See a Balk?

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by Robert E. Harrison

On a jump turn the pivot foot does not normally land behind the rubber. The rule states that the pitcher cannot drop the ball will in contact with the rubber. Bob is equating contact/noncontact with engage/disengage. Am I looking at this correctly?

You're thinking of the rule backwards. The intent of the balk rule is to restrict the deception that the pitcher may use. From the set position with runners on base, he may legally do 1 of 3 things once engaged:

1. Pitch to the batter
2. Step and throw (or feint) to a base
3. Step off

That's it. By interpretation, once engaged F1 remains engaged until he has legally done one of these 3 things.

That said, I agree with Bob: balk if the pivot foot is obviously in the air when the ball hits the ground, benefit of the doubt to F1. A botched "jump-spin" is a balk.