Balk

[Guest Bronx]

When a pitcher is picking off a runner at 2nd.  Can the pitcher disengage from the pitching rubber inside or does the pitcher have to disengage off the back.  For example: A right-handed pitcher has his right foot on the pitching rubber.  The pitcher comes set, then disengages his right foot toward home, spins, and throws to 2nd base.  Is this a balk?  

[Richvee]

He must step off the back if he chooses to step off. Of course he can lift his non pivot foot and step towards 2nd without disengaging. 

(2) The Set Position
Set Position shall be indicated by the pitcher when he stands
facing the batter with his pivot foot in contact with, and his
other foot in front of, the pitcher’s plate, holding the ball in
both hands in front of his body and coming to a complete stop.
From such Set Position he may deliver the ball to the batter,
throw to a base or step backward off the pitcher’s plate with his
pivot foot.

[grayhawk]

He can also choose a "reverse pivot" or spin move to second where his pivot foot never disengages and ends up on the home plate side of the rubber.  Using this move, the pitcher can throw or feint to an occupied second base.

[Richvee]

4 minutes ago, grayhawk said:

He can also choose a "reverse pivot" or spin move to second where his pivot foot never disengages and ends up on the home plate side of the rubber.  Using this move, the pitcher can throw or feint to an occupied second base.

The more I think about it, the more I think this is the move the OP is referring to. 

[ElkOil]

5 hours ago, Richvee said:

The more I think about it, the more I think this is the move the OP is referring to. 

I like your first answer better.

[Jimurray]

5 minutes ago, ElkOil said:

I like your first answer better.

Why, @grayhawk has cleared up @Richvee's post. This is similar to a jab step to 3B.

[ElkOil]

2 minutes ago, Jimurray said:

Why, @grayhawk has cleared up @Richvee's post. This is similar to a jab step to 3B.

The pitcher can't disengage the rubber toward home with his pivot foot, is what I was talking about. I think @Richvee stated it pretty well and addressed the OP. I took @grayhawk's comment as additional info.

[Richvee]

1 hour ago, ElkOil said:

The pitcher can't disengage the rubber toward home with his pivot foot, is what I was talking about. I think @Richvee stated it pretty well and addressed the OP. I took @grayhawk's comment as additional info.

Together I think we answered the OP completely. No matter what type move the OP was referring to. 

[JaxRolo]

15 hours ago, Guest Bronx said:

When a pitcher is picking off a runner at 2nd.  Can the pitcher disengage from the pitching rubber inside or does the pitcher have to disengage off the back.  For example: A right-handed pitcher has his right foot on the pitching rubber.  The pitcher comes set, then disengages his right foot toward home, spins, and throws to 2nd base.  Is this a balk?  

Yeah that's  a balk!

[ALStripes17]

Yeah that's  a balk!

Not if the disengagement and spin move are one motion. Just a need to clarify. A pitcher can jump spin, gain ground towards 2B, and feint/throw. That move typically has the pivot foot disengaging towards HP in the process.

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[stkjock]

the famous "inside move" to 2nd, been covered a bunch of times IIRC  

[roothog66]

On 12/14/2016 at 7:15 AM, ALStripes17 said:

Not if the disengagement and spin move are one motion. Just a need to clarify. A pitcher can jump spin, gain ground towards 2B, and feint/throw. That move typically has the pivot foot disengaging towards HP in the process.

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I think the confusion comes in that this (step in front and spin to second) isn't considered "disengaging" anymore than the jab step pick to first.

[ALStripes17]

I think the confusion comes in that this (step in front and spin to second) isn't considered "disengaging" anymore than the jab step pick to first.

We aren't worried about the term 'disengaging' here. It's a feint. And you can't do that to 1B.

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[roothog66]

On 12/21/2016 at 0:22 PM, ALStripes17 said:

We aren't worried about the term 'disengaging' here. It's a feint. And you can't do that to 1B.

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I only mentioned it because "disengage" is how the OP described it. If he's asking if you can "disengage" from the front, then, no, you can't. As to the post I was quoting, I just wanted to clarify that his use of the term "disengage" shouldn't be confused with the wording "disengage" as used in the rule books.