How long to stop?

[TussAgee11]

Why are we debating the word "stop"?

A stop is when there is no motion over any interval of time (it can be .000001 theoretically).

So, if at some point everything stops moving, he has met the requirements of the rule.

Its really simple... don't over think it.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by TussAgee11

Why are we debating the word "stop"?

A stop is when there is no motion over any interval of time (it can be .000001 theoretically).

So, if at some point everything stops moving, he has met the requirements of the rule.

Its really simple... don't over think it.

Absolutely.

If you can tell he stopped, he did. If you can't tell he stopped, he didn't.

[justanotherblue]

As long as his hands have stopped before his lower body begins, he has stopped for all intense and purpose of the rule.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by justanotherblue

As long as his hands have stopped before his lower body begins, he has stopped for all intense and purpose of the rule.

No, he hasn't.

[TussAgee11]

Originally Posted by justanotherblue

As long as his hands have stopped before his lower body begins, he has stopped for all intense and purpose of the rule.

First off, those are some pretty serious purposes you must be talking about

Secondly, I disagree completely. You would not balk a kid if his hands stopped at his chest, but his shoulders kept turning, and then the lower body started?

Making up rules... catches up with you pretty quick.

[JJ]

I will say that the NCAA places a LOT more emphasis on "complete stop" than does MLB. When I watch a pro game I regularly see what I would balk in a college game.

JJ

[justanotherblue]

Originally Posted by TussAgee11

First off, those are some pretty serious purposes you must be talking about

Secondly, I disagree completely. You would not balk a kid if his hands stopped at his chest, but his shoulders kept turning, and then the lower body started?

Making up rules... catches up with you pretty quick.

Sorry obviously a concept your not ready to grasp just as yet. Not making up any rules, just a concept taught by the best at his school and video.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by TussAgee11

Secondly, I disagree completely. You would not balk a kid if his hands stopped at his chest, but his shoulders kept turning, and then the lower body started?

Of course justanotherblue didn't mean this. He meant that the pitcher had better come to a stop (which is not just his hands, but his whole body) before he lifts his kick leg. Pitchers are all the time trying to beat the rule by starting up with the leg while the hands are still on their way to the set position. Any turning of the shoulders once the pitchers hands come to a stop is of course a balk.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

Of course justanotherblue didn't mean this. He meant that the pitcher had better come to a stop (which is not just his hands, but his whole body) before he lifts his kick leg. Pitchers are all the time trying to beat the rule by starting up with the leg while the hands are still on their way to the set position. Any turning of the shoulders once the pitchers hands come to a stop is of course a balk.

How the hell did you get that out of what he said? He made an unequivocal statement that had nothing to do with anything other than hands and lower body.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by Matt

How the hell did you get that out of what he said? He made an unequivocal statement that had nothing to do with anything other than hands and lower body.

Exactly my point. He (jab) said nothing about what Tuss was attributing to his statement. Justanotherblue was saying that the pitcher must stop before raising his kick leg, and that statement, by itself is quite true.

Reading is still fundamental.

[TussAgee11]

Originally Posted by justanotherblue

As long as his hands have stopped before his lower body begins, he has stopped for all intense and purpose of the rule.

Explain then how this is fully meeting the rule...

"The pitcher, following his stretch, must (a) hold the ball in both hands in front of his body and (b) come to a complete stop." (8.01b, OBR)

Where in that does it say all that has to stop are his hands? He can stop his hands, then waggle his hips, then stop again, then have his lower body begin?

Perhaps you can clear up what you mean.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by TussAgee11

Explain then how this is fully meeting the rule...

"The pitcher, following his stretch, must (a) hold the ball in both hands in front of his body and (b) come to a complete stop." (8.01b, OBR)

Where in that does it say all that has to stop are his hands? He can stop his hands, then waggle his hips, then stop again, then have his lower body begin?

Perhaps you can clear up what you mean.

While jab's statement is over-reaching and not literally correct, it is correct in most situations. Most of the time, F1 comes set by lowering his joined hands while the rest of the body is still. He then starts his motion by raising the non-pivot foot. If the raising happens before the hands stop, it's a balk. If the hands stop first, it's legal.

In the .001% of the time whare this isn't F1's move, the comment doesn't apply.

The Evans balk video contains an example of this.

[TussAgee11]

Bob, I agree that this is one way to see if F1 balks or not. Certainly the typical "no stop" balk happens when the lower body goes before the hands are stopped.

My point is to eliminate the confusion on why this is a balk. It is not a balk because the legs went before the hands were stopped (that is not in the rule book). It is a balk because the set position was not obtained by the pitcher because he did not come to a complete stop before pitching.

Saying that if he stops his hands before his legs go he is completely legal no matter what is incorrect and may be misleading to new umpires who read here...

As always, just my 2 cents.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by TussAgee11

Saying that if he stops his hands before his legs go he is completely legal no matter what is incorrect and may be misleading to new umpires who read here...

That is the point. He did not say "no matter what." He gave one example. That the pitcher must come set before he lifts his non-pivot foot (kick leg). He must. It's part of the requirement to come to a complete stop. If he lifts his leg first, then he hasn't stopped, now has he? It's not the only requirement, but as Bob said, it is generally enough to satisfy the rule. You don't see too many pitchers wiggling around with their bodies as you described. Just doesn't happen.