Tog Gee

Bingo.

And it's tough because sometimes applying base awards after OBS sometimes requires just a bit of reflection/consideration? Umpire must err on the side of the offense methinks.

This is an NFHS rules connundrum for sure. I was convinced at one point that we should call the runner out since they appear to be out. (just as you would on catcher's obstruction, UK3, out at first on BR. You call the BR out but straighten it all out when the dust settles since it's delayed dead ball.) But what if there were two outs? The OUT! call seems to end the inning. Maybe that's just the way the cookie crumbles. The offense will still be glad to see that the inning gets to continue once it's all straightened out. I am becoming convinced that in the OP scenario we can call the runner safe, especially if we'd already loudly noted the OBS. That way, should a snowball fight ensue, the offense still has the ability to keep advancing.

Yeah I kinda hijacked the thread in asking for rule-proof that one cannot pause on a pickoff:

Bingo. Thank you! I "knew" it was illegal, but I didn't know exactly why.

But as for lifting the leg, pausing, then picking off to a base... How does the rulebook cover that? The rule book is clear about not pausing when pitching.

I know that a pitching motion must be "continuous and uninterrupted", and I believe this is true for a pickoff move, but how does the rulebook support "continuous and uninterrupted" requirement on a pickoff?

Good. Maybe it seems like a lot, but players and coaches get out of line a lot. @maven said something like "What we allow, we condone." I am a coach first, and an umpire second, and I am a fan of warnings and ejections. It's not petty, it's appropriate. Same as calling infield fly.

Sometimes the obstruction/blocking the plate stuff becomes so confusing for some folks that defensive players WITH THE BALL might be accused of obstruction! Even Smoltz said "Well, the catcher can block the plate if the throw takes him there..." The catcher had the ball when he moved to block/tag!

No OBS.

Yeah when getting into OBS, we can't lose sight of the fundamental concept that with possession of the ball, the defender can certainly block, pursue, bump the runner. Just nothing malicious. If a defender doesn't have the ball and the runner has to slow down or change direction, then it's OBS.

6-1-2 (windup): After the pitcher starts the movement to pitch, the pitcher must continue the motion without interruption or alteration. Does this imply that once a pitcher has established "their" style, they can't alter it?

'Otherwise, violations are NOT balks ("don't do that").' Maven, it sounds like you're saying violations of 6-1 with no runners on are "don't do that" if no pitch is delivered and no runners on.

Good point about A through D and HS ball... I'm just trying to understand exactly what the rulebook says is illegal, and importantly, what results in a balk and what results in a ball (depending on the circumstances). What illegal actions are called a ball and which are simply corrected "don't do that". I am convinced that the penalty under 6-1 means that the result is either BALL or BALK. "Illegal acts include, section 6.2.1" has varying penalties for the illegal acts, which is not easy to memorize. BALK, BALL and "stop doing that".

Found more info in rule book. Kinda what I was getting at here. Balk definition "c": c. making an illegal pitch from any position (6-1, 6-2-1a-d); Below 6-1-1 through 6-1-3 it says: PENALTY (Arts. 1, 2, 3): The ball is dead immediately when an illegal pitch occurs. If there is no runner, a ball is awarded the batter. If there is a runner, such illegal act is a balk. In both situations, the umpire signals dead ball. For illegal acts there are "don't do that" items, while items a-d are explicitly balks: Illegal acts include 6.2.1 a. applying a foreign substance to the ball; b. spitting on the ball or glove; c. rubbing the ball on the glove, clothing or person if the act defaces the ball; d. discoloring the ball with dirt; e. bringing the pitching hand in contact with the mouth without distinctly wiping off the pitching hand before it touches the ball; f. wearing any items on the hands, wrists or arms that may be distracting to the batter; g. wearing or placing tape, bandages or other foreign material (other than rosin) on the fingers or palm of the pitching hand that could come in contact With the ball; h. wearing a glove/mitt that includes the colors white or gray; i. wearing exposed undershirt sleeves that are white or gray NOTE: Under umpire supervision , the pitcher may dry the hands by using a finely meshed cloth bag of powdered rosin . The pitcher may rub the ball with bare hands to remove any extraneous coating . PENALTY: For defacing the ball (a-d), the ball is dead immediately. [balk] The umpire may eject the pitcher. If such defaced ball is pitched and then detected, it is an illegal pitch. For infraction (e) , a ball shall be awarded each time a pitcher violates this rule and subsequently engages the pitching plate. For infraction (f-i), the infraction must be corrected before the next pitch.[don't do that] In (f), the umpire has sole authority to judge whether or not an item is distracting and shall have that item removed.