Can the pitcher do this?

[stl_ump]

R1

RHP (10u) is in his windup postion with both feet on the rubber with his hands together.

Facing the plate he slides his free foot directly towards first and tries to pickoff R1.

I've never seen THIS move before and I'm thinking that this is a balk... but he did step directly toward 1st...

[scrounge]

Sounds like a balk to me. 6-1-2 says there's only 2 things a pitcher can do in the windup - deliver a pitch or step backwards off the plate with the pivot foot. This is neither. Balk.

Edited to add: I just assumed that FED rules applied given the age group, which may not be a valid assumption.

[Rich Ives]

R1

RHP (10u) is in his windup postion with both feet on the rubber with his hands together.

Facing the plate he slides his free foot directly towards first and tries to pickoff R1.

I've never seen THIS move before and I'm thinking that this is a balk... but he did step directly toward 1st...

Legal in OBR based rules like LL, Dixie, Ripken, USSSA, PONY, etc.

Not legal in HS rules (which are only used by AAU at this age level).

[JaxRolo]

R1

RHP (10u) is in his windup postion with both feet on the rubber with his hands together.

Facing the plate he slides his free foot directly towards first and tries to pickoff R1.

I've never seen THIS move before and I'm thinking that this is a balk... but he did step directly toward 1st...

What rule set are you using?

[stl_ump]

• Sorry... OBR
  

[JaxRolo]

• Sorry... OBR
  

Legal

[Welpe]

Are you saying he sidestepped towards first?

[stl_ump]

Are you saying he sidestepped towards first?

Yes

[gobama84]

And to add to what scrounge said. In OBR the 3rd thing a pitcher can do is (Step and throw to a base). A lot of umpires would think that is a balk. They would be wrong. Just make sure there is no arm movement before, making it look like he is going to pitch.

[mstaylor]

Perfectly legal in OBR. 8.01a Not allowed in FED, can't explain why.

[Triguy29]

Can he still be in contact with the rubber, or does he need to step off?

[Rich Ives]

Can he still be in contact with the rubber, or does he need to step off?

After reading all the replies saying it's legal, why do you still think he has to step off?

[BT_Blue]

Perfectly legal in OBR. 8.01a Not allowed in FED, can't explain why.

I think this falls under the heading of Least Common Denominator.... I remember a thread in the FED section regarding this.

[Mike Prince]

In OBR, as long as the pitcher does not make any move that can be interpreted as the beginning of his windup (stepping back with his non-pivot foot, arm movements, movement of hips or pivot foot, others), this is a legal pickoff attempt.