Windup Free Foot Stance

[Jack_Wick]

A legal pitching stance in windup is also the third image above (https://umpire-empire.com/uploads/monthly_2016_03/56e5d7e829ad7_WindUpFootPositions.thumb.jpg.87ca11e25412cbe43cd799fafc31fe3e.jpg), i.e. non pivot foot is behind a line running through the front edge of the plate and also the rule: 

"Rule 5.07(a)(1) Comment: In the Windup Position, a pitcher is permitted to have his "free" foot on the rubber, in front of the rubber, behind the rubber or off the side of the rubber."

 

So in this stance (free foot behind the rubber) would it still be possible to make a pickoff in 1B or 3B, even if the free foot is already behind the rubber for this rule:

"Rule 6.02(a)(1) Comment: If a left-handed or right-handed pitcher swings his free foot past the back edge of the pitcher's rubber, he is required to pitch to the batter except to throw to second base on a pick-off play."?

 

His free foot is already behind the back edge of the rubber in this case. So could you still pickoff to 1B or 3B in this case?

[maven]

Yes, he can pick from this starting position in OBR.

OBR allows pickoffs from the windup. A pickoff attempt must begin BEFORE the time of the pitch, and it must start with a step toward the base. F1 can do this wherever the free foot is positioned.

AFTER the start of the pitch, the restriction about "swings his free foot" behind the rubber kicks in. By that time, it's too late to pick off legally.

[Jack_Wick]

Simply perfect. Thank you so much.
 

 

 Simple considerations and insights on the topic: 

1) From the Set position, an RHP can lift the free foot and then pickoff to 3B (the base he's facing), just as a LHP, more frequently, can do the same towards 1B. My question is: could an RHP make a similar move from the Windup position? I mean, could he lift the free foot and then pickoff to 3B?

2) From the Windup position, an RHP can pickoff to 2B by turning counterclockwise, but could he also do it by turning 180° clockwise?

3) From the Windup position, can an RHP pickoff to 2B by lifting his leg, then turning clockwise and step and throw to 2B, as if it were an inside move but from the Windup position?

[jimurrayalterego]

8 hours ago, Jack_Wick said:

Simply perfect. Thank you so much.
 

 

 Simple considerations and insights on the topic: 

1) From the Set position, an RHP can lift the free foot and then pickoff to 3B (the base he's facing), just as a LHP, more frequently, can do the same towards 1B. My question is: could an RHP make a similar move from the Windup position? I mean, could he lift the free foot and then pickoff to 3B?

2) From the Windup position, an RHP can pickoff to 2B by turning counterclockwise, but could he also do it by turning 180° clockwise?

3) From the Windup position, can an RHP pickoff to 2B by lifting his leg, then turning clockwise and step and throw to 2B, as if it were an inside move but from the Windup position?

Apparently, not simply perfect.

[noumpere]

18 hours ago, Jack_Wick said:

Simply perfect. Thank you so much.
 

 

 Simple considerations and insights on the topic: 

1) From the Set position, an RHP can lift the free foot and then pickoff to 3B (the base he's facing), just as a LHP, more frequently, can do the same towards 1B. My question is: could an RHP make a similar move from the Windup position? I mean, could he lift the free foot and then pickoff to 3B?

2) From the Windup position, an RHP can pickoff to 2B by turning counterclockwise, but could he also do it by turning 180° clockwise?

3) From the Windup position, can an RHP pickoff to 2B by lifting his leg, then turning clockwise and step and throw to 2B, as if it were an inside move but from the Windup position?

Yes

Yes

Yes (aren't questions 2 and 3 the same?)

(all assuming F1 hasn't made--or doesn't make-- some move that's part of the pitch, such as stepping back or raising the hands over the head)

 

[Jack_Wick]

@noumpere

"Yes (aren't questions 2 and 3 the same?)"

No, they are not, because in 2 I mean that the pitcher lifts his free foot a little and then turns, while in 3 he lifts his free foot as if he were doing an inside move.

 

"(all assuming F1 hasn't made--or doesn't make-- some move that's part of the pitch, such as stepping back or raising the hands over the head)"

Okay, good. 

So if he steps with his free foot backward, slightly to the side, or slightly forward, he should necessarily only pitch to home, right? 

But could he still make the pick (to 3B or 2B) if he didn't take this step first, right? 

However, if the RHP, without taking a step, raised his leg as in the inside move from Set position, could he still make the pickoff either to 3B or to 2B (clockwise)? Anyway, could he no longer make the pickoff if the RHP raises his leg and free foot and then raises his hands above his head, even if he didn't take the step backward/side/forward first?

So, to summarize, you can no longer make the pickoff if: 

A- You took the step first (back/side/forward) 

B- if you didn't take the step but raise your hands above your head. 

Correct?

[Jack_Wick]

On 11/20/2025 at 1:36 PM, noumpere said:

Yes

Yes

Yes (aren't questions 2 and 3 the same?)

(all assuming F1 hasn't made--or doesn't make-- some move that's part of the pitch, such as stepping back or raising the hands over the head)

 

I quoted you in the other thread Fed & Throw FED

"F1, who has feinted to second and remains in contact with the rubber, can:

1. turn to his right and throw to first

2. turn to his left and throw or feint to third"

You say it wouldn't be legal to turn 270 degrees because it wouldn't be a direct/immediate step. BUT if from the windup position a RHP turned clockwise to take a step and a pickoff to second base, as if it were an inside move but from the windup position, could this step also be considered non-direct? On the other hand, could a direct step be just a counterclockwise step, or not?

 

 

 

We have two fairly similar situations:

1. A RHP (FED rules) feinted to 2B and, in this position facing 2B, turns 270° to make a pickoff to 3B. This would be illegal because it would not be a direct/immediate step.

 

Another situation:

2. (OBR Rules) A RHP from the windup position makes a clockwise pickoff to 2B, here he turns 180° clockwise. Would this also be legal? You told me yes, I think so too, but isn't it much different from the 270° turn in the first situation, or not? From the windup position, would the most direct immediate step be a counterclockwise one, or not?

 

3. Another more convincing situation is from set position, where an RHP makes a counterclockwise pickoff, turning 270° toward 2B. In reality, a clockwise step would be more direct. Wouldn't that also be an immediate direct step, or would it?

Thank you 

 

[noumpere]

You've been given all the information.  The rules (and interps) don't and can't cover all the possible situations.  MLB will not issue any guidance on this for "official OBR" until something weird happens in an MLB (or possibly MiLB) game. And the chances of anything close to what you've been describing happening are infinitesimal.  You can go to "your" league and ask for an advance interp, but they will just be guessing as we are.

[834k3r]

Folks, just stop feeding the LLM.

[The Man in Blue]

Does this sound like anybody we know?

Posted on a softball forum.  I guess I don't need to point out the obvious about that.

(Yes, @Velho, I still pop up there every now and then, even though I have given it up 😋)