RHP Balks

[SoCal Lurker]

I was having a discusion with my son's coaches following a pick-off play and a question of whether it was a balk, so a series of questions:

 

1. From the set position, per 8.01©, a RHP can make a move to first without disengaging from the pitcher's plate if he steps directly to first, correct?  (If not,well, ignore the other Qs.)
2. What must and what can't the RHP do while making that move to first without disengaging?
3. Does anyone have a convenient link to a RHP pitcher making a legal move to first without disengaging?
4. The dicy one to ask.  My son will be playing in the 12-year-old division at Cooperstown -- if he is doing a move at this level without disengaging, is he going to get balked b/c it isn't commonly seen and Us are going to balk the unusual?

Thx all

[noumpere]

Yes its legal.  Just step and throw - he must gain ground, must step more toward first than to home and obviously he must throw to the base.  I dont have a link.  No competent umpire shouild balk this.

[mstaylor]

Agreed, simply step toward first, don't try a leg lift, just lift it enough to swing. Since will balk a high lift.

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[guitarplaya2007]

He must step "Directly toward the base which he intends on throwing" since he is going to first he must also throw the baseball to first base. The "direct step" is solely in the umpires judgement whether he stepped directly to first or not, the manuals we have define a step as "gaining distance and direction" so in umpires terms he must gain distance and direction to first on this move and throw the baseball to first base to not get balked on this move. Long story short, he does not have to step off to throw to any base, however he must step with his free foot directly to that base in order to not get balked.

[MPLSMatt]

The more common move is the jump turn which is considered on the rubber.    The guy in this video is teaching a jump turn.  

 

This shouldn't be called as a balk by any umpire that's done a reasonable amount of ball, as it's very common.  Once in a while at lower levels you'll hear some coach yell "he didn't step off" or the like, but that doesn't make it a balk.  Also, as I said above, this is considered to be an engaged move so he needs to make the throw.  

[mstaylor]

I love when it when they throw from the rubber, coach complains he didn't step off. " That is correct"

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[maven]

I love when it when they throw from the rubber, coach complains he didn't step off. " That is correct"

 

My line is, "That's exactly what I saw, coach!"

 

Then I watch their heads explode.

[guitarplaya2007]

Well i called my first feint to third balk today, nobody (including my genius partner) had any clue this was a balk. Rather comical when I explained it to the manager and then to my partner after the game.