Pitcher pick off move to 2nd base

[Kyle Flanagan]

NFHS Rules.

Runner on 2nd.  From the set position...  Can a RHP lift his left leg and then turn to his glove side and attempt a pick off of R2?  

[Replacematt]

9 minutes ago, Kyle Flanagan said:

NFHS Rules.

Runner on 2nd.  From the set position...  Can a RHP lift his left leg and then turn to his glove side and attempt a pick off of R2?  

Yes.

[Catch18]

Lock it up….no ad nauseam needed here.


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[SH0102]

34 minutes ago, Kyle Flanagan said:

NFHS Rules.

Runner on 2nd.  From the set position...  Can a RHP lift his left leg and then turn to his glove side and attempt a pick off of R2?  

There are things in the rule book that a pitcher can NOT do and certain things they MUST do.

There is nothing in the rule book that says they can not lift and turn the “opposite” direction we would be used to seeing.

So it boils down to “did they do the things they MUST do”?  Namely step towards the base.  When I envision this, I see it being difficult to step and gain ground without violating balk criteria, but I’m sure it’s possible, and again, the mere act of turning that way is not in of itself a violation 

[noumpere]

Maybe I'm misreading the play, and maybe it depends on the specific meaning of "lifts his leg" -- but if that latter phrase means something like "toward (or to) the "balance point" -- then I have a balk if RH F1 then turns counterclockwise (past home, past first) to throw to second.

[Catch18]

Maybe I'm misreading the play

Well, the OP did say glove-side……


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[noumpere]

8 minutes ago, Catch18 said:

Well, the OP did say glove-side……
 

I know.

If RH F1 just turns to his left and throws to second, that's legal.

But if he first lifts the leg (to use another phrase from the OP) toward the balance point (iow, starts a move to his right) and THEN turns left to go to second, that's a balk.

 

I (at least initially) read the play as the second above.  Other answers led me to believe that maybe I was misreading it and "lifts his leg" meant only "enough to clear his cleats as part of an initial / normal spin to the left"

[SH0102]

@Senor AzulWhat say you?  

[Replacematt]

1 hour ago, noumpere said:

I know.

If RH F1 just turns to his left and throws to second, that's legal.

But if he first lifts the leg (to use another phrase from the OP) toward the balance point (iow, starts a move to his right) and THEN turns left to go to second, that's a balk.

Not any more of a balk than if he turns the other way.

[SH0102]

17 minutes ago, Matt said:

Not any more of a balk than if he turns the other way.

I agree Matt.  As I said in my first post, the rule book defines what a F1 can not do and what they must do.

The spin to his left is not in the “can NOT” do, so the turn alone is not a balk.

The question is whether F1 did the things they have to do.
 

 I said I think it would be hard to step and gain distance from that motion, but I also can barely do a toe touch so what do I know

[Kyle Flanagan]

Thanks everyone.  I know the move is unorthodox but it happened in a game and while it looked weird, my partner and I could not determine if it was a balk.   It was not a spin move.  The pitcher basically went through the same motion as an 'inside move' but instead of turning to his right, he turned to the left all the way around.  He lifted his leg to the balance point and then turned to the left ( his glove side).