RHP pickoff at first

[bzydadof2]

You have emphasized my point. I spent 20 minutes during the first discussion and spent another half an hour after the game trying to get the umpire to show me what pickoff could be done with out lifting the non-pivot foot. I was then told that because a RHP's toes are always pointing towards third, that when he pitches his toes will go towards home so when he tries a pickoff move to first without stepping his toe will pass the plane to home plate and is therefore a pitch delivery motion.

My reply was that the ump was trying to rationalize with a very poor excuse and had a poor interpretation of the pitching rules.

I have received of statements from other umps agreeing with that statement. It is perplexing, because I have been trained differently but now the umpire in charge of the association is mandating that this is a balk. It's my players that suffer because I teach them the correct way of keeping runners close and they get called for balks.

Any other information that someone could provide would be useful.

Thanks