Balk or not?

[ozzy6900]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

Here's my answer from yesterday's thread on this very topic:

This comes up on the boards from time to time. If the foot or knee moves toward third or towards the "balance point" (coach speak), then F1 is committed to throw to the base being faced, home or second -- he can't throw to the base behind him (first, for a RH pitcher).

I'm not buying it either!

If a RHP raises his leg and goes with continuous motion to first, he is clean. In order to do that, F1 has to start turning toward the 45 foot line while he is raising his free foot. That rarely happens because pitchers are not trained correctly.

The balk occurs when F1 raises his leg and hesitates or stops (which is what most youth pitchers try to get away with). There is no question here. My problem comes when people try to put ridiculous restrictions on a RHP while letting the LHP get away with murder (and you all know what I am talking about)! As long as the RHP is moving and turning, he okay.

[bigda65]

Ozzy help me out,

Are you saying that with R1 and RHP from set, lifts his knee (lets say above waist high) in a continuous motion, then spins to first and throws, this is not a balk?

[charliej47]

I'll use the definition given to be at the clinics I have gone to. The Foot Must Gain Ground!

Having said this, if he raises his NPT in a step toward 1st base, then he is going. If he does anything else it is a balk.

He can raise his leg and have the knee pointing toward 2nd and he can pitch or go to 2nd.

If after he has raised his knee, he goes to 3rd, it is a balk.