Balk
 

OBR. Bases loaded. Pitcher in windup with both feet on the rubber. He touches his hat before he starts his motion. Umpire calls balk. Is this correct?


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If his hands were joined, and he separated his hands (to touch his hat) and didn't continue a motion to pitch, then it's a balk.

Right. Once his hands are together, I expect him to disengage legally if he wants to adjust his cap.

Thanks.
I was not too sure about that one.

Red added at least in OBR.

If a pitcher in the windup position reaches up to adjust his cap, or scratch his ear, or brush away a bug, I have nothing UNLESS the motion I see can be construed as the beginning of his pitching motion. The movement of his arm alone would not cause me to call a balk. In the windup position.

JJ

Similar to the pitcher momentarily breaking his hands to quickly adjust the ball in his glove?

I don't think you "momentarily break" your hands to adjust the ball -- I think you "momentarily join" the hands to adjust the ball. And, it's not what I was talking about above.

I'm visualizing the pitcher on the rubber, looking in for the sign or just standing on the rubber BEFORE bringing his hands together at the beginning of his windup (in other words, standing there with his hands apart), and then he reaches up to adjust his hat (or scratch his ear, or brush away a bug).
I would not automatically call a balk.

JJ

I agree, that's not a balk.

I was envisioning the pitcher standing there, with his hands together (more than needed to momentarily adjust the ball), either before or after getting the sign, and then reaches up to adjust his hat (or scratch his ear, or brush away a bug).
That is a balk.

Agreed. Once he brings his hand together he'd better either start his motion or step off. Separating his hands would be a balk.

JJ

Not a balk
 

What rule set are you using? This is legal in FED, as long as the movement is "not associated with the pitch."

See Casebook 6.1.2 Situation D.

Look at situation F. Once the hands are together (and not just to momentarily adjust the ball), he can disengage or pitch. That's it.

I was assuming OBR, as specified in the OP. This particular ruling, though, is (substantially) the same.

In the case you cite, we must assume that the hands were not yet joined, otherwise the separation would be a "movement associated with the pitch."

See also rule 2-Pitch where "any movement" after the hands are joined is the TOP.