A coach asked me this last night and I did not have a difinitive answer. Looking for help here.

Situation: R1, 2 outs, 3-2 count on the batter. R1, of course, is running on the 3-2 pitch. The pitcher comes set, picks up his not-pivot foot as normal and while the runner is advancing, pivots toward an unoccupied second base and throws to the second baseman covering second. The advancing runner is put out.

Is this a balk?

I have never, ever, seen this attempted before, but I know there has to be something in the rule book prohibiting this action.

However, the phrase in rule 6-2-4b "throwing or feinting to any unoccupied base when it IS NOT an attempt to put out or drive back a runner [is a balk]" would tell me that this play, however bush league it may be, is in fact a legal play.

Thoughts? I'm balking it unless I can confirm otherwise. (Sorry, coach...lol)

Nothing bush about it. If the non-pivot pickup, turn, and throw looked like he was picking a runner off 2B then it was a good play.

Peruvian,

Not bush. Not a balk. Good baseball by the defense. Bad baserunning by the offense in committing to 2B before the F1 committed to pitch.

JM

You answered your own question. Is the throw to 2nd an attempt to put out a runner? Yes. Then by the rule you quoted, it's not a balk.