On rubber, fingers to mouth, Fed vs OBR
 

This was sent to me in regards to "fingers to the mouth" Fed vs OBR. Is this correct?? While on the rubber in Fed it is a balk if the pitcher licks his fingers.....in OBR it is only a "ball" on the batter even with runners on base?

This is the ruling that someone in our Assoc. found. Is it correct?

The new OBR rule prohibits the pitcher from going to his mouth while in-contact with the pitcher's plate. If he goes to his mouth will off the pitcher's plate, he must "wipe off" his fingers before touching the ball. If he goes to his mouth while on the pitcher's plate, it's a ball. OBR is much more lenient about extemporaneous movements by the pitcher before joining his hands or starting his actual pitching motion. Going to the mouth under OBR would only be a balk if the pitcher had joined his hands and then it would be a balk for separating the hands - not going to his mouth.

In FED the balk is for the extraneous movement, not for the fingers in the mouth.

The ruling looks correct to me.

This was changed under OBR this year. It is now first a warning to the pitcher (and removing the ball from play) and then a ball for subsequent infractions.

See the first post in this thread:

http://forum.officiating.com/basebal...r-changes.html