Balk or Legal?

[Guest Newbie]

R1.  Outs do not matter.  

Pitcher is in stretch.  R1 is stealing on pitch.  Pitcher lifts leg to pitch but F3 yells going.  Pitcher spins around and fires to 2B for the out. Is this a balk or Legal?

[noumpere]

1 hour ago, Guest Newbie said:

R1.  Outs do not matter.  

Pitcher is in stretch.  R1 is stealing on pitch.  Pitcher lifts leg to pitch but F3 yells going.  Pitcher spins around and fires to 2B for the out. Is this a balk or Legal?

Assuming F1 continues to spin in the same direction as he is facing (an inside move) and has made no other move to the plate, it's legal.  if F1 makes an outside / spin move, it's illegal.

F1 can throw to an unoccupied base for the purpose of making a play -- that last part is often forgotten.

The above is the theoretical / rules-based answer.

As a practical matter, it difficult for F1 to raise his leg with the intention of making a pitch and to then switch to throw to second without committing a balk.

In theory, theory and practice are the same.  In practice, they are different.

 

[SH0102]

4 minutes ago, Guest Newbie said:

R1.  Outs do not matter.  

Pitcher is in stretch.  R1 is stealing on pitch.  Pitcher lifts leg to pitch but F3 yells going.  Pitcher spins around and fires to 2B for the out. Is this a balk or Legal?

If he does this move without hesitation in his motion, it is legal.

If he pauses, or has started to drop his leg, he can not turn to second

[Guest Newbie]

So what if the runner did not attempt an advance.  Or it was a fake steal?  Does that change things?

[noumpere]

26 minutes ago, Guest Newbie said:

So what if the runner did not attempt an advance.  Or it was a fake steal?  Does that change things?

If it was a fake, it doesn't change things (the specific words are different in different codes, but as a practical matter, if R1 has feinted an advance, the move is legal).

If the runner did not attempt to advance or feint an advance, then it's a balk for throwing to an unoccupied base when the exception ("for the purpose of making a play") does not apply.

[Senor Azul]

The following is taken from the 2021 Minor League Baseball Umpire Manual (section 6.27, p. 118):

Official Baseball Rule 6.02(a)(4) provides that the pitcher be charged with a balk if, while in contact with the rubber, he throws to an unoccupied base except for the purpose of making a play.

Play 1:  Runners on first and second, pitcher in set position. Runner breaks for third base and pitcher throws to third base.

Ruling 1:  Legal play.

Play 2: Runners on first and second, pitcher in set position. Runner bluffs going to third base and pitcher throws to third base. However, runner did not go.

Ruling 2:  Balk under OBR 6.02(a)(4).

Play 3:  With a runner on first base attempting to advance, a right-handed pitcher makes a complete turn and, without hesitating toward first, throws or fakes to second.

Ruling 3:  This is not to be interpreted as throwing to an unoccupied base since the runner is trying to advance. See Rule 6.02(a) Comment (B).

The key to understanding the above three plays is for the umpire to use good judgment in deciding whether or not the runner on the previous base demonstrates or otherwise creates an impression of his intent to advance to such unoccupied base…

[LRZ]

OBR 6.02(a)(4): While touching the his plate, the pitcher commits a balk if he "throws, or feints a throw to an unoccupied base, except for the purpose of making a play...."

OBR Rule 6.02(a)(4) Comment: When determining whether the pitcher throws or feints a throw to an unoccupied base for the purpose of making a play, the umpire should consider whether a runner on the previous base demonstrates or otherwise creates an impression of his intent to advance to such unoccupied base.

NFHS 6-2-4(b): The pitcher commits a balk by "throwing or feinting to any unoccupied base when it is not an attempt to put out or drive back a runner...."