Separating the hands after coming set

[chris s]

This leads me to ask, what if the free leg of the LHF1 raises, and prior to committing to step to either the base or to the plate, the pitcher separates his hands? Has the pitch been initiated, thus requiring the pitcher to now deliver to the plate since he has not yet started his step toward 1B? Or can the pitcher, after separating his hands, still choose to step toward 1B since his leg action (but not his step) initiated prior to the separating of the hands?

Obviously a pitcher can't make a pickoff throw without separating his hands, but I was of the belief that he could not separate his hands prior to his commitment to stepping toward a base, or if he did, he was then committed to delivering the pitch.

Can a pitcher from the set position separate his hands before initiating his step toward 1B (but after raising his leg) and still make a legal pickoff attempt to 1B?


Freix



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8.05c and 8.05j seem to cover this, If I was a runner on first, I be watching the right leg. If he hangs it, you gotta balk, I think the rest can happen as long as there is no interruption in a pitch or throw to first....