Properly disengaging the rubber

[RBIbaseball]

The only verbage I see defining how to properly disengage the pitchers plate is "backward".

What qualifies as backwards... only directly back? As in directly toward 2B, or is there a little room to play?

See my image below. A is obviously good, but what about the rest? I had a 13yr old kid stepping off more like C and was letting it go. At what letter should I draw the line, or is it somewhere inbetween?

 

[grayhawk]

C is definitely a balk.  There is some leeway, and for me it's just got to look like it's back.  Keep in mind that pitchers don't always engage with their pivot foot completely within the width of the rubber (it used to be a requirement in Fed but no longer).

[maven]

Only A is legal by rule.

I'm probably balking the others, although if B overlaps with A at all I'd probably allow it.

[RBIbaseball]

16 minutes ago, grayhawk said:

C is definitely a balk.  There is some leeway, and for me it's just got to look like it's back.  Keep in mind that pitchers don't always engage with their pivot foot completely within the width of the rubber (it used to be a requirement in Fed but no longer).

Not sire what You mean. A RHP has the right side of their pivot foot off the rubber toward 2B to start? Meaning they don't have to move very much to disengage?

[RBIbaseball]

7 minutes ago, maven said:

Only A is legal by rule.

I'm probably balking the others, although if B overlaps with A at all I'd probably allow it.

So anything B -> C and beyond balk all day. I can get on that train. Thanks

[grayhawk]

21 hours ago, RBIbaseball said:

Not sire what You mean. A RHP has the right side of their pivot foot off the rubber toward 2B to start? Meaning they don't have to move very much to disengage?

Some pitchers position their pivot foot closer to first or third base so their heel or their toes are not within the 24" width of the rubber.  So stepping directly back means their foot is in a relative position behind the rubber.

[RBIbaseball]

3 hours ago, grayhawk said:

Some pitchers position their pivot foot closer to first or third base so their heel or their toes are not within the 24" width of the rubber.  So stepping directly back means their foot is in a relative position behind the rubber.

Oh okay, yep. I get that.