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Old Thu Feb 18, 2010, 04:02pm
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Pickoff to 1st - contact with rubber

Hi
Apologies if this has already been asked and answered - I searched the forum and couldn't find anything completely definitive.

We're having a little debate at my club in South Africa about whether a pitcher is allowed to stay in contact with the pitching rubber when picking off to first or whether he has to remove his pivot foot first (e.g. either by stepping back off or doing a jump turn).

The MLB rule seems to imply that he can pick off to first with foot still in contact with rubber, because it says that if he feints to first while in contact with the rubber and doesn't complete the throw it is a balk. This implies that it is legal to pick off to first with your back foot in contact with the rubber (as long as you step towards the base).

Rule 8.05
(b) The pitcher, while touching his plate, feints a throw to first base and fails to complete the throw;

So my question is - can a pitcher legally come to set position then turn, step towards first and throw, while his foot is still in contact with the rubber?

Thanks!
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Old Thu Feb 18, 2010, 04:09pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Zapruder View Post
Hi
Apologies if this has already been asked and answered - I searched the forum and couldn't find anything completely definitive.

We're having a little debate at my club in South Africa about whether a pitcher is allowed to stay in contact with the pitching rubber when picking off to first or whether he has to remove his pivot foot first (e.g. either by stepping back off or doing a jump turn).

The MLB rule seems to imply that he can pick off to first with foot still in contact with rubber, because it says that if he feints to first while in contact with the rubber and doesn't complete the throw it is a balk. This implies that it is legal to pick off to first with your back foot in contact with the rubber (as long as you step towards the base).

Rule 8.05
(b) The pitcher, while touching his plate, feints a throw to first base and fails to complete the throw;

So my question is - can a pitcher legally come to set position then turn, step towards first and throw, while his foot is still in contact with the rubber?

Thanks!
There's no "imply" about it, it's right in the rules

8.01(b) From such Set Position he may deliver the ball to the batter, throw to a base or step backward off the pitcher’s plate with his pivot foot.

BTW, a jump turn is considered as a move from the rubber, so if you do the jump turn on a pick to 1B you must throw to 1B.
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Old Thu Feb 18, 2010, 04:27pm
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Cool

Quote:
Originally Posted by Zapruder View Post
Hi
...

So my question is - can a pitcher legally come to set position then turn, step towards first and throw, while his foot is still in contact with the rubber?

Thanks!
Zapruder,

He certainly may. Says so right in the rules. Personally, I think 8.01(c) says it most unambiguously.

For some reason, it is a fairly common misconception that he may not.

JM
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Last edited by UmpJM; Thu Feb 18, 2010 at 04:30pm.
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Old Fri Feb 19, 2010, 08:45am
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Well,

"If" a pitcher had to disengage -- then EVERY left handed pitcher would be balking EVERYTIME he uses his best move to first.

Actually I posted a few years ago a quote from Mel Sottlemeyer when he was pitching coach for the Yankees.

He said: "Well obvious a right handed pitcher needs to step off the rubber before he throws to first base."

This just shows, as JM, has stated that many don't understand this rule.

T
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Old Fri Feb 19, 2010, 01:06pm
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Maybe a film would help.
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Old Fri Feb 19, 2010, 06:51pm
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Originally Posted by MrUmpire View Post
Maybe a film would help.
Which film? :-) Just caught that now.
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Old Tue Feb 23, 2010, 11:46am
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Oswald was the pitcher and Kennedy got beaned.
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Old Tue Feb 23, 2010, 01:25pm
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And the pitch was delivered from a grassless knoll.
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Old Tue Feb 23, 2010, 03:57pm
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Truly tasteless ...

Good time to stop.
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Old Wed Feb 24, 2010, 01:19am
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Is there a new board moderator in town?
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Old Wed Feb 24, 2010, 11:00am
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No, just a human being with instincts that tell me that Kennedy Assassination jokes are in poor taste. It's on the short list.
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Old Wed Feb 24, 2010, 12:33pm
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Too soon?
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Old Wed Feb 24, 2010, 05:00pm
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Sorry if that wasn't to your liking, Kevin. I guess there's no accounting for taste (either your's or mine).

It does seem sort of incongruent for the same guy that was recently defending his right to express free thoughts "in this little corner" of the internet to want others to knock it off when their thoughts don't align with his own.

I'll defend your right to express your opinion, form your own moral compass or even to be outraged if you see something that rubs you the wrong way. But I'll draw the line at having someone else telling me that I can't do the same.
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Old Wed Feb 24, 2010, 07:01pm
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Will the real moderator please step up to the plate!
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Old Wed Feb 24, 2010, 08:08pm
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"When I returned, Mary Jo and the car were gone."

My bad - wrong Kennedy.
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