is this a balk?

[coastratdog]

runner on 1st and 3rd. pitcher makes a legal move to 3rd, steps off the rubber and turns to throw to 1st. runner at first advances to 2nd. pitcher does not throw to first but to 2nd to get the advancing runner. is this a balk?

thanks

tjc

[Rich]

Originally Posted by coastratdog

runner on 1st and 3rd. pitcher makes a legal move to 3rd, steps off the rubber and turns to throw to 1st. runner at first advances to 2nd. pitcher does not throw to first but to 2nd to get the advancing runner. is this a balk?

thanks

tjc

No. Since F1 disengaged on his feint to third, he is now an infielder and can throw (or feint) anywhere.

[Huskerblue]

No balk here. I had this exact same play happen in a college game on Wednesday. Turned into a snowball fight and everybody was safe. Runner from 1st ends up on 3rd. And there was one Pi$$ed off coach. He made some quote about "joining the circus" or something to his team. It was kind of funny.

[bossman72]

remember, in OBR, if F1 does the first to third move without moving his foot off the rubber, it's a balk. legal in FED.

although i've never seen the first to third without his pivot foot coming off

[canadaump6]

A couple years ago when I was pitching in house league I would try this move once every game. It always fooled the runner and we had him dead to rights every time. Of course I screwed up the throw a couple of times, but other times we got the runner out.

A guy on my current team refuses to do that move because it's "bush league". I dunno why he would say that; if the fake to third, throw to first retires a base runner, why not do it?

[Ump29]

Also had a pitcher on my team do this when I was coaching. Worked almost every time. Perfectly legal. No balk. A few times R1 would get back without tag. Only times it did not work.