any difference between what's legal and not depending on whether runners are on base.
2) No idea, but I don't think it makes a practical difference.
3) To reduce umpire and coach / player confusion
4) To stop coaches from pretending to windup and then picking off a runner. Too many umpires wouldn't be able to tell the difference between the start of a pitch and the motion to throw to a base.
(Many of the differences are an attempt to develop the rules for the lowest-common-denominator of umpire and coach.)
And, for Mr. Tyler -- czechvar is a beer.
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I have to disagree with #4. Start of a pitch would be stepping back with the free foot. Stepping back with the pivot foot and then going through the wind up gets you a balk, as would starting the wind up then throwing to a base. That's either a motion that resembles the start of a pitch or it is the motion starting the pitch. The situation in quesiton would simply be a step toward a base with the free foot. The balk would prevent them from pretending to start a pitch and then throwing to a base.
What's there that would confuse an umpire? If a pitcher is in the windup position and steps off with his free foot we don't get confused. Same thing in my book.