R2, pitcher in set position, R2 breaks for third.

a) Pitcher steps with his free foot toward the runner to begin to chase him.

or

b) Pitcher steps with his pivot foot toward the runner to begin to chase him.

Are these balks? If this is a "judgment" call, what is being judged?

If I'm reading this right, and in both cases the pitcher had to step to the back side of the rubber to pursue R2, then it is not a balk in both cases.

In situation (b), the pitcher legally disengaged the rubber, so no balk.

In situation (a), the pitcher is deemed to have stepped either toward 2B or 3B under the 45-degree rule of thumb. OBR and NFHS permits the pitcher to throw, and presumably step toward, and unoccupied base for the purpose of making a play on a runner. Relatedly, the PBUC Manual says it is not a balk for a pitcher to step toward 2B and, discovering the fielder has not covered the throw, throw to a fielder not at the base. To me, therefore, this is no balk.

In (a), once the free foot breaks the back plane of the rubber, the pitcher must step either to 2B or deliver the pitch to home. He cannot throw, feint, or step to 3B. If judged that his free foot broke the back plane of the rubber and landed more toward 3rd than toward 2nd, it would be a balk. However, it would take a rather refined eye in a 2 man crew to pick that up before the chase.

In (b), assuming his pivot foot went back off the rubber and not off either end of the rubber, there would be no balk.


Just my opinion,

Freix