Have you ever seen...

[midtnblu]

A RH F1, from the set position, pick up the front foot and turn (to his left) completely towards 1B and complete a pick-off throw? "Completely" meaning he stepped to the correct side of the 45 degree line that we typically use for a LH F1.

No "disengagement action" with the pivot foot, just a spin.

Legal or balk?

[Tim C]

I'll try this one:

Long answer so I say "sorry" now.

A right handed pitcher does not have to step off before throwing to first. We have the jump turn and the jab step both are which considered "from the pitcher's plate."

When a right handed F1 lifts his left foot (non-pivot foot) the very next move must be towards first base. He cannot lift his leg upwards and then spin around. That move has been defined as "two distinctive moves" and therefore a balk.

So trying to read your play:

It is completely legal for a right handed pitcher to throw to first without disengaging the pitcher's plate.

In your example you have made it sound like a very simple process -- the ONLY thing that becomes concerning on the right hander move is the judgement on just what happens AFTER the split second when he lifts the non-pivot foot.

Whew, long answer and I hope you understand my poor communiation skills.

[ChapJim]

Originally posted by Tim C

When a right handed F1 lifts his left foot (non-pivot foot) the very next move must be towards first base. He cannot lift his leg upwards and then spin around. That move has been defined as "two distinctive moves" and therefore a balk.

There's a rec league director in the area who is looking for some "symmetry" in this business of lifting the leg before stepping toward first. His point is that a left-handed pitcher is able to lift his leg (somewhat) before stepping toward first base and that a right-handed pitcher ought to be allowed a similar amount of leg lift before stepping.

Is a LHP allowed to lift his free leg more than a RHP? If so, why?

[Tim C]

We have touched on this a few times in the past:

The handedness of a pitcher does not make any difference.

A left handed pitcher and a right handed pitcher operate under one set of rules.

When someone intones: "Hey if a lefty can do it so can a righthander!" they have missed the salient point:

The rules are identical with the exception to which base they face. A right hander could use "the hanging leg" (the lefty move to first) to third as well as a left handed pitcher cannot lift his non pivot leg hang it and then turn to third.

The first movement by a righthander (to first) or a left hander (to third) must be a direct movement to that base when they have not legally disengaged.

Again, we tell our umpires: "Sometimes you just have to umpire."

Think of this as a different base and not a different set of rules.

Hope this makes sense to all.