Balk or Legal

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

Sure... I get your point.

But he said that he "moves hands..." and "simultaneously steps off" ... so the moving hands does not occur "while touching the plate".

Then wouldn't it be a balk for simulating a pitching motion while not touching the plate?

But, like Rich, I don't get the "rocks back" part and the set position. Maybe it was really the wind-up. Or, it was a windup move from the set position.

[BoomerSooner]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

Then wouldn't it be a balk for simulating a pitching motion while not touching the plate?

But, like Rich, I don't get the "rocks back" part and the set position. Maybe it was really the wind-up. Or, it was a windup move from the set position.

I contemplated the not touching the plate argument when I initially replied, but in my mind I pictured the upper body movement occurring slightly before stepping off. In fairness to the OP, if the act was undeniably simultaneous, then I think the first part of Bob's response still makes this a balk.

To further elaborate on how I pictured this, and maybe to answer the how does a pitcher "rock back" from the set position, I pictured a pitcher that turns his shoulders or moves his hands away from his body or even backward before lifting his free foot. It isn't something you see often and it looks awkward. When I have it is usually with pitchers that have more of a sidearm delivery. Again, that is just what I pictured and regardless, I interpreted the OP's description "moves hands like starting to go home" as him making a judgement that the movement was a "motion naturally associated with his pitch". Whether touching or not touching the plate, this is a balk. Had the OP just said moved his hands and not included the phrase "like starting to go home", I'd be slower to make a judgement of the play.