Right handed pickoff move

[Guest Jonny P.]

When a right hander is doing a pickoff move to 1st base, can their pivot foot land in front of or beside the rubber?  Let's say they move their pivot foot first, and they put it in front of the rubber, but outside of the edges of the rubber, do they still have to throw the ball to 1st or is that like stepping behind the rubber?  I would think that if they do a jump turn (simultaneous move of both feet), they have to throw it regardless of where their pivot foot lands, but what if their pivot foot moves first and instead of putting it behind the rubber, they put it beside, but outside the edges of the rubber.  It must be legal, but I haven't found a rule specifically addressing that foot positioning.

[Stk004]

The only legal way to step off (disengage) the rubber is by stepping backwards. The pitcher is allowed to move his pivot foot towards third base before completing the pickoff, but he must throw to first base. That and a jump turn are both considered moves from the rubber, so he has to throw to first base. 

[kylehutson]

It's by interpretation, rather than "letter of the rule".

To throw to first, the non-pivot foot (left, for a right-handed pitcher) needs to gain distance and direction toward first base, regardless what the pivot foot does. A feint to first base (in all codes) is a balk.

The only way a right handed pitcher can legally feint to first is to disengage with the pivot (right) foot off the back of the rubber and *then* he in an infielder like any other, and can fake, or throw, or whatever.

[Senor Azul]

From the 2017 Jaksa/Roder manual (p. 147):

There are two types of steps that are legal—jab or stutter step and a jump step.

Jab Step (of the pivot foot):  In cases of a right-handed pitcher throwing to first, or a left-handed pitcher throwing to third, or any pitcher throwing to second, a pitcher can take a jab or stutter step with his pivot foot before stepping to the base with his free foot. The motion of the stutter step and the resulting step of the free foot must be fluid and continuous; if the two motions are not continuous, there is a balk. Of course, the latter step must bring the free foot into the air and replace it on the ground in a completely different spot that is closer to the pickoff base.

Jump Step:  A pitcher can, without balking, jump (i.e., both his feet go airborne simultaneously) before his non-pivot foot retouches the ground in a different position: this is a jump step. Again, the latter step must bring the free foot into the air and replace it on the ground in a completely different spot that is closer to the pickoff base.

From the 2018 Minor League Baseball Umpire Manual (section 6.19, p. 102):

It is legal for a right-handed pitcher to begin a pickoff move to first base by first moving his pivot foot in the direction of third base provided that he makes a legal step toward first base with his non-pivot foot before throwing there and provided that the move is continuous and without interruption. A pitcher who makes such a pickoff move is considered to be in contact with the rubber when he makes his throw to first base.

 

[grayhawk]

3 hours ago, Senor Azul said:

From the 2017 Jaksa/Roder manual (p. 147):

There are two types of steps that are legal—jab or stutter step and a jump step.

 

There is a third step that is legal - a direct step.  Without moving the pivot foot, the pitcher may step directly towards the base to which he is throwing as long as he gains distance and direction and does not make a motion towards the plate.

[MadMax]

3 hours ago, grayhawk said:

There is a third step that is legal - a direct step.  Without moving the pivot foot, the pitcher may step directly towards the base to which he is throwing as long as he gains distance and direction and does not make a motion towards the plate...

... which isn't taught to young RHP's because it is:

1. Slow
2. Blind – in that you don't pick up your target until already in the act of throwing, and if your target isn't there (the F3 is out to lunch), you are committed to throw it into empty air or be penalized with a balk

So, to give the young pitch-ling the option to "eat it" and just fake, or to disengage "first" and then get R1 in a rundown, the jab step is taught.

In fairness to older amateur pitchers (think teenaged), an effective direct pickoff is dependent upon having a clean engagement to the rubber. A majority of pitching mounds are in woeful condition, so it behooves the F1 to disengage from that rut first by either jab step or jump step.

[noumpere]

10 hours ago, MadMax said:

So, to give the young pitch-ling the option to "eat it" and just fake, or to disengage "first" and then get R1 in a rundown, the jab step is taught.

 

The jab step does not give the pitcher those options.  The pitcher must still throw to first base after a jab step, or it's a balk.

[maven]

35 minutes ago, noumpere said:

The jab step does not give the pitcher those options.  The pitcher must still throw to first base after a jab step, or it's a balk.

It sounds as if Madmax might be mistakenly thinking that the jab step is a quick disengagement along with a feinted arm movement toward 1B.

[grayhawk]

14 hours ago, MadMax said:

... which isn't taught to young RHP's because it is:

1. Slow

Never said it was a "good" move, just a legal one.

[MadMax]

6 hours ago, maven said:

It sounds as if Madmax might be mistakenly thinking that the jab step...

I'm very likely calling "it" the wrong thing. It's that step by the pivot foot back (or in the case of terrible mounds, up and back) to disengage. Of course, if the F1 breaks his hands apart before doing that, and doesn't throw, it's a balk. Got that part. But most of the time, at the youth level, all that these kids do is "jab-step" to disengage, then look over their shoulder menacingly, and then possibly raise the ball up to fake-throw with one or two pumps.

Sure, there are times that F1 dramatically steps back, wheels... and then either throws or, again, fakes. And how many times have you seen F1 fake (in that sequence) only to point at a surprised F3, who is now scurrying to the bag, and the coach bellow, "Colby! You have to hold him on!". Do we "allow" that? Yes, because he stepped back first and disengaged. Everyone saw him step back first. The runner was already lying on the ground, hand on the bag, with the other hand hoisted in the air "signaling" (or as 1BC's love to say, "Call for time") for Time (not going to get it from this Umpire) before F1 even brought the ball up to a throwing position!

And of course, without coaching and instruction, that move is never improved upon, and becomes the basis for that RHP's pickoff, where again he steps back off the rubber, wheels, and throws to 1B... and then wonders why we award 2 bases when he throws it wide of his (startled) F3 and it goes through the open dugout gate into DBT.

Yeah, I'm likely mislabeling that a "jab step".

[noumpere]

16 hours ago, MadMax said:

Yeah, I'm likely mislabeling that a "jab step".

FIFY.

 

That's a disengagement.  A jab step is a motion (by a RH pitcher) with the pivot foot slightly toward third base as part of the move toward first.  It's the difference between "breaking contact with the rubber" and "disengaging the rubber."