The pitcher can lift his foot up enough to clear the rubber and set it down. Obviously the leg has to be up 3"-6" before stepping back. If he brings it up in a manner suggesting that he is lifting his leg up like he would when he is pitching, it's a balk.
Quote:
Originally posted by Matthew F
Quote:
Originally posted by Kaliix
The description in 8.01 (b) says the pitcher may "...step backward off the pitchers plate with his pivot foot."
Bringing the pivot foot up is NOT stepping backward off the pitchers plate. Additionally, since the pivot foot has now disengaged, you could argue that he is making a motion naturally associated with his pitch.
In any event, it seems like a balk to me.
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I see some grey area here and we also have some varying opinions, so I'm going to play devil's advocate..
The pivot foot must be lifted up (direction) before it goes back (direction), else how would a pitcher get his/her foot out of the hole in front of the rubber to the area behind the rubber?
So... to what degree of lifting the pivot foot do you allow before moving the foot back? 1 inch? 1 foot? Does speed of the disengagement factor in?
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Tue May 24, 2005, 09:29pm
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