HS Balk on Pickoff Move
 

First year umpire. I saw something that I had never seen before and wanted some experienced opinions. High school right-handed pitcher attempting a pickoff at first in a JV game. Without moving his pivot foot at all, the pitcher clearly stepped toward first and made a pickoff throw. The baserunner's coach wanted a balk because the pivot foot did not turn or lift and the heel did not move. I didn't think it was a balk because the pitcher stepped to first. Now after reading the NFHS balk rule I am not so sure. Honestly I'm not sure how the kid turned his hips that far to make the throw but I watched him do it multiple times. I know my hips don't do that. What is the correct call?

I see things in the rule that say he MAY move his pivot foot in certain ways before throwing to 1B but nothing that says he MUST move his pivot foot. Which part makes you think might require a move?

The pivot foot didn't pivot? Unusual, but legal.

Sounds like a great (but legal) way to break an ankle.

Rule 6-3 says "...the pitcher may turn on his pivot foot or lift it in a jump turn to step with the non-pivot foot toward a base while throwing ..." The first time that I looked at that I took it as the pitcher must do one of those actions to throw to first but now I look at it and nowhere does it say that the pitcher must do one of those. So I guess I feel better about my call unless I'm looking at this wrong.

And note that it says "turn on his pivot foot" and not 'turn his pivot foot". IOW use the foot as the pivot point.

I'm assuming he's using the stretch. I would have to see how that free foot comes off the ground. Most pitchers begin to turn their shoulders toward first base before their free foot moves toward first or before they turn on their pivot foot. In general, if their shoulders stay pointed toward the plate and they begin to raise only that free foot off the ground before moving their shoulders I'd have to say it's a balk because it looks like their normal delivery. If they want to make the pick without first turning their shoulders they need to jump off with both feet simultaneously in a jump turn to avoid a balk call. IMO.

It is not against the rules for the pick-off move to look like a normal delivery. In fact that is one of the hallmarks of a good pick-off move.

Once the pitcher, after coming to a complete and discernible stop, picks up the non-pivot foot there are really only 4 requirements for a legal delivery/feint to any of the 4 bases. The pitcher must:
A) not feint to home or 1st Base (NFHS R6-2-4a).
B) step directly toward the base to which he is throwing/feinting (NFHS R6-2-4b)
C) throw/feint to base in an attempt to put out/drive back a runner(NFHS R6-2-4b)
D) not pause between the lifting of the non-pivot foot and the step towards a base(NFHS R6-2-4d & NFHS CB 6.1.3 SIT. H)

It does not matter what the rest of their body does after the non-pivot foot is lifted to start the pitching motion/pick-off move. Some motions may look odd or even awkward but as long as the pitcher steps directly toward the base to which they are throwing/feinting and they are allowed to throw/feint to that base then they have not balked.

It doesn't have to look the same. The only requirement is that F1 either steps toward HP and throw the ball to HP or steps toward 1B and throw the ball to 1B.

MTD, Sr.

I never said it had to look the same. I said that it wasn't against the rules for it to look the same.

You claimed that if the pitcher "picks up his non-pivot foot in the same manner he does when he pitches the ball," then he has balked. This is not correct.

It depends on what you mean by "the non-pivot foot is lifted" but if you mean to / toward the balance point fro a RH pitcher, then you are wrong. Once the foot is lifted to / toward the balance point, the pitcher cannot throw to the base "behind" him (1st for a RH pitcher); the pitcher must throw home, or move toward 3rd or 2nd.

Although the NFHS Rules Book, NFHS Case Book, and NCAA Rules Book do not contain the phrase "balance point, I believe you are referring to NCAA R9-3-c1:

"The pitcher, while touching the pitcher's rubber, must step toward the base, preceding or simultaneous with any move toward that base. The pitcher is committed, upon raising the lead leg, to throw to the base being faced, to second base or to the plate. When throwing or feinting a throw to a base not being faced, the pitcher must step immediately, directly and gain ground toward that base."

The NFHS Rules have no similar restrictions on a pitcher's movement toward a base that the pitcher is not facing.

The OP is a high school umpire describing a high school situation. The mere absence of a similar restriction in NFHS is not grounds for imposing the NCAA rule. Therefore, this rule does not apply to the situation and, by extension, I am not wrong.

The interpretation of this rule is the same in all codes.

Citation please.

It's not a citation. It's because if he raises his leg to that point, it is impossible for a step to the base behind him to be direct--his leg has moved in the opposite direction.