3rd to 1st pick off

[wpiced]

Gentlemen, thank you for your responses. None of them, however explained why, as Mario #45 states, "...the foot should slide off the rubber...". I know what J/R says, and there is no such reference in American Legeon, inasmuch as they use OBR except for slide and contact concerns.

I know 8.05(c)like the back of my hand. How are you interpreting this rule to allow F-1 to slide forward off the rubber when going to third then insisting that F-1 "must throw" if he goes to first. The last sentence in the rule states, "Of course, if the pitcher STEPS OFF the rubber and then makes such a move, it is not a balk" Since disengaging is CLEARLY defind in 8.01, why would anyone assume that R-1's foot "should slide off the rubber..." in front of the plate in a 3 to 1 pickoff play. If it is a move only the third base, I can understand the notion.


By the way, I called the balk for a sloppy, all-in-one motion to first from third, not the lack of feinted throw to 3rd or the foot sliding forward off the rubber. Reading the rule tells me that the call was correct.