NFHS Rules:

R1, pitcher has his pivot foot on the rubber, has taken signs and begins to come to set...but stops. Does not step off the rubber, or throw, or anything. Is this a balk?

Basically, is this be a balk before coming to a set, or do we let him re-start without penalty?

If he didn't come to set, nothing wrong here.

From your description, I don't see an issue. Since pitchers have to stop and he stopped, I would consider him set as long as his hands are together. No problem unless he is set illegally (e.g., hands too high, not in front of his body).

He can throw to 1B, step off, or pitch. If he continues his "preliminary motion" and stops again, balk him.

But you say he did none of these things. What did he do? He's not still there like that, is he?

What he did was begin to bring his hands together, then stop the motion. His non-pivot foot pulled up along side his pivot foot but before his hands came together, he stopped and separated his feet again, returning the ball to behind his back.

If you have a hard time picturing this, which I do when I read my own babblings, basically he began to come to a set, then stopped and returned to his "pre-set" stance.

This is a balk. See 6.1.3C

blueump,

I completely agree with bob jenkins' statement that this a balk.

It would have also been a balk if, after taking the rubber and getting his signs, he had started to go from "stretch" to "set" and stopped <b>before</b> bringing his hands together.

Once he starts to go from stretch to set, he must do so "<i>without interruption and in one continuous motion</i>".

JM

in oba
 

I see talk about continuous and uninterupted, but I see no penalty discussed. {8.01.} So I see a Don't do that here.

Re: in oba
 

iirc, it's one of the "known errors" -- that is, you can't find a specific reference, but it is a balk.