Balk?
 

R3 on third. Pitcher is in a full wind of position. R3 begins his steal towards home. F1 seeing this and without starting his preliminary motions, throws towards home without stepping off.

Was this a legal pitch or a balk? I think it was a balk but could you give me an explanation why?

Thanks,

Greg

Hmm.. lte's see -- the pitcher on the rubber and complies with all requirements of 8.01 or 6-1 (depending on the cose)?

No, I can't give you an explanation of why you thought this was a balk.

You said it. it was a quick pitch. so a balk

I'm not disagreeing, but I wonder how you got that from the original description -- I see nothing in there that this was made with the obvious intent to catch the batter off balance.

It is not a quick pitch.

The pitcher is not required to "wind up." Jim Kaat stepped and threw for years without winding up.

The pitcher is not required to pitch the same way each time. He can wind on one pitch and not wind on another.

The quick pitch is also known as the quick return pitch, designed to sneak a pitch by a batter. It can happen as a ball is thrown back to the pitcher from another fielder and can also happen if a pitcher steps off the rubber and then steps back on a pitches before the batter is prepared (or without separating his hands).

What was originally described is not a balk as long as the pitcher stepped with his free foot and did not violate any provisions of 8.01 or 8.05.

Rich

Bob, he said "without preliminary motions"so i got from that description the pitcher didnt pause at all, neither disengaged, just went . Just my oppinion

I'm wondering why the title of this thread is "obstruction"....and I'm still not convinced it was a balk either.

And, what "preliminary motions", or "pause" are required when pitching from the wind-up?

yeah, where does obstruction fit into this thred?
if the pitcher came set, it is not a balk.

I would have to see it myself.. Sounds like it is a balk if he just went without a proper set (quick pitch) but if he was standing on the rubber in a set position then legal.

The original post says, "Pitcher is in a full wind of position."

I assume that's just a typo -- and the poster meant "wind up" position.

Rich, you said: The pitcher is not required to pitch the same way each time. He can wind on one pitch and not wind on another. Did you mean he can pitch from the wind up or stretch position? Cause I would disagree if you would let a pitcher, who has been winding up previously by stepping backwards during his windup, to all of a sudden with a runner stealing home go directly to home without stepping back! IMO, that is a quick pitch. BALK!

there is nothing in the rule book that states " if the pitcher has been stepping back from the wind up position the entire game, then he must continue to do so."

simply put, if he comes set "a complete and discernible stop", and steps towards home plate while delivering the pitch, it is NOT a balk, nor is it a "quick pitch"

tucktheump,

Where do you get: if he comes set "a complete and discernible stop"? If you read the thread, he is pitching from the windup, NOT the stretch.

Two TOTALLY different situations! This was the thread.

R3 on third. Pitcher is in a full wind of position. R3 begins his steal towards home. F1 seeing this and without starting his preliminary motions, throws towards home without stepping off.

I know what the rule states, 6.1.Art 2

IMO, if the pitcher has been taking one step backward and one step forward previously, then all of a sudden just lifts his leg forward and delivers the pitch, it deceives the batter! BALK!

The "balk" rules are designed for actions that (illegally) decieve the runner -- deceiving the batter is not a balk.

He can join his hands one time and not join them the next.

He can pump once, pump twice, not pump at all.

He can throw sidearm, overhand, underhand, three-quarters.

The pitcher can step back once and not step back the next. "During delivery, he MAY lift his non-pivot foot in a step forward, OR in a step backward and a step forward ..."