Left hand pitcher balk rule.

quote:

Originally posted by Coach_Dave:
Reading the rule, runners on first and third a left hander can not feint a throw to first and wheel around to third. Rule states you can not feint a throw to first while on the rubber, So how does a left hander do this move while trying to look as if he is throwing home?

Not legally.

he steps off the back of the rubber first; then he can fake all he wants. If he doesn't step off it's a balk.

quote:

Originally posted by Coach_Dave:
Reading the rule, runners on first and third a left hander can not feint a throw to first and wheel around to third. Rule states you can not feint a throw to first while on the rubber, So how does a left hander do this move while trying to look as if he is throwing home?

He does it exactly the same way a right hander does! The rule is the same for both pitchers-- you can't feint to first while in contact.

Coach, as others have suggested, there is no "Left handed balk rule"; nor is there a "Right handed balk rule". The rules apply equally to all pitchers.

First, he can't fake to 1st base, so that option is out unless he steps off the rubber first.

Second, he can execute a jump move towards 3rd base and not throw...that is legal, but the time it takes to now reverse direction to throw back to 1st base takes too long to catch the R1 who may have committed too early. But, have your pitchers try it in practice...because it is legal.

Third, since most guys steal on first movement from a LH pitcher, does it really matter? The entire key to the play for a RH pitcher is to "trick" the runner at 1st base...an overly agressive runner takes off for 2nd base before the pitcher commits to the plate.

Fourth (an last), the best way to make this an effective play is to actually run a pick-off move to 3rd base a few times before you try the old "fake" play. Amazingly, my teams have actually picked the guy off of 3rd base because he thought we were running the fake. Set it up properly and it is much more effective!!

Left handed balk?

Situation: Man on third, no outs.

Left handed pitcher looks at the man on third, slightly turning his shoulders as he looks.

Is this a balk?

Probably need some more info here.........but in NFHS rules, turning the shoulder to look at runner prior to the stretch (before coming set) is legal. Once set, its a balk if he turns the shoulder.

 

its legal to turn the head to look, just not the shoulders.......Now you said slight.......this is umpire judgment, some would say you cant turn the head without some slight shoulder movement......

 

This is where Umpires earn their pay......

 

(As above...just to be clear...(as Jimmy stated) there is no "Left handed balk rule"; nor is there a "Right handed balk rule". The rules apply equally to all pitchers....

 

AS the father of a lefty, I look at it this way if a lefty is not pushing on the edge of having a balk called he's not trying hard enough. Over the years of watching my son he has had some balks called on him that I knew were not balks but he fooled the umpire so the ump called it a balk. and when my son is called for a balk he usually asks the ump for a talk to see what in the umps eye's he's doing wrong. this goes a long way to find out what the ump is looking for when calling a balk. balks are completely up to umpire discretion and judgement. so hence a pitcher needs to be right on the edge of it being called and right after a balk is called is usually the best time to catch a runner leaning.

I was a lefty pitcher myself. On one hand, I find it basically discriminatory that a RHP can fake to 3rd, throw to 1st, but a LHP cant fake to 1st and throw to 3rd. Its the exact. same. move. Just lefty vs. righty. why wouldnt you be allowed to do it? or why should a LHP have to step off first when a RHP doesnt have to. 

 

On the other hand. as previously mentioned, the whole point of a RHP making this move is to get the guy at 1st leaving on first move. A LHP probably isnt going to get the guy at 3rd because, well, he probably isnt stealing home on first move (There is a slim chance that in your fake to 1st, you catch R1 dead in the water, run at him to engage a rundown, and turn and fire home if R3 makes a move... slight chance i suppose). It would be nice to have the option. I guess the overriding rule here is that you cant fake to 1st when engaged at all period.

 

I got plenty of runners at 1B in my day with just a straight up good move...unfortunately, i even faked out my first baseman a couple times. Us lefties are at a big enough advantage with that alone i suppose. 

I feel that at the HS level a LHP with at least a decent move has a huge advantage.  Runners just don't have the ability yet to tell when the pitcher is going home and when he's going for the pick, but their coaches are often pushing for bigger leads and/or putting plays on.  My kid's team has a lefty starter who has won all his games so far this year, but he's a scuffler not a shut down guy, and one of his big weapons is picking runners off.  He averages 2-3 per game.  Sometimes it seems like with the opponent's best hitter 2nd or 3rd time though and nobody on,  he's pitching around the guy so he can pick him off.

My lefty's only run this year came in via a balk!

Love it when lefties have a great move.

However, quite a few LHP pickoffs are totally avoidable for the offense if the coaches are hammering continually on their non-stealing R1s that they have to lean-back towards first until the LHP commits to home.

 

Some guys prefer jabbing back towards first.  I think the lean-back is more foolproof than the jab back.