Bending the Rules?

[Bfair]

If raising the pivot foot to the knee during the act of stepping backward off the plate is a balk, then would you consider a LHF1 who raises his nonpivot foot to the knee before he steps to 1B as having balked?

It seems that there is precedent set that raising the foot to the knee before replanting the foot is still part of stepping and is not a balk for the mere fact alone.

Cerainly in your scenario the pitcher is not allowed to throw to the base before the pivot hits the ground behind the rubber. That is, it's illegal to use the nonpivot foot as a pivot foot until having legally disengaged the rubber.


Freix