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I have a feeling this has been a common topic but I can't seem to find any answers that specifically answer this as right or wrong so please help... Situation: Runner on 1st only - Pitcher set position. Pitcher begins wind up and runner takes off to steal second base. Pitcher turns and throws to player covering 2nd base to tag runner on the steal. Now here's the controversy...all umpires I speak with on this give me different answers. Some say balk, some say legal. I know, and I have shown those calling it a balk, that rule 8.05(m)(b) gives a pitcher the right to make this move as 2nd base is not considered occupied in this situation. The next dilemma is this...If the pitcher makes this move and then the runner stops and goes back to 1st, I am being told that it is NOW a balk because the runner stalling his movement to 2nd cancels the pitchers justification to throw to 2nd "for the purpose of making a play" since the runner is not stealing. My problem, and hope for clarification for, is this accurate? Is the runner stalling a way to "defeat" the pitcher able to throw to 2nd during a 1st to 2nd steal or is it still a legal move whether the runner continues or stops? Thank you for any help and clarification I can get because it's been a point of contention since before the season began, we have 3 games left and I STILL don't have an answer so I don't let my pitchers make the move in fear of an unknown balk call because of an umpires interpretation of the two lines; (1)"for the purposes of making a play" and (2)"With a runner on first base the pitcher may make a complete turn, without hesitating toward first, and throw to second. This is not to be interpreted as throwing to an unoccupied base" Because depending on interpretation, the second line could cover the move as legal regardless of the runner stopping his steal or not. -Richard

Didn't happen in my game, but a manager/board member asked me a question after one of my games. He said that during one of his teams games (U10), his runner successfully stole second, but at the next pitch he took a lead off of second towards first. He said that he knew the pitcher and was trying to mess him up. I said that I can't think of an exact rule, and I later checked, saying that he couldn't do it, but he would have to make sure he touched second to go to third, and that he is not on a base so he is eligible to be put out. I also said that, had I been the BU, that I would just tell him to get back on the base because to me, that's unsportsmanlike conduct. Thoughts?

Hi there. I play first base for my high school team and am having a problem with my coach regarding the way I am holding runners on. Here is the situation. With a runner in first base and a lefty pitcher, I play pretty much behind the runner. When my pitcher (the move of whom I can see before the runner) makes his initial start of his stretch, I sneak in behind the runner and receive the ball from the pitcher on a pickoff throw. My coach says this is illegal in that it is throwing to an unoccupied base and I am deceiving the runner. So I need your help, is if legal what I am doing because I have had great success with it. If possible, please cite some rules from the Official a Rule Book in your response. Thanks!

Called my first balk tonight. FED rules, with R2, the pitcher was in contact with the rubber and went to his mouth. He did it twice, the first time i warned him and the second time I balked him. No one argued and play resumed as normal.

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