About a month or so ago I posted a situation/question about the pitcher throwing to a player (F6) who was not close to the bag in an attempt to retire a runner. The responses basically said that it was not a balk unless it happened at first base.

Here is my new and related question. Right-handed pitcher in stretch position. Bases loaded and the runner on second has a sizeable lead, in close proximity of F6. The pitcher steps directly to 3B and throws to F6 in an attempt to tag the runner. Obviously the pitcher must step towards the base he is throwing but what about throwing to a fielder? Could this be considered a balk?

Unless the runner was, in your judgment, attempting advance toward 3B this would be a balk. Without the runner advancing, the pitcher has stepped to an unoccupied base with no attempt to retire a runner there.

Even if the runner was advancing, I'd not allow him to throw to F6 unless F6 was closer to 3B than he was to 2B. If F6 is closer to 2B, then I'd rule he threw to 2B without first stepping there.

Now, if you intend to tell me that F6 was closer to 3B than he was to 2B......
then with the runner "in close proximity of F6" I'd say the judgment should be that R2 WAS advancing. If not, it would be the best leadoff I've ever seen in baseball.

Finally, all this is based on the thowing action concurrent with the step to the base. If F1 has legally stepped to either 2nd or 3rd base but did not throw concurrent with the stepping, he is allowed to continue to disengage and throw to whomever he desires, or he may choose to chase the runner.


Just my opinion,

Freix

Steve,
 

I think the post says that the "bases were loaded" so there is a runner at third.

My error....I obviously missed that phrase......

Freix

I always get mixed answers on this one. As I understand it, a pitcher can throw to F3 who is not close to the bag just so long as his step is not closer to second base than first. ( In otherwords, he can step as far as the midpoint between 1st and 2nd base to put out the runner at first. Under this interpretation, with R1 on first, F3 could theoretically be half way between first and second while the ball is being thrown to him to retire R1 without it being a balk. The million dollar question is what is the definition of stepping towards a bag?

[Edited by Gre144 on Jul 4th, 2002 at 12:14 PM]