Feinting to First
 

is there any situation in which a pitcher (without disengaging the plate) can feint to first and it not be a balk (with runners on)?

There are exactly zero instances where a pitcher can feign to first while in contact with the rubber.

He cannot feign. He can faint (assuming he keeps his feet on the rubber). Not sure what feinting is.

'Feint' is the correct spelling, Mike, and as you know by rule F1 may not do it toward occupied 1B without disengaging.

In summary, ........................

NO

Feign and Feint are both in my Websters and you guys know what he means so not sure why the ticky tack. I don't think I would call a balk for a faint, regardless.

DG,

Concur.

I had "TIME" as soon as I saw him starting to faint - which was before anyone else noticed.

Concur on the "feign and feint" as well.

JM

I think if a pitcher faints at all while on the rubber and runners on base, we're getting a balk. And a new pitcher.

Only when the ball wasn't in play, and never when he faints.

Now that would be a neat trick.

Dash, if it happened, would you balk him for starting and stopping? I guess if the ball fell out of his glove and didn't cross the foul line, that would work, too.

I'm not letting him play the rest of the game if he does that. Doctors note or not.;)

Failed attempt at humor. My bad!

Failed attempt? Or feigned attempt? ;)

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MLB RULEBOOK

8.05 If there is a runner, or runners, it is a balk when—

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

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