FED rules, NFHS Baseball ?Guide 2006 makes this statement "A pitcher may go to his mouth on the mound (not on the rubber), but must wipe that hand before it touches the ball".

6-2-1e states illgal acts include: "bringing the pitching hand in contact with the mouth without distinctly wiping off the pitching hand before it touches the ball".

6-2-4c states that this act is a balk with runners.

Question: Pitcher is on rubber, goes to mouth, but wipes it before touching ball. Balk? Pitcher has not started his pitching motion and he has wiped before contact with ball.

If he wipes his hand off before he touches the ball it's nothing.


Tim.

Could be wrong here, but I believe I have a Balk in FED if he goes to his mouth while on the rubber with runners on base. I also have a Balk if he adjusts his cap or anything else while on the rubber with runners on base.

You're right. I read it quickly and just had F1 on the dirt.


Tim.

SMO, you have everything you need right there. as far as i can see.

according to Baseball Guide it is clear, but it is not clear in baseball rules book.

I know that pitching regs begin when he addresses the rubber, but does this imply that he cannot do anything (ie. use his sleeve to wipe the sweat off of his brow) even if he has not assumed the windup position? If so, then when he addresses the rubber he only has two actions: legally step back from rubbber with pivot or begin his delivery. Correct??

The rule book is unclear about being in contact with the rubber, but the Case Book gives a clear indication that the pitcher may not go to his mouth while in contact with his plate.

Once more, I have never called, or seen called a balk for adjusting a cap, or wiping sweat. That seems rather OOO to me. JMO.

[goute/]I know that pitching regs begin when he addresses the rubber, but does this imply that he cannot do anything (ie. use his sleeve to wipe the sweat off of his brow) even if he has not assumed the windup position? If so, then when he addresses the rubber he only has two actions: legally step back from rubbber with pivot or begin his delivery. Correct??[/quote]

Balks are called for what reason, to prevent the pitcher from gaining an unfair advantage on the runner(s) and/or the batter.

So how would the pitcher well on the pitcher plate adjusting his uniform or hat gain an advantage? (Yes I know you can pull plays out that would but you’d never see.) The rule is in the books for those one and a million plays.

gobama,

This is NOT a balk. Why would you think it is?

JM

We're talking FED here coach. That's why.

FED Casebook 6.1.2

F1, while on the pitcher's plate in either the windup or set position, (a) ajusts his cap or (b) shakes off the signal with his glove....

<B>RULING</B>In (a) or (b), this is an illegal pitch or a <B>Balk</B> if there are runners on base.

Garth,

I had understood those proscriptions to apply only after the pitcher had assumed a legal pitching position. That is, hands together (Set or Windup) or moving both hands simultaneously (Windup). Is that not correct?

JM

According to FED clincians and an email from national, technically, no, that is not correct.

Hopefully, however, common sense prevails in most games.

It's still OOO to call a balk for wiping sweat, adusting cap, shaking off signs with glove, or whathaveyou. If the pitcher doesn't know which foot to step off with, balk. If he doesn't come to a stop, balk. But I'm not about to start balking pitchers for wiping the sweat off their faces, and no umpire I know that is worth his salt would either.

Steve, Steve, Steve . . .
 

" . . . no umpire worth his salt . . . "

Steve, people can have thoughts different than yours and still be a very good umpire.

You are starting to sound more like me all the time . . . that should scare you.

Tee, Tee, Tee,

And once again I am misquoted. The actual quotation should read, ". . .no umpire I know that is worth his salt. . ."

See the difference?

This means that I have never heard of or seen an umpire that I know ever call this.

I did not mean to infer that anyone who called these things a balk was a bad umpire. I simply meant that in my neck of the woods, it just ain't done. We play baseball.;)