Is this a balk?

Yes. The pitcher never came to a complete stop.

Yes, no question

Yes, according to the rules, no according to most high school umps I’ve seen!lol

I say he came to a stop then slowly creeped up before his motion.  But it is according to whether we are pitching or hitting.  LOL. 

I would likely NOT have a balk on this.  But, R2 can take off for third as the joined hands begin to come up -- that's the start of the pitch.

noumpere posted:

I would likely NOT have a balk on this.  But, R2 can take off for third as the joined hands begin to come up -- that's the start of the pitch.

I'm surprised at this. I know you know the rules well enough where my assumption is that you're seeing an actual stop, yet I don't see anything remotely close.

No balk. nice field... what is with all that racket??? 

Matt13 posted:

noumpere posted:

I would likely NOT have a balk on this.  But, R2 can take off for third as the joined hands begin to come up -- that's the start of the pitch.

I'm surprised at this. I know you know the rules well enough where my assumption is that you're seeing an actual stop, yet I don't see anything remotely close.

I got a little confused on the noumpere reply on two parts.

#1 - this was addressed by Matt13 in outlining that for no balk to have occurred, that the pitcher would have had to "stop" at some point (come set) after joining this throwing hand with his glove hand.  He does change the direction of the movement somewhat, but to say he stopped, and then of course started back, is not really what I see.

#2 - not exactly sure what was meant by taking off for third at the "start of the pitch".  Let's assume no balk - why could the pitcher not simply swivel towards third and throw the ball after the "start of the pitch" (i.e. when his hands start coming up from his waist after presumably coming set)?  I always though the pitcher had to make a move towards the plate before it became illegal to throw to another base.