Third to first pickoff

[David Emerling]

Originally posted by Dave Hensley
It's a balk because the throw to first is not a "direct" step and throw from the rubber - there was a detour from direct when the feint to 3B was made.

Emerling is out to lunch on claiming the impossibility or the now dialed back "bizarreness" of a 3rd to 1st move made without breaking contact. It's common enough that the FED saw fit to explicitly allow the move, even though FED rules also require a direct step to a base being feinted/thrown to.

Put your foot in a rut in front of a 24-inch piece of rubber pointing 180-degrees from a direction toward which you will ultimately throw.

Step 180-degrees AWAY from that direction with the other foot and then "turn" and throw behind you -BUT- keep that right foot in contact with the rubber the whole time.

See you in the Emergency Room!

At best, you're going to have to do a little hop to get that foot out of the rut so you can turn it. That, alone, will break contact with the rubber, even if the foot ultimately comes back down ON the rubber - which is unlikely as it will almost always end up in FRONT of the rubber.

This maneuver is possible IF the foot is placed directly on top of the rubber - which I've never seen a pitcher do; or, there is virtually no hole in front of the rubber - which might happen on a perfectly groomed mound in the first inning.

Otherwise, I'll stand by my point.

David Emerling
Memphis, TN