Balk - Preliminary Motion

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by johnnyg08

Hi fellas,
(Assume all situations have runners on base)
What are all of the situations that you consider preliminary motion for a pitcher? Just one example, if a pitcher is on the rubber and drops the ball is it ALWAYS a balk? Other prelim motions?

The first part of your question makes no sense to me -- and "dropping the ball" is not a "preliminary motion."

That said, if the ball is dropped and crosses the foul line, it's a ball.

If the ball is dropped and does not cross the foul line, it's a balk with runners on base and "nothing" with no runners on base.

(The OBR and NCAA wording is a little strange -- the word "Dropped" in the rule implies that the ball does not cross the foul line -- as a dropped ball would never do. A "slipped pitch" might or might bot cross the foul line -- but the rule is the same for a dropped ball or for a slipped pitch.)