pick off move to first called back

[Guest Sven]

Played a little game today and my pitcher was in set position. He stepped of the rubber stepped towards first base and made a fake throw. According to the umpire that was a balk. He claimed by stepping to the base the pitcher is committed to throw the ball to first even if pitcher stepped off. I neaver heard off this rule. I thought once you stepped off the rubber you were considered a fielder and can in fact do anything you want with the ball. Was this a bad call?

[maven]

By rule, once he's properly engaged F1 may legally do only 3 things: pitch to the batter, step and throw/feint to a base, or disengage. And it's illegal to feint to 1B (and, in some codes, 3B).

F1 legally disengages by stepping directly backward and off the rubber with his pivot foot prior to starting the motion to pitch or feinting. Once disengaged, the pitching restrictions (such as those just mentioned) no longer apply.

If your umpire ruled that F1 may never feint to 1B, that would be incorrect. That restriction applies only when F1 is legally engaged with the rubber.

It's also possible that he garbled his explanation. We often see a pitcher disengage improperly, so that it ends up being a jump turn (for instance, if he starts his feint and jumps back at the same time). A jump turn is a move from the rubber, so the restrictions are in effect. Thus, it's a balk to feint to 1B after a jump turn. Possibly, that's what he was trying to explain, and didn't succeed.

[Lou B]

As previously stated, once the pitcher disengages properly he, in essence, becomes an infielder and cannot Balk.  He can feint a throw to any base without penalty.

[Guest Sven]

Thanks guys. much appreciated. I got 1 more question though. A right-handed pitcher that is engaged with the rubber lifts up his leg and then steps to third base and fake throws to a runner standing on third base. Is this a balk or not? I know the ruling on the fake throw to third and then to first has changed a while ago and is now considered as a balk. 

[Biscuit]

1 hour ago, Guest Sven said:

Thanks guys. much appreciated. I got 1 more question though. A right-handed pitcher that is engaged with the rubber lifts up his leg and then steps to third base and fake throws to a runner standing on third base. Is this a balk or not? I know the ruling on the fake throw to third and then to first has changed a while ago and is now considered as a balk. 

Depend son the rule set. Under OBR (MLB), this is a balk. Under FED (high school) this is legal. I believe NCAA agrees with OBR, but I don't know NCAA very well.

[Rich Ives]

4 hours ago, Guest Sven said:

Thanks guys. much appreciated. I got 1 more question though. A right-handed pitcher that is engaged with the rubber lifts up his leg and then steps to third base and fake throws to a runner standing on third base. Is this a balk or not? I know the ruling on the fake throw to third and then to first has changed a while ago and is now considered as a balk. 

A fake/feint to 3B is legal in LL.

[noumpere]

4 hours ago, Guest Sven said:

Thanks guys. much appreciated. I got 1 more question though. A right-handed pitcher that is engaged with the rubber lifts up his leg and then steps to third base and fake throws to a runner standing on third base. Is this a balk or not? I know the ruling on the fake throw to third and then to first has changed a while ago and is now considered as a balk. 

In codes where this applies, it's a balk because of the fake to third, not because of any subsequent move toward first.  So, if the 3-1 move is illegal in your league, then the feint to third is illegal.