Doing a high school JV game, 1 out, runner on first. RHP with pivot foot touching the pitcher's plate, leans forward in stretch position to take the sign. He then turns his shoulder to look at the runner while staying down in the stretch and turns back to look at the batter. I call a balk because he did not continue his motion uninterrupted into a set position. The coach got all over me saying his pitcher can turn all he wants as long as he hasn't come set.

I'm sticking with my interpretation -- unless someone out there has some better wisdom.

Thanks.

SL-Geo

In FED, by rule, this is a balk for feinting to first.

How often it gets called is another issue -- one that varies by area.

OBR, Massachusetts, Rhode Island: Legal, not a balk.
Maybe the coach went to high school in Massachusetts.

Got it correct
 

Fed Rule 6-1-1 very plainly states "Turning the shoulders to check runners while in contact with the pitcher's plate is a balk."

In general, I allow a pitcher to "open up" as much as he wants during his forward lean "stretch" position (shoulders could be horizontal and in-line with 1st and 3rd) but during the stretch, no movement beyond swiveling the head and hanging his pitching hand is allowed. From here he must go directly to a complete stop in the "set" position.

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My area of Ca, we warn the frosh/JV. Varsity, we nail em. Reasoning is we have no JH ball played under FED. All OBR rules, no playoffs or such for sub V, help em out.......

I agree in varsity nail em. In JV, unless a tourney, warn them between innings if it is just a casual turn. If he jerks a bit, nail em.