right! Thanks... this has really been bothering us with everyone saying its a balk so I wanted to be clear on the answer...

Another detail of the "step off" that confuses me is the "drop the hands to the sides." I see alot of 14 year old games. Many of the pitchers step back and then snap a throw to first while set or while coming to the set position. With the hands in front at or above the belt they break their hands and throw to first. They do not "drop their hands to their sides." If they did, the step off move would be virtually useless as the delay would allow the runner to return easily. Yet I never see this called as a balk. What am I missing?

What makes you think "failing to drop their hands to the side" is a balk? (That is, where in the book is this listed as a balk?) ;)

Official Rules:

8.01
Legal pitching delivery. There are two legal pitching positions, the Windup Position and the Set Position, and either position may be used at any time. Pitchers shall take signs from the catcher while standing on the rubber. Pitchers may disengage the rubber after taking their signs but may not step quickly onto the rubber and pitch. This may be judged a quick pitch by the umpire. When the pitcher disengages the rubber, he must drop his hands to his sides.

That is talking about if he steps off and just stands there. Think about this, pitcher comes set, then steps off. He should drop his hands to his sides, in order not to confuse the batter. If the pitcher were to step off and keep his hands together, then take a step foreward with his non pivot foot, this could be considered a balk according to rule 8.05 (g).

8.05
If there is a runner, or runners, it is a balk when (g) The pitcher makes any motion naturally associated with his pitch while he is not touching the pitcher's plate;

I certainly agree that the phrase "drop his hands..." comes in the context of the quick pitch rule. But elsewhere the rules are more explicit. For example, it could say "except if the pitcher throws the ball to a base." The simple declarative sentence using the word "must" seems unambiguous that dropping the hands to sides is mandatory when disengaging the rubber.

Using the rule you quoted, I cannot imagine the first few inches of movement to throw to first while straddling the rubber could be discerned to be different from the first few inches of starting a pitch, like breaking the hands and lifting the front foot. This makes such a move a balk by the rule you quoted.

I constantly coach our runners that until the pitcher comes to his "stop" in the set position the only place he can legally throw is to a base. Thus, think only "back" until the stop. Obviously, a step off with the pivot foot should also trigger the "back" response.

The intent of the balk rule seems to be to prohibit deceiving the runner, not the batter. The "step ahead of the throw" rule is negated when the pitcher is an infielder (i.e., when he is not on the rubber). It seems to me that when in one continuous motion the pitcher steps back and slings to first, his intent is to deceive the runner. The plain language of the rules requires the dropping of the hands when disengaging.

If you tell me the tradition and common law is that this rule is not interpreted as a "must" in all circumstances, so be it.

Right -- but there's no penalty listed for that.

By "tradition", it's interpreted to mean "separate the hands before re-engaging the rubber." See JEA, for example.

Literally that would be hard!
 

As Bob said there is no penalty listed.

Its dangerous to take the rules as they state.

By the above the pitcher when he steps back would have to drop his hands to his side, then he could make a move to a base etc.,

How would a pitcher make a quick move to a base, since he must drop his hands first.

We have to read the rules in the context of the paragraph, and in above they are discussing the quick pitch.

Thanks
David

OK I'll beat the dead horse a little more...The title of the paragraph is "Legal Pitch Delivery", not "Quick Pitch". The paragraph defines, among other things, the two legal pitching deliveries, not just quick pitches. The legal rules governing the interpretation of statues is that the "plain language" meaning gets highest priority. You guys are telling me that "case law" defies the plain language. This would not be the first time, as judges have interpreted the same law in opposite ways! I know you are "right" empirically because I have never found an umpire who disagrees with you. But we all know what we call a lawyer with an IQ of 40...."Your Honor".

I think the term "drop his hands" is there to make sure we call a balk if while stepping off with a legal foot he is raising his hands above his head, like he would be in making a pitching motion, which would be deceiving the runner. If he steps without dropping hands, but makes no other movement upwards with his hands, then no balk. He will eventually drop his hands after he steps off.

Separate the hands
 

The term I like to use is to separate the hands. That's what I will tell the young pitchers.

I think that's a little better and easier to understand than drop the hands.

Thanks
David

So what we've all learned is the OBR are terrible, ambiguous rules that need re-written so that they govern the game we call baseball...

You can forget actually finding anything CLEAR in the OBR...

If OBR rules were written "clearly" we'd have another rules book as thick as the FED's!

Jim Evans Balk Video
 

Invest a few bucks in a very good video from Jim Evans. It demonstrates a whole lot of the do's and don'ts and what is and what is not allowed regarding pitching and balks enforcement.

I purchased a copy to use for our local umpire training this year. Very good information. Much better than "See A Balk, Call a Balk", which I purchased a couple of years ago.
Here's the link for Jim Evans.
http://www.umpireacademy.com/tapes.html