Legal or Illegal Pitch?

[scottbono]

R3 is attempting to steal home;the pitcher steps off the rubber to throw home. The catcher reaches towards the ball and the batter swings at which he hits the catcher. Dead ball: Illegal Pitch, Award BR first and return R3?

[mcrowder]

Originally Posted by scottbono

R3 is attempting to steal home;the pitcher steps off the rubber to throw home. The catcher reaches towards the ball and the batter swings at which he hits the catcher. Dead ball: Illegal Pitch, Award BR first and return R3?

Where do I start....

Not illegal pitch. (Not a pitch at all - a throw from a fielder to another fielder).

What do you call it when an offensive player hinders the defensive player's ability to catch a thrown ball?

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by scottbono

R3 is attempting to steal home;the pitcher steps off the rubber to throw home. The catcher reaches towards the ball and the batter swings at which he hits the catcher. Dead ball: Illegal Pitch, Award BR first and return R3?

Caution.

If he legally stepped off it MAY br OK.

But if his motion makes it look like a pitch he may have violated

8.05 If there is a runner, or runners, it is a balk when --
(g) The pitcher makes any motion naturally associated with his pitch while he is not touching the pitcher’s plate;

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

Caution.

If he legally stepped off it MAY br OK.

But if his motion makes it look like a pitch he may have violated

8.05 If there is a runner, or runners, it is a balk when --
(g) The pitcher makes any motion naturally associated with his pitch while he is not touching the pitcher’s plate;

Don't read more into the post than what is written. As soon as F1 removes his foot from the rubber, he becomes a fielder and the throw home becomes a legitimate play at HP on R3. The only ruling in this situation is interference on the part of the batter.

Depending on the number of outs either batter or runner are out.

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by BigGuy

Don't read more into the post than what is written. As soon as F1 removes his foot from the rubber, he becomes a fielder and the throw home becomes a legitimate play at HP on R3. The only ruling in this situation is interference on the part of the batter.

Depending on the number of outs either batter or runner are out.

So we just ignore 8.05(g)?

Where does it say we should do that?

It actually got called a balk against Ramiro Mendoza (Red Sox) in a game against the Yankees. He stepped back then went through his normal from-set motion.

[LMan]

Then he deserved the balk. Who (among sentient beings) disengages legally, then does a wind-up before he tries to cut down a runner at the plate?

[scarolinablue]

Originally Posted by BigGuy

Don't read more into the post than what is written. As soon as F1 removes his foot from the rubber, he becomes a fielder and the throw home becomes a legitimate play at HP on R3. The only ruling in this situation is interference on the part of the batter.

Depending on the number of outs either batter or runner are out.

I disagree. If the motion by the pitcher resembles his normal pitching motion, even if he's stepped off the rubber, he could be called for a balk. If he was in the set position, stepped off, and then lifted his non-pivot foot similar to his normal delivery, this could confuse the batter, who would then be justified in swinging at the "pitch".

Otherwise, as you've said above...interference on the batter. Guess you'd HTBT in the OP sitch.

[GarthB]

Originally Posted by scarolinablue

I disagree. If the motion by the pitcher resembles his normal pitching motion, even if he's stepped off the rubber, he could be called for a balk. If he was in the set position, stepped off, and then lifted his non-pivot foot similar to his normal delivery, this could confuse the batter, who would then be justified in swinging at the "pitch".

Otherwise, as you've said above...interference on the batter. Guess you'd HTBT in the OP sitch.

I'll have to support Bigguy here. Reading the OP as written, and without making something out of it that it isn't, we see that the pitcher stepped off and threw the ball home. He didn't pitch it. There is a difference between a throw and a pitch and unless the original poster changes his story, this not a balk.

Yes, Rich, unless the poster tell us that the pitcher threw in a manner that resembled his pitching delivery, we ignore 8.05 (g). It doesn't come into play.

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by GarthB

I'll have to support Bigguy here. Reading the OP as written, and without making something out of it that it isn't, we see that the pitcher stepped off and threw the ball home. He didn't pitch it. There is a difference between a throw and a pitch and unless the original poster changes his story, this not a balk.

Yes, Rich, unless the poster tell us that the pitcher threw in a manner that resembled his pitching delivery, we ignore 8.05 (g). It doesn't come into play.

Darn guys, all I said was that there might be a condition when it was a balk. Shouldn't people be aware of that? Or would you rather explain it to some angry coach that read here that it wasn't?


BTW Garth, your simple "Why?" post seems to have blocked follow up posts, at least on my computer.

[GarthB]

Originally Posted by SAump

Why not balk, award R3 home and allow batter to resume with previous count?

I'd love to spend the time answering all this, with references, but to be honest, a little while I go, the missus and I went out into the hot tub with an excellent bottle of Syrah and the last thing I want to do right now is spend what little concentration skills I have left on supplying you with information you could find yourself.

Good night.