balk - toes don't point to the base

[_Bruno_]

LHP lifts his leg and steps to 1stbase (45° angle) but his toes point towards homeplate as if he was pitching. is this a balk ?

[johnnyg08]

doesn't matter where the toe is pointing

[jdmara]

Originally Posted by johnnyg08

doesn't matter where the toe is pointing

Agreed! You can't give an advantage to the pigeon-toed LHP

[ozzy6900]

So if LHP F1's free foot and entire body heads toward 1st base, you are going to balk him because his toes are not pointing to 1st? I cannot decide which is harder, to picture this move or believe it would be balked.

[umpjim]

How can you pick off the guy behind you if your foot has to point in that direction. I'm starting to picture "The Exorcism" but the foot is spinning instead.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by _Bruno_

LHP lifts his leg and steps to 1stbase (45° angle) but his toes point towards homeplate as if he was pitching. is this a balk ?

If the rest of the move is legal, then where the toes are pointing is of no consequence.

As a practical matter, where the toes are pointing can help the umpire decide whether there was a motion to the plate before the throw, or to where the step was made.